For someone just starting out in their career, a skills-based CV may be a better fit than the traditional CV template.
Have you always done your CV in the same way, listing your education and work experience in chronological order? The traditional CV template, or curriculum vitae, is a summary of formal skills, i.e. qualifications and job titles. However, it does not necessarily tell you everything you need to know about your skills, as we also build up knowledge and skills outside the actual job.
What can you really do?
A skills-based CV focuses on the essentials. It may not tell you what title you’ve worked in or how much training you’ve completed, but its main purpose is to tell the HR decision-maker what you can really do. What is most important in a CV are the skills we define as hard skills, those we typically learn on the job and in our hobbies. For example, if you code or photograph in your spare time, these are skills that are appropriate for a skills-based CV.
A skills-based CV can be particularly useful for a career changer or someone just starting out in their career. For example, if you have done a lot of part-time or casual work in a field you are not currently applying for, a traditional CV may not convince the recruiter. With a skills-based CV, you can show, even without a long career, what skills you have acquired that are valuable to the employer. It’s important not to ignore the skills you bring from your hobbies. In your CV, explain what you have achieved at work or in your spare time, how you have solved problems and how you can apply your skills to a new job.
Do not understate or exaggerate
When you write a skills-based CV, you should not include everything that comes to mind. As with a traditional CV, you should design your skills list carefully with the job you are applying for in mind. So if you’re applying for a job as an accountant, for example, think about what skills you already have that you need for that particular job. Your guitar hobby may not be relevant to this particular job search, but you may have been the financial officer of your hobby group. That’s a skill worth mentioning and can turn a job search into a win, even if you don’t have direct experience in the field.
Finally, it’s important to remember that while a skills-based CV offers flexibility when a traditional CV format doesn’t serve your needs, you should still be reasonable in describing your skills. Your CV should reflect the true level of your skills, whether you use a competency-based or traditional CV format.
Good luck with your job search!
