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Updating Your CV After Redundancy

By: Maggie Lonsdale BA (hons) - Updated: 28 Sep 2012 | comments*Discuss
 
Cv Redundant Assess Career Goals Writing

The problem many people have when updating their CV after being made redundant is that, somehow, their sense of embarrassment creeps in. They over-explain their redundancy and makes potential employers question their abilities.

There is no reason to feel embarrassed – on average, we are all made redundant 2.7 times in our working lives, so the chances are your interviewer or recruitment consultant will have gone through redundancy themselves.

Reassess Your Goals

Before you update your CV, take some time to reassess your career goals. This is a great opportunity to find a job that suits you as well as possible, especially if you have some redundancy money that allows you to take your time.

There is no point in just adding your last job to your previous CV and sending it out to recruitment agencies – this is the least likely way to gain a job that makes the most of your skills and you will feel like you have wasted an opportunity. Instead, commit to presenting yourself in the best light. This includes working out how you are comfortable talking about your redundancy – don’t just wait until you get in front of a potential employer and then waffle. Think through the issues – was there a restructure? Did the project you were recruited for end or change?

You need to remember that unless you present yourself as positively as possible, no one else is going to do it for you. Unless you are well prepared for the inevitable questions about your redundancy, you will do yourself a disservice. This, in turn, will compound any negative thought you have about your redundancy and will come across in an undesirable manner.

Reassess Your CV

Look at your current CV with an objective eye, or ask a trusted friend or recruitment consultant to look at it for you. There is also a number of professional CV writing companies that help you show your skills and experiences in the best possible way.

A common mistake is to simply add job after job, without rewriting or editing as you go along. People use the CV they always have without thinking of changing trends and skills. You do not need to have every job you have ever done on your CV and nor do you need to repeat similar responsibilities.

Do not take off jobs, but rather keep job descriptions short and to the point – don’t allow them to read like a job advert, rather explain your personal contribution and responsibilities. If there was an element to a job that you didn’t enjoy, by all means don’t mention it, or potential employers may recruit you for a skill you do not want to use.

There is also no need to explain your reason for leaving any employment on your CV. Some local authority application forms may ask you, but it is not necessary to write this on your CV.

If you have been out of work for a while after redundancy and are starting to feel conscious that there is a large period of time unaccounted for on your CV, think about taking a relevant evening class or doing some voluntary work. This can help to bridge the gap and can also help with your confidence.

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