January is a great time to set resolutions and goals for the year ahead. The start of a new year can be a fresh start for things we want to achieve for ourselves to improve our wellbeing.
For many, finding work is a top goal – looking for roles that inspire us and give us a sense of purpose. But it can be a little daunting to prepare your job applications and have interviews, particularly if you have mental health concerns or have been out of work for a while.
That’s where our Individual Placement Support (IPS) team can help. Our IPS Employment Specialists support people who have a mental health condition to achieve meaningful full-time or part-time employment. They can help you to understand the type of work you want to do and what matches your interests as well as your skills, and then prepare you to get back into work.
The IPS team can coach you in interview skills, how to prepare a great CV, and build your confidence for returning to work. They can also approach potential employers on your behalf, discuss any reasonable adjustments you might need in the workplace, and support you while you settle into your new role.
But first things first – getting your CV up to scratch to land your perfect job! Here are 3 essential ways to improve your CV.
1. Make the top section count: write a strong personal profile.
Keep your personal profile short and snappy, around 3-5 sentences long. Just enough to give employers an overview of your experience, skills, and strengths. Focus on highlighting the skills you have which fit the job description, this is a good way to show employers you’ve taken time with your application.
Don’t just think about your practical strengths, what are your personal strengths too? Let them know if you work well under pressure, if you’re a confident leader, or if you thrive working as part of a team.
Using action verbs will give your CV more impact. Think of words like ‘achieved’, ‘excelled’, ‘delivered’, ‘guided’, ‘improved’, ‘collaborated’ – what words can you use to make your experiences sound stronger.
2. Highlight skills using clear bullet points.
You don’t need to write in long sentences to get your skills across. Think of your key achievements and how your skills match the role and simplify them into bullet points. The employer might have a lot of applications to read through, so make yours stand out by making it easy for them to find the information they really want to see.
3. Tailor your CV to the role, using keywords from the job description.
A great way to let employers know that you’re really interested in and well suited to the role is to tailor your CV to the job description. Look at the key words, what skills and values are they looking for?
Does the job need you to work closely with other people? Tell them about how well you work as part of a team! Is it a customer facing role? Describe your customer service skills! Drop in some of those key words and skills from the job description throughout your CV so the employer can see clearly what a great fit you’d be.
If you have a serious or complex mental health condition, and you’re looking for extra support to find meaningful employment, you can find out more about our IPS Employment Service here. IPS work across Liverpool, Sefton, Halton and Warrington, Knowsley, and St Helens.