Before you start writing your CV, sit back and think about how your career path has developed so far or, if you are at the beginning of your career, all the activities that have influenced your development or made you acquire new skills. You can take a piece of paper or write it down on a computer — at first, just write down everything that comes to mind. Only when the card begins to fill up, think about which of these experiences are closest to you or can be most useful. In this way, you will create a map of what you already have and at the same time be able to assess what else you need.
If you really don't have anything to write down yet, think about what is interesting to you or what natural qualities of your character make your desire to act bigger and stronger. At the beginning of our professional path, we often refrain from typing seemingly “trivial” and “unimportant” things. And in fact, for future employers, any activity can be important - from participating in a volunteer, to participating in a one-day workshop, to being recognized in a local competition.
Writing your passions and interests, as well as life goals and motivations not only looks good on your CV — it is also a very important map for you. It allows you to take a full look at your motivations and approach them critically and consciously. Perhaps we are already bored with something? Perhaps not every experience was equally valuable to us, even if it was profitable? Or vice versa — some, despite our approval, turned out to be insufficient from the point of view of future gainful employment, and we care about financial security after all? Imagining what we really need is extremely useful. Not only does it teach us to analyze ourselves thoroughly, but it also makes us ask the question: “For whom do we really choose this career path and not another, and what really drives us?”
In the following text, we will delve into the reasons for rejecting a resume, the psychological motivations behind choosing a professional career, and consider whether a photo in a resume is still acceptable.
Psychology of CV Writing
There is a specific psychology behind the process of creating a resume. The mechanisms that guide the way we think and make decisions can have a significant impact on how our application for a new position ultimately looks. IBto better understand this process, it is worth looking at the cognitive errors that we happen to succumb to and how they affect the way we construct a CV. Our brain uses “thought shortcuts” that allow us to simplify and speed up everyday decisions. Although they are generally very useful, in the process of creating a resume they can lead to some pitfalls. What seems important, attractive or obvious to us, will not always be perceived in the same way by the recruiter.
Halo Effect: Halo Effect (halo effect) consists in the fact that a positive first impression affects the subsequent assessment of the remaining qualities of a person. In the case of a resume, this means that an aesthetic, clear layout and a well-written professional summary can make the recruiter perceive the entire document more positively.
Confirmation effect: Recruiters can pay close attention to information that confirms their first guesses about the candidate. Therefore, it is worth matching your CV to a specific job offer, use relevant keywords, highlight relevant experience and highlight the competencies indicated in the advertisement. This makes it easier to reinforce the belief that the candidate matches the profile of the person sought.
Priority effect and freshness effect: The information at the beginning and end of a schedule is usually easier to remember. It is therefore worthwhile to strategically place the most important achievements and competencies in the CV - exposing them both at the beginning and at the end of individual sections.
If we want recruiters to receive our applications properly - it is worth recognizing the pale ones - otherwise our document may simply be omitted in the recruitment.
Photo in CV: not accepted everywhere
A photo in a resume is not a universal standard; its use depends on the country, industry and the specifics of the position. In Poland, photography is still a common element of application documents, but in many foreign job markets, including in Australia, it is recommended to give up photography. This is to reduce the risk that the candidate's appearance will affect the assessment of his competence or become a source of unconscious bias.
If you decide to place a photograph, it should be up to date, of good quality and professional. It is worth taking care of a neutral background, the right outfit and a natural look. It is definitely better to avoid private photos, random vacation photos or heavily edited selfies. The most important rule, however, is: before adding a photo, check the standards of the country and industry you are applying to.
summary
A good resume is not only a list of experiences, but above all a thoughtful presentation of what we have to offer the future employer. It is worth knowing the psychological mechanisms that can affect the perception of our application, and consciously use them when creating a document. It is equally important to match your CV to a specific job offer, industry and job market - this also applies to seemingly simple issues such as placing a photo. Ultimately, however, the most important thing is that the CV is not only aesthetic, but above all true, legible and shows our competence well.
Sources:
https://dobryhr.eu/czy-dodawac-zdjecie-do-cv-dylemat-kandydata/
https://www.hays.lu/en/blogs/cv-7-tips-for-successfully-choosing-your-professional-photo
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