1 Use the Get Licensed CV builder
Guess what? If you have been struggling to put together a CV, Get Licensed is here to help! Simply log on to the free CV builder on the site, choose a template and answer some questions and hey presto, you got yourself a great looking CV.
Maybe you put your CV together on a word document yourself, and you could benefit from our professional templates. Check out the CV Builder here.
2 Add a picture of yourself
When applying for a job, it’s a good idea to put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter. Most jobs these days often have over a hundred applications. That’s mainly due to the fact it’s pretty straightforward to apply for positions online. Whether the person tasked with going through suitable applicants or a professional recruiter or the manager looking to fill their vacancy, you can bet like most people, they are busy.
So when it comes to sifting through file after file of (let’s face it, somewhat dull and similar CVs), you cannot expect the person to sift through every single applicant and read every word. But just like anyone, if they see something that piques their attention, they’ll take a look.
Most CV’s whether a word doc or PDF are usually just words on paper. But hey, add a picture of yourself, and you’ll be one of only a few. You have every chance that the recruiter will take a look at your CV. It might be that your CV was number 132 to be handed in. Without a picture, you had no chance of your CV being viewed, but with a photo, you are far more likely to be picked out of the crowd, and you stand a far better chance of being selected for an interview.
3 Add a short video of yourself
Even better than a picture is a video. This doesn’t mean you need any special skills or need to hire anyone to help you “produce” a video. Your smartphone will do. Make sure you are wearing smart clothes. And make sure you take the video in suitable well-lit surroundings.
Keep the video short and simple. Be enthusiastic and smile. But a life story is not suitable. Detailing a little of your experience or transferable skills and why you would be an asset to the company is all that is required.
4 Check out Dayjob.com for free
If you need some inspiration about what other people are writing and an idea of how exactly a CV should be written, you can get it at dayjob.com for free. It gives you examples of other excellent CVs for security guards. So it’s just a case of rewriting and adding your own experience and qualifications.
This free hack is excellent if you are stuck and have no idea what to write. Or it can drastically help you improve your current CV with more appropriate and business-friendly content.
5 Sell yourself
Tell people how you will be of value to the company – after all, that’s all they want. So what are your unique skills that make you a great security professional?
Maybe it’s your calm manner that you have developed from dealing with your children, whether you are a mum or a dad.
Or maybe you do martial arts. There are lots of security guards that are not huge but are trained in martial arts. This is a superb special skill to add to your CV if you have it. Working in martial arts is so aligned to being a security guard. There is no real winning and losing involved in martial arts. The best fight to win is by stopping a fight before it ever starts. Martial arts is all about self-defence and only acting in absolute emergencies to control a threatening assailant. This is precisely the job of a security guard. Talking a potential fight down is what it’s all about.
It might not be that you are trained in martial arts or go to the gym, but if you can talk a fight down by using fantastic rapport and a great sense of humour, then you are an asset to any company. It’s impossible to be aggressive when you are smiling and laughing because a joke has tickled you.
Or you might be great when it comes to first aid. You can sell yourself by talking about a situation where you helped a person having a health crisis with your quick thinking and skills. Once again, the key here is to define and explain just why you will be such an asset to the company.
Don’t forget to say you are a great team member, an excellent timekeeper, and have good customer service skills. Best of luck!
Leave a Reply