Your CV Should Show More Than Where You’ve Worked
Your CV is often the first impression an employer has of you.
If it only lists your previous jobs, they won’t learn much about the skills you could bring to the role. Instead of thinking about where you’ve worked, think about what you’ve learned.
Ask yourself:
- What responsibilities did I have?
- What problems did I solve?
- What skills did I develop?
Adding this information helps employers understand why you would be the perfect addition to their team.
You Don’t Need Care Experience to Have Valuable Skills
If you’re applying for a health and social care role, don’t worry if you haven’t worked in care before. Many employers look for transferable skills. These are skills you’ve developed in other jobs or through everyday life.
You may have gained them through:
- Retail
- Hospitality
- Customer service
- Office or administration work
- Volunteering
- Education
- Looking after a family member or friend
These experiences can show that you’re reliable, caring, organised and able to communicate with different people. The ideal skills for a health and social care worker!
What Skills Do Employers Look For?
Every employer is different, but many health and social care jobs ask for similar skills.
These include:
- Good communication
- Teamwork
- Reliability
- Time management
- Organisation
- Problem-solving
- Patience
- Compassion
- Flexibility
If you’ve used these skills before, make sure your CV shows it.
Don’t Forget to Show Employers How You’ve Used Your Skills
Rather than simply saying you have good communication skills, always give an example.
Instead of writing: Good communication skills.
Try something like: Communicated with customers every day, answered questions and resolved problems in a busy environment.
Or instead of:
Team player.
You could write: Worked closely with colleagues to make sure daily tasks were completed safely and on time.
Simple examples help employers understand your experience much better than a list of skills. This increases your chances of being chosen for the role(s) you applied for.
Don’t Forget Your Everyday Experience
Not every valuable skill comes from a paid job.
Think about what you’ve done outside work.
Have you:
- Helped care for a relative?
- Supported someone in your community?
- Trained a new member of staff?
- Organised activities or events?
- Balanced work with studying or raising a family?
These experiences can show responsibility, empathy, organisation and commitment.
Common CV Mistakes
Before you send your CV, check for these common mistakes:
- Very little information about previous jobs
- Only listing duties instead of skills
- Missing recent training or qualifications
- Sending the same CV for every job
- Spelling or grammar mistakes
Taking a few extra minutes to check your CV could improve your chances of getting an interview.
Need Help Writing Your CV?
Writing about yourself isn’t always easy.
If you’re not sure where to start, Halo Staffing’s free CV Builder can help you create a professional CV that clearly shows your skills and experience.
Whether you’re looking for your first Support Worker job or your next role in care, having a strong CV can help you make a great first impression.
Click the button below to create your CV! By clicking the button you’ll create a powerful CV to assist you in your job search and guess what? it’s FREE!
You May Have More to Offer Than You Realise
It’s easy to think about the experience you don’t have yet.
Instead, think about everything you’ve already achieved. Every job you’ve worked, every challenge you’ve overcome and every responsibility you’ve taken on has helped you build useful skills.
Make sure your CV tells employers the full story. It could be the reason you’re invited to your next interview.
Are you looking for a new opportunity? We’d love to hear from you! We provide temporary and permanent agency cover throughout England and Wales and one of these roles could be for you! Check out our job vacancies below or contact us at [email protected] or call us on 0800 368 9644.
