Over my time in the events industry, I think I have hired well over 2,500 people. This is a mix of casual event staff, full time employees and contract positions. Over the 30 years I have been doing it not much has changed in relation to how important a CV and cover letter are for people getting a foot in the door. Even if I have worked with someone or they have been recommended I will still ask them for a CV in the very least.
CV writing and/or updating can be a tedious and scary job when starting your search for a new gig, especially if it’s your first time or if it has been a long time since you have actively looked for a job. Unfortunately, it is one of those jobs you just must do to give yourself a chance at landing that next gig.
Your CV and cover letter if that has been requested is where the employer makes their first impressions of you and whether you are right for the role or their organisation.
Knowing how to write a CV and how to highlight the skills and experience needed for the role will help you stand out from the other applicants and get on the shortlist for an interview.
What most people do is write a CV and only update it when they are looking for a new job, and because we use this CV for all our job applications, we don’t vary it, just attach it with the cover letter and hope for the best. If you are doing this then you are missing a perfect opportunity to demonstrate to the employer how your experience and skills fit perfectly to the job they are recruiting.
Employers don’t need to know everything you’ve done in your career just the things that are relevant to that role. If you are just starting out and haven’t got much experience to write about then put everything in, this will indicate to a potential employer that you are at least trying to get some experience.
In the events industry you are probably being hired by the person you will work with, and they are most likely in the middle of planning an event when they need to bring more people on board. They don’t have time to read through irrelevant information in your CV so keep it brief and to the point.
But remember this is your chance to let a potential employer get to know you and it's as important for an employer to suit you as it is for you to suit them so don’t “guild the lily” as the saying goes, be honest about your skills and experience.
Let them know what value you will bring to the event or organisation and whether you have what is required to be successful in the role. Make sure your CV is clear about how you can do this and leave the hiring manager in no doubt that you are worth an interview.
Here are our tips for how to get started. If you don’t know where to start with your CV there are thousands of free samples available online.
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