If you are applying for work in a startup (perhaps after reading my post - Being entrepreneurial without the risk: getting work in a startup), your CV will be essential when it comes to making that first impression. I say this because I have just spent the last two hours reviewing about 100 CVs for an internship we advertised at amuso.com, and seeing the standard of applications, I felt disheartened by how many applicants ignored the basic rules of writing a CV, let alone the lack of enthusiasm or entrepreneurial spirit shown. Entrepreneurs are time and cash poor, and the progress of their startup can swing in an instant if the right or wrong hire is made.
Ensure success with your application to work in a startup with my top 7 tips for creating a solid first impression…
- Make sure you apply for the right position in the startup: You may be a jack of all trades, an expert in every field, but if you apply for an internship in a startup simply because it’s a startup, you will more than likely seem desparate. If you have a background in marketing, hold out until you find a position that requires marketing skills. It’s not rocket science, but at least 50 of the people I vetted today had completely the wrong background for the job (and some didn’t even live on the same continent as our office…)
- Use a standard format for your CV: Don’t get too creative with how you format your CV. Stick to the normal ‘Name and contact details first, most recent education, work experience, interests’ format. This has become the layout of choice for a reason. Drastically mixing up the ordering makes it harder to get to the vital information that the person looking at your CV will want.
- Use any personal website or social networking profile you may have: CVs can be great, but something that is becoming increasingly common is for companies to refer to profiles on Facebook, Myspace etc to give further insight into a future candidate. For certain dot-coms, a demonstration of your grip of internet technologies and viral techniques can be very valuable.
- Sell yourself: This is common sense really but too few people do it. If you have something in your past that you feel will make you stand out in a relevant way, play it up. If you have worked for a ‘big name’ in the industry, write more about this than the time you did a bungee jump and how it made you feel like you accomplish anything blah blah blah…
- Take time to tailor your CV to the position: Hunting for a job or work experience can be a lengthly process, and you will probably end up applying to a variety of positions. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean you can send off the same CV to each potential employer. Take the time to read and re-read the job description, work out how you can emphasise certain elements of your experience to cater to the requirements of each company, and if you have a ‘career objectives’ section at the top of your CV, make sure this is relevant to the job you are applying for.
- Show you will benefit from the experience: Entrepreneurship can be somewhat of a spiritual journey for some, and to see that they are adding value back to the community can be just as rewarding as (if not more than) a big fat pay check when their company gets bought out. This doesn’t mean you should make yourself sound like a charity case, but who doesn’t like an underdog? Besides, very often entrepreneurs appreciate raw talent over qualifications, so if you are passionate and have ambitious (read: realistic) life ambitions, then try and work this into at least your covering letter.
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