Why Job Competition Means you must Invest in a Professional CV
Most people realise that investing in ones CV is essential for landing a job. Even with a solid network, you need a professional CV that can evidence your achievements and suitability for the role. While acknowledging there are always exceptions, the vast majority of us will be on a level playing field with other candidates and someone we do not know will be party to the hiring decision.
To realise how important CV writing can be, it is worth looking at some sobering statistics:
The UK Jobs Market
- Over the six months to June 2009, the number of jobs in finance and business services was down 67,000 (Office of National Statistics, Sept 2009)
- Across all sectors, the average number of applications per job has more than doubled to 35 compared to 2008 (Kaonix)
- The volume of vacancies advertised on UK job boards has fallen by 69% in the past 2 years (Kaonix).
The Professional Services Jobs Market
- There were 100 applicants chasing every position in the Investment Banking sector (Graduate Market in 2009)
- There were 15 applicants per vacancy in the Accountancy sector (Graduate Market in 2009)
- There were 130 applications per legal trainee position in 2009, compared to 52 in 2008 (Research firm, Sweet & Maxwell)
When competition is this intense, there is new meaning to the expression: the best jobs go to the best prepared. Being armed with the best professional CV possible is not a nice-to-have, it is truly a must-have.
If you find writing a CV difficult or you need to take it to a higher level, Platinum Professional CV writers can help you. Check out our Professional CV Services or CV Advice pages.