Rewriting my CV every year changed everything.

Every year in January, I write my CV from scratch. A blank page.

Every year it changes, to align with who I am (or who I’m not) today.

Every year it reflects the direction I would head in, if I went back to corporate.

And every year I wonder if I could ACTUALLY get a job, if I ever decided to re-enter the traditional job-market.

Would anyone hire me?
Are my skills transferrable?
Would I have to start from the bottom?

These are questions my clients ask me ALL the time.

And the truth is, they’re questions I ask myself every time I re-visit my CV.

Oh, hello fraudy feelings! You’re back!

It’s not uncommon for CVs to stir up a giant mix of emotions for people. I’ve had people ask to pause their CV session, because they find the process of raking through their career history and identifying skills and achievements overwhelming and upsetting.

I completely get it.

Job hunting isn’t what it used to be - it really is a marketing and sales exercise, and one made tricky if your confidence is low, you’ve had a rough ride, or haven’t been getting anywhere on your own.

And if you’ve been out of the workforce for a while? Boy, getting back in can feel like an insurmountable challenge. The longer you’re out, the harder it is to get back in. But it’s often not the gap on your CV that’s the problem, it’s the gap in your confidence. CVs are easy to fix – confidence takes a bit more work.

A wobbly mindset together with the added challenge of a competitive job market and tough screening processes is enough to make anyone question their worth (and sanity).

But I want you to know that when I finish updating my CV each January, I breathe a big sigh of relief, reassured that I am indeed a highly employable, highly experienced, highly accomplished member of the human race. I also want you to know that I put as much care, effort and hope into my client’s CVs, as I do my own. So don’t let your CV keep you stuck in the past – it’s there to help you move forward.

Coaching is a great way to work on your own fraudy feelings and inner mean girl. If you’d like to work on strategies to overcome imposter syndrome or change the way you feel about your CV, reach out.