Could 'Achievement Amnesia' cost you your career?
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Overview
Our personal CV is arguably one of the most important documents we own. It
is our own personal shop window to the world of work, a place where we can
promote our expertise and achievements to secure our dream jobs, pursue our
desired careers and demand the kind of salaries we feel we deserve.
However, big question marks still hang over the CV - what should be included or
rejected, what are the most important parts of the CV, how should we present it
in order to get in front of the people that matter, and what do employers actually
value most highly on a CV? And will the old and tired CV be replaced by the new
types of online CV - what value can they add to the jobseeking process?
This report is based on research that was commissioned to explore some of these
issues, by investigating how we go about compiling our CVs and contrasting what
is seen as most important to jobseekers when writing a CV, with what employers
see as most valuable when recruiting.
The findings make interesting reading both for jobseekers and recruiters alike,
as they expose a significant factor that is clearly preventing some jobseekers
from creating CVs that are ultimately successful - something we have termed
'Achievement Amnesia'.
About the research
The primary research for this report was conducted by Research Now - an
international online fieldwork and panel specialist. The research has been
commissioned by iProfile.org to further understand the job seeking nuances in the
recruitment market place. Two surveys were carried out in Great Britain in early
Summer 2008:
An employer survey: the total sample size was 200 employers who have sole or part
responsibility for hiring new jobseekers. Fieldwork was carried out online between
the 19th and 23rd May 2008.
A 'jobseeker' survey: the total sample size was 1,000 British working adults.
Fieldwork was undertaken between the 19th and 23rd May 2008. The survey was
carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB
working adults aged 18+.