Not to beat around the bush here, but i've seen so many posts from other travel recruitment agencies recently citing the traditional way of writing a CV as a way to get noticed and whilst that may have worked a few years ago (and may work for some companies stuck in the dark ages) it's not going to work in todays market.

I've had so many conversations during Lightning Lounge (still running every Thursday btw) with candidates about their CV's and what should / shouldn't be on there. The fact is there is no governing body on CV's and it's down to personal preference, but i'm willing to stick my neck out here and say you're not going to get a call back if they're not bespoke to a company and they don't stand out. 

I can back this up with a lovely case study from a candidate i coached during our 1:1 session, who landed a job a week after making edits to their CV:

With this in mind, i'd like to suggest my CV Cubed model. 

It's not revolutionary in the slightest, but it is designed to change your mindset when it comes to a CV and follows on from our brand you blog post (which if you haven't read, you should!). Here's how it goes: Have a minimum of 2, but ideally 3 CV's to work with. RADICAL, right?!

I've had so many candidates try to fit in absolutely everything in their 1-2 page CV's a struggling, so why not have a few versions of your CV that are targeted to different audiences (again referencing Brand you article).

CV number one - your safe core CV that is your go to for your bread and butter roles that are in line with previous job titles etc.

CV number two - pretty much the same CV content, but lets go bold with the design and change the copy and tone to cater to more disruptive brands.

CV number three - your bold and beautiful CV aimed at showcasing your wider experience and showing you as a versatile creative beast, this one highlights your skills and your brand and doesn't focus on job tiles.

Now at the risk of making myself vulnerable and shocking the recruitment industry into a communal GASP, i've added my CV that i hand on heart used before setting up my business as an example to show you how creative you can be:

Now this is an example of CV2/3 where the content is there, but it's not linked to a specific industry and it's very much about who I am as a person. It's a take it or leave it approach and conversational in nature, designed to engage the hiring manager/employer and provide a snapshot as to who i am as a person.

The colour pink is a big FU to gender norms and rebellious in nature and i've dared to put a swear word on there, as much for effect as to show i'm human and i'm going to drop a few f bombs in the office.

However this CV can just as easily be made into a number 1 by changing the pink to a more traditional black, and changing the copy slightly to be more generic. This CV would likely get thrown out of a more traditional workplace, but would get an instant callback at a startup / creative agency. 

So the point i'm making here is to give yourself the best chance of a callback by having different versions of your CV, editing your copy to fit the brands you're applying for and ignoring this one size fits all advice that is quite frankly hindering your chances.

CV CUBED. Travel recruitment doesn't have to be boring right?