CV's have evolved with time and in such a competitive industry, it's important that you are keeping in sync. Gone are the days where your 'three page template' full of writing would suffice - if you are still using the same principles you was taught at school, then you most certainly need to get updated.
Put Yourself In the Shoes of the Employer
If you was recruiting staff and received 40 CVs, would you stop to read one with 4 pages full of writing? If you would, most probably it would be tossed out after the second page. It's very rare that only writing, can help a job seeker stand out, especially when the majority use the same 'buzz words'; Enthusiastic, hardworking, motivated, energetic, ambitious, etc etc etc.
There's only so many 'Key Skills & Responsibilities' a person can write about without it getting tedious. Unless you're required to offer a presentation or CV including extended values, philosophy and preferred playing styles, anything more than 2 pages could do more harm than good. You must remember, many people in football want to see what you've done, see what you have and see what you can offer. Not many 'football people' want to sit and read a 3 or 4 page essay filled with CV industry mush.
Grab their Attention!
PROGRESSIVE AND COMMITTED COACH is no different to being a progressive and committed coach. You may have 3 seconds to grab a potential employer's attention so don't make 'CV Buzz Words' the first thing they see. Instead, perhaps you can tell them how amazing you are in three lines;
- Won 3 league titles as Head Coach
- Have experience coaching in World Cup Qualifiers and the European Championships
- 14 years experience of coaching in top tier professional leagues
on a lesser scale it could be;
- 5 Years experience as Head Coach in Asia's top leagues
- Experience of coaching in the Asian Champions League
- 4 years experience coaching in an English Premier League Youth Academy
Once they have decided they want to know more, they will continue to look down the page. With this in mind, the next section should be your strongest power play to grab their attention and keep it. You want them to look through the whole document. If your experience is stronger than your qualifications, then put your experience first. If you hold a Pro Licence and other top qualifications which look better than your experience, then put these first. Do Not leave 'good ammunition' as one of the last sections to be read, the reader may not get that far down!
Stand Out and Provide Evidence
Most CV's are now sent via email (although it's still recommended to also send hard copies), so this gives a great opportunity to make your CV eye catching. Don't make it look like a magazine, but do use relevant photos when needed. A photo can at times show a thousand words and in the case of a CV, they can help to break up the mundane black and white scenery. If you're a championship winning coach, could that be shown somewhere with a photo to prove it? If you have National Team coaching experience, could this be shown through a picture?
As many already know, football positions can often be filled through common contacts and relationships. By including references from past employers or people of significance, it's a great way to give your CV and its content a stamp of approval. If you're saying that you have great experience at communicating at all levels, it would be fitting to get a picture of you in a press conference/being interviewed, and then some words to back that up by a reference.
There are still many different ways to write a football CV. There are also many different companies offering CV writing services; some affordable and some known to cost £200 and over. The main thing is, there are enough options to help with the task.
The BFCN is now offering CV services for players and coaches, with the services being open to both members and non-members. We have a 1 page and a two page CV template to choose from
For more information, read here!
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