The Art of Superior Communication

Your number one priority when writing a CV and a covering letter is to imagine what the reader wants to know and hear. And what the recruiter wants to hear is about you.

They are not looking for gimmicks and chattiness, they're looking for clarity. That means not listing everything in overwhelming detail but expressing the essence of your themes. It's fine to leave recruiters with further questions to ask at interview, so don't kill the CV stone dead by doing too much.

Buzzwords, used in moderation, are useful signposts that help the reader recognise the complex picture you are painting. But avoid yesterday's buzzwords like proactive and business process re-engineering.

Grammar can have a stunning effect on readers if it is done properly. But throw away the Word grammar checker. CVs don't follow proper English grammar. There are no sentences and no paragraphs, or there shouldn't be. The CV has its own conventions, based on creating impact and saving space, based on making a few words do a great deal of work. Aim to concentrate what you say and then further edit it down to the absolute minimum. Brevity is the soul of wit - it makes you look intelligent.

There are no rules in writing a CV (though cover letters are grammatical and follow fairly precise rules). Start by realising that you are freed from convention. The document you are creating has a series of goals and a number of inputs.

Think about your role as an author and have questions like these in the back of your mind, the kind of questions I use myself when writing a CV for someone professionally:

The Applicant Side Of Things

- How did you approach your role?
- What scenario did you encounter and what did you do about it?
- How were your methods superior to other ways of handling things?
- What legacy did you leave behind when you left that job?
- What more did you go on to achieve in the next job?

The Recruiter Perspective

Your job applications live in a context that goes beyond what you want, what you have done and what you are good at. This is the marketing side of the task and these are the kind of questions to be asking.

What is my next career goal? Am I ready for it? Do I need further training? What issues are involved in making this change?

What do I need to say in order to convince recruiters that I am ready for this particular goal?

How will that sound convincing to the kind of people I expect to read it? What specific qualities and themes need to be prominent in the application?

How will it fit the brief in this industry and at this level of professional role?

The Text Itself

What information can I leave out or just use a trace of?

What information will make me (my client) look stupid if I do include it?

What can be implied over and above the actual facts?

What innovations in CV design and content are likely to hit home in this commercial sector? (for example, in civil engineering, going beyond the traditional list of contracts and getting inside the way a project manager has actually shaped the latest contract, change the methodology, achieved commercial targets, etc.)

There are many ways of embarking upon the process of becoming a superior communicator, but if you start to get a feel for these questions you will start to understand what makes an effective written job application. The other superb thing about being creative in this way is that it helps clarify your career strategy and begins your preparation for performing confidently at interview.

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The art of networking

Essentially, networking is getting to know people who can help you develop your career prospects. You don't need to be a big shot or the most outgoing person in the world to network effectively.

Take it a step at a time. Begin with people you know, at work and in your social life. Keep your ears open and listen for information that could work to your advantage.

What are the benefits of networking?
A lot of good jobs never make it to the pages of a recruitment website or newspaper. They get filled by word of mouth and the more senior the position, the more often it happens this way.

Even if the job is advertised, it helps to know someone inside the new organisation who can give you the inside line. They may even end up interviewing you which will always make it a less stressful experience.

Like any other form of social behaviour, networking follows certain rules to follow:

• First impressions count - both face-to-face and via the phone or email. Always stay sharp.
• Don't ask directly for a job - networking is not a job fair; it's an opportunity to gather potentially useful information.
• Give and take - networking is a two-way exchange, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
• Do the groundwork - research your contacts before meeting them and always follow up good leads or they pass on.
• Think laterally – try to expand your network outwards, beyond your comfort zone or usual sphere of operation.
• Patience is a virtue – getting involved in networking is being in there for the long haul; don't expect to land a plum job at your first meeting.

Building your network
Even if you're new to the game, you may have lots of worthwhile contacts you hadn't seen in that way before:

• Old school, college or university classmates
• Distant family members
• Your friends' family
• Your doctor, lawyer or accountant
• Former colleagues or bosses
• Club members or anyone else you meet socially

Keep good records of who you meet and the conversations you've had - there's no point building a network of contacts that you then forget. Also aim to stay in regular touch even when you're not after anything specific. You don't want to be known as the person who only ever gets in touch when they're after a favour.

Networking events and conferences are good ways to build a network if you're not sure where to start. Make sure you know why you are there and what you want out of it and make sure you have a few copies of your CV or some business cards to hand out to the important contacts you meet.

Don't wait until you've lost your job before picking up the phone to speak to people in your industry – even if you're happy in your role and the company is in a stable position, there's never any certainty as to what could be around the corner.

Networking 2.0
If you're not used to the idea yet, networking can be scary; like it's something for super-confident types who get all the best jobs anyway. But that's not the whole story. People are well-used to networking as a valuable business tool.

The Internet has made networking a viable option for everyone and there are many forums and business networking sites which enable business people to share and discuss their views and knowledge.

As long as you can keep a good barrier between your personal and professional online presence, this is a great way to pick up on the latest goings on in your industry, but can never completely replace actually getting out and showing your face.