Sharpen your tools to get a job!

Developing your professional profile is essential to get an interview that will lead to a job.

1- The CV

The CV (curriculum vitae) is an essential communication tool that must present you faithfully and highlight your strengths. For it to be effective, there are several things not to lose sight of:

• Your CV will never arrive alone at the company
• It must present you, and your professional background
• It must help you get an appointment.

Try to be as sincere as possible in your CV. During the interview, you will be more comfortable highlighting your strengths and defending your arguments point by point.
The basic CV that you are going to create can be declined and modified according to the offers to which you will respond.
Highlight everything that illustrates your qualities and skills.

2- The sections
Civil status and contact details: The only obligation is to indicate your surname, first name, address, telephone number and if possible an email address. Regarding family situation, age, nationality, there is neither rule nor custom. It's up to you to assess whether they represent assets in obtaining an appointment.

The title: With or without a title? There is no obligation in this matter. However, it can allow the employer to immediately target your profile (e.g.: BTP Engineer - 10 years of experience).

Professional experience: This is the heart of your CV, which details your skills, know-how, strengths, and places them in time and in professional environments.

Specific skills and knowledge: This generally concerns mastery of tools or methods particularly useful for the position (computer software, languages...). Depending on their importance, you can choose to make it a separate section or to insert these details in the "professional experience" section.

Training: Except for certain sectors such as research or teaching, this section can be relatively brief and include information on your level of education, your diplomas and the training that best enhances your professional objective.

Extra-professional activities:
Don't underestimate this last part (sports, interests, volunteer activities...). This section adds value to your CV: for example, a hobby in which you develop qualities or knowledge useful to your objective. It can also serve as a conversation topic for the recruiter who will appreciate hearing you talk, in a more relaxed way, about what particularly motivates you.

Depending on your experience, your qualifications, and the advertisement you are responding to, ask yourself from which angle you want to orient your CV.
What message do you want to convey: show your experience, your expertise, or rather your evolution, your training? What are the two or three main messages you want to convey first?

There is no standard CV, but CVs that depend on your own background:

The chronological CV lists your experiences, from the oldest to the most recent. Rather useful for career beginnings, it allows you to appreciate your progress.

The reverse chronological CV will highlight the most recent experience and end with the oldest. You will rather choose this model if your professional objective is in line with your last job.

The functional or thematic CV allows you to indicate, in order of importance, the functions or skills (commercial, administrative...) that you master by detailing the corresponding activities.

The mixed CV is a thematic CV in which details are provided on the companies and achievements carried out.

To optimize your chances of getting an interview with the recruiter, adapt and personalize your CV.
In the case of a response to a job offer, CVs will be sorted according to the criteria of the advertisement: previous position, duration of experience, level of training.
This information must therefore appear clearly in your CV.

In the case of a spontaneous application, the CV must be adapted to the company's profile and correspond to the position you are aiming for. It is more complete to offer more opportunities for collaboration.

In the case of an online profile on the internet, your CV will be inserted into a profile bank, according to the criteria that characterize you. It must be rich in keywords used in your profession to be identified by search engines. You can target several types of positions by creating several profiles.

If you wish, you can participate in the Pôle emploi workshop "Writing your curriculum vitae". You will acquire a methodology to build, write or develop your CV.
Do not hesitate to talk to an advisor at your Pôle emploi.

2- The cover letter

Your professional business card does not stop at your CV. The cover letter complements it and its development must be just as carefully considered.

If you don't know how to write your letter, start by organizing your ideas. This work will help you to better express your strengths and motivations in writing.

Keep in mind that the cover letter should have 3 parts:

You: First, get as much information as possible about the company you are addressing: its activity, its professions, its size, its clients, its needs, its projects, its values. On the Internet, take the time to explore its recent news, for example.

Me: Then identify the characteristics of your application: this is the time to select, from your experience, what is not necessarily said in your CV: the way you like to work, the challenges you are proud to have met, your wishes for professional development, the qualities you have developed in sporting, associative life, etc.

Us: Finally, try to identify all the strengths of your application. You must be able to show that your qualities will be useful to the company. By reading your letter, your contact person must clearly identify your strengths for the position.

• Choose one or two aspects of your CV that you will highlight.
• Make a list of the common points between your past experience and the proposed job: materials or techniques used, teamwork, customer relations...
• Describe how this position logically fits into your career path, what seems interesting to you in the proposal, but also your desire to evolve, to improve yourself in this company.

Keep in mind that beyond the content, the form of your letter is very important.
Today, handwritten letters are rarely required.
Prefer a letter typed on a computer. The mail will be more professional.
The form and layout must be neat: choice of quality paper, margins, clear layout.
Don't forget to sign your letter and indicate your contact details!
If you are not sure about your spelling, have the letter proofread by someone who can help you.

Always keep in mind when writing that:

• You have to show your interest in the company you are applying to
• You must "hook" your reader.

3-The development of your letter should include the following elements:

1/ The header: your contact details and those of your recipient (indicate the recipient's name and function in the case of a spontaneous application), the references of the advertisement if applicable.

2/ The introduction:
Summarize the criteria of the offer and show that you have perfectly understood the needs of the company.
If it is a spontaneous application, the introduction must immediately capture the attention of your recipient. Talk about the information you have been able to obtain about the company, in relation to the position you are aiming for.

3/ Your motivations
This is the time to talk about yourself. Highlight your qualities and show how you have exercised your skills. Be clear, precise and above all speak effectively: give weight to your arguments by citing concrete examples from your professional and extra-professional experience (results, figures).

4/ The proposal for a meeting
Always indicate that you are available to meet your contact person. You thus demonstrate your willingness and dynamism.

5/ The polite closing
Be simple. Avoid overly heavy or original formulas and don't use the word "feelings"!
If, despite this advice, you do not feel comfortable with writing your cover letters, do not hesitate to contact your Pôle emploi. An advisor will offer you to participate in one and/or two workshops: Writing a letter in response to a small advertisement and/or Writing a spontaneous application letter.
We also invite you to consult the Pôle emploi practical guide (in the right-hand column): "Preparing your job search: the right tools".

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