Preparing a CV is a systematic process and requires your pers involvement. Don't try to rush the process. CV is nothing but your educational and professional acumen of lifetime presented in a logical manner with a smooth flow. At the end you can create an amazing CV of yourself without depending on someone else.

Before you commence writing a CV, sit in a quiet place & introspect. List out all skills, competencies and experiences you have acquired in life thus far. These need not be in any chronological order at this juncture. There is no time to be modest, you should know how to blow your trumpet in a subtle professional manner and be your own advocate.

Once you start framing your data into CV, dovetail all these aspects in a chronological order and follow the steps given below. Remember, first CV is your basic/mother CV and this must include all facets that you have tabulated so far; hereafter, there will be a specific CV for each job.

Studies show that regardless of how long you labour over your resume, most employers initially spent a couple of seconds to glance over it. Hence, your resume must present your information quickly, clearly, and in a manner that makes your experience relevant to the position. Any padding or writing flowery words may only make it bulky and irrelevant. Hence, condense your information down to its most powerful form. Key pt is that the reader MUST figure out, how your experience will fit into the available job position.

STEP-1 Write your Objective Statement. Unless you identify the type of work you are seeking, you may not find what you are looking for. This is especially true if you are changing careers like Army to Corporate. When you focus on this portion of your CV, be sure to keep the statement positive, concise and centered around the needs of the Industry (i.e. the post you have applied for). The best CVs subtly sell their skills as a means of benefiting the organization they are targeting.

STEP- 2 The next area to highlight is your work experience. One of the easiest ways to portray this aspect is by writing down the under mentioned facets of your last 2-3 key appointments:-

• Appointment Tenanted
• Duration with dates.
• Charter of responsibilities.
• Accomplishments.

The best way to explain your accomplishments is to define how you succeeded in handling the responsibilities of your job. Quantify them by applying numbers to the rate of success you had (for example improved efficiency by 15% or handled equipment worth 200 Cr).Explain your responsibilities in civilian terminology for better understanding, use corporate jargons for highlighting the accomplishments.

STEP- 3 List the highest level of education you have received. Include the name of the Institution with years. In case you want to highlight a particular School, College or Institution please do so, if it enhances the CV ( be Cautious?). Regardless of your educational background, be it a high school or a master's degree, direct the employer's attention to the course of study you pursued and especially highlight the portion which is related to the position you are seeking.

STEP- 4 This section covers everything else. This can include any or all of the following:-

• Professional Affiliations
• Volunteer Work
• Activities
• Publications
• Honours & Awards
• Sports Achievements
• Foreign Languages
• Hobbies …….etc.

If you want to list a "references" section, feel free to do so. However, it is a considered opinion that it should be added if asked for, otherwise simply write "available upon request". If you are regd with AWPO, you can give ref of MD, AWPO.

STEP- 5 Now it’s time to re-check all your inputs. Certain critical issues to keep in mind are:-

• Please ensure that the CV is not more than 2 pages.(No hard and fast rule)
• In all cases, you will list your personal contact information at the top of the page. Bolding your name is certainly advisable as you want to be remembered. Everything else can be aligned in a logical manner.
• Please ensure that your name, address, phone number and e-mail are typed correctly. Make a mistake in this area and it may cost you dearly. (a common mistake is - full stop/space in your e-mail gets added or deleted)

You have enough years of experience behind you. Read the CV critically as if you are on the other side i.e. taking the interview on behalf of your Team. Any word, sentence or statement which does not catch your eye or sounds irrelevant please delete it. Ensure your CV is free of errant’s and errors, and lastly, proof read your material before sending it out.

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All the best for your Second Innings. (Team AWPO)