Your CV is an important document but it can also be boring! Bring it alive by capturing real examples from all aspects of your life. When we apply for a job, we have to provide examples of our achievements, courses we have completed etc. Too often we only remember what we did after we have made the application.
Let today be the day you start filling your own jewel chest. Let the diamonds be your achievements, the rubies courses you have been on, emeralds the personality testing results etc.
What you put in your chest is up to you. I recommend a box where you can physically put things rather than a computer folder that you may not be able to find again, but you can keep it all backed up and keep details of the file name.
The box should contain all your job related information. People who work in IT keep extensive details of their IT skills and make sure they address any skills training needs so that they do not fall behind.
Your achievement folder can contain:
* Certificates and diplomas
* Letters of thanks from satisfied customers and clients
* Details of courses you have attended, including dates, length of course and key outcomes
* Articles and letters you have written to professional journals, staff newsletters etc
* Personal development: reports from personality questionnaires and assessments you have undertaken. You probably will not want to hand these over to a new employer but you can refer to them as you prepare for interview and to start in your new job.
* Achievements at work and in your personal life. From dealing with a challenging customer to completing a half marathon.
Once you have this information, your CV is no longer a dull record of past jobs, milestones and achievements. It is a living statement of your life: where you are now, even where you want to be. You could keep notes on your thoughts, feelings, and ambitions. The file can be as personal as you want. It covers what you will need to update your CV and use in job applications.
The achievement folder will then be your first step to updating you CV, and updating it will be a simple task rather than a big chore.
You may choose to put other things in the box, like notes on your career and life goals and specific weekly achievements to help with your appraisal. Often bosses don’t remember what you have done, so it is important that you have information you can refer to.
