Your CV is worth at least $25k

No, not a click bait! Let me explain..!

I have a ton of friends in various industries, but the recruiters have the most interesting stories. So, sometime back I was chatting to a recruiter friend who hires for senior executive level roles. I asked him if he had some scoop on the seniors at my firm. He was like sure, except for the fact that Partners at Big Fours will spend months finessing a proposal for $100k but when they look for a job worth $500k plus bonus, they don't even spend a day! WHAAAAAT??!

This blew my mind... not because I didn't know how much Partners get paid, not because I didn't know that CVs are important but because no one ever had quantified the value of a CV to me.

To a recruiter, the CV is worth the salary you want to receive for the job. And rightly so! Think about this - the CV is the first thing the prospective employer sees about you, that makes them wonder- "Is this guy the right person for the job? Or should I hold out for someone better for the $25k I've been allotted?" In fact I've done this as a hiring manager many times.

I work in the strategy / data science domain where good communication and reader friendly presentation is key. When I see a terribly written CV, I ask myself, will this person be an asset or a liability. Often for technical roles, I'll let a badly written CV slip by (which I wouldn't have if I was in Consulting btw!) but the more senior the role, the lesser I forgive.

Most entry level roles start at $25k as a minimum in the US and UK. So, most people are asking for a job that pays $25k at least. But they've not spent even a day on writing their CVs. How long did you spend writing your CV? Are you sure the CV you've written reflects the value you're offering and the salary you're asking for?