Marketing is the bridge between the development of a product and the sale of that product. Advertising, media relations, public relations and brand management are all connected together under the marketing banner to some degree or another.
The aim of your CV
The aim of a CV is a simple one – to place in you prime position for the role for which you have applied by outlining to the employer, a brief description of how your skills are related to the competencies they require to fulfil a role successfully. Within certain industries it is obvious that specific skills and qualifications are needed for you to have a good shot at the job and a career in marketing is no exception. Like all CV’s it is worth reading the job description and highlighting the key skills and experiences they are looking for. By doing so, you will be able to target your CV and reflect your suitability as a candidate. Remember to also keep it short and to the point.
A CV to target this sector usually takes the form of a traditional reverse chronological order CV. However, a skill based CV can also be utilised, which concentrates more on your competencies rather than when you achieved something. A skill based CV is a good idea if you a marketing graduate and have little in the way of an employment history. Either way, it is essential that the focus of the CV communicates why you are the ideal candidate for the role.
The CV detail
The marketing CV should always include the following and depending which type of CV you decide is suitable (either a classic CV or skill based CV), the order of the information may vary; however, you should always lead with your personal details and statement.
- Personal information and statement
- Education and qualifications
- Your work experience and skills
- Campaigns you have been involved with
It is essential that the employer knows who they are reading about, so the first pieces of information on your CV should outline any personal details. Make sure your name, contact address, landline and mobile telephone number, plus your email address (if you check it on a regular basis) are placed at the top of the page and are correct. Omit any superfluous detail such as marital status, number of children, a photograph and nationality as they are simply not relevant, (apart from if you are a foreign national who has residency/ a work permit for the UK). A one paragraph personal profile should really sell your skills and ability and should be able to tell the employer at a glance if your application is worth pursuing any further so make this count.
If you are fresh from school or university, then it makes sense to outline your education and qualifications next, listing them in most recently first; however, if you are writing a skill based CV or you have a longer employment history, order the sections accordingly. It is important in this section to remember include any professional training you have had or other courses which are relevant.
Your relevant work experience and skills is an essential part of this document and should be clearly defined. If you have a track record in marketing, make sure this glows through and be sure to include the details of any campaigns you have been involved in, spelling out the extent of the success, how you personally affected it all backed up with cold, hard figures. Remember that the marketing sector as a whole, and more than likely the job you are applying for, is interested in knowing exactly what you bought to the table for such – and – such a campaign so don’t be shy when it comes to making sure they know what a super candidate you are. In addition, any internships and unpaid work within this or any related sector such as PR, media etc is worth mentioning in this section.