Your CV or Resume is a sales brochure in exactly the same way that a business has a brochure to illustrate its products to clients.

When a brochure is written, usually by the Marketing Department, a great deal of attention is focused on how to grab the potential clients attention, secure their interest , create a desire for the product, and galvanise them into action , – usually buying the product.

This is known in Sales and marketing as AIDA

Attention
Interest
Desire
Action

So your CV needs to perform the same function. And the same attention can be focused on making it easy for the client to see why you are the right person for the job.

Everyone’s career is unique, with different skills, experience, job roles and abilities.
The CV needs to clearly summarise your skills, experience, roles, abilities and achievements that make you uniquely qualified for this position. The things that differentiate your CV from the rest and uniquely qualify you for this job.

In the same way that consumers would not have to search through the detail of a sales brochure to find the differentiating factor that makes them want to buy the product, the recruiter should not need to search your application for the information they need to fit you to the job role. You should hand it to them on a plate.

For example, you would imagine all banks offer the same service, but if you are looking at an advertisement for a bank and they specifically say “The only bank to have independently accredited relationship managers “and also say “One way we’re helping business get ahead “then they are clearly positioning themselves to appeal to small and medium businesses who may not have a Finance Department. They are not leaving it to chance for small and medium businesses to use their services. They are differentiating their business to appeal to their intended client.

Your resume or CV should highlight your niche, your strengths, experience and abilities that make you a perfect fit for the role and set you apart from other applicants.

A good sales brochure lets customers know what the company has that they need. A good resume or CV lets recruiters or interviewers know that you can deliver what they need.