The truth behind the CV idea!

In the job market we move around, shift from this company to another, update our CVs and put our best efforts to add and polish the necessary items.

Looking at the CV from a distance, it looks like a specific box that specializes you in one or two specializations and details your work experience, qualifications, skills and accomplishments. This is ok but don’t you think this limits our human potential? Is our potential really limited into the tiny specific boxes mentioned in the CV? What is mentioned there is all that we do and contribute towards the market? Is the CV worth our extensive focus and concentration?

I think the idea behind CVs is to make people average in what they do and contribute. It is meant to standardize people and force them to conform towards similar processes and procedures. It tightens your creativity and puts you in a small tight box.

However if you look at the CV as just one part of your main role and value in the market, you realize you are much more better than that. You can do more, contribute, offer, create, expand and step in rather than just thinking: how my CV looks? Is it updated? Does it meet the standard requirements of companies in the job market?

It is interesting to reflect on such common patterns instead of just accepting them as rules or facts we follow. I like this idea I learned from Seth Godin when he said: It is not your CV but it is the work you offer and contribute towards the market. It is fine to update and polish your CVs but remember your emotional labour. You stepping into the market, being generous enough with your gained knowledge and experience and doing the best you can to connect with people in the industry. That is what really matters and has the most influential impact.

So the next time you worry about your CV and whether it meets the standard requirements, switch your mental focus towards your human engagement with the industry instead. What is it you do to connect with people in the market? What problems you solve? What meaningful connections you make? Remember the CV is only one part but you are much more better than it.