Interviewing for management level jobs can be extremely competitive and the application process can be a long and drawn out one. If you’re already in work, finding time to apply, interview and search for new jobs can be very time consuming, sometimes tiring.

But did you know that getting your CV right is almost half the battle? Your CV is essentially your ‘shop window’ to what you can offer to potential employers. As someone looking for a managerial position, it’s important that your professional ‘window’, reveals your most desirable and most employable traits.

Manager level positions are often in need of someone with very specific skill sets and experience in particular business areas; which is why for a recruitment agency, finding the right person for the job can often be a long process. But for an employee, how can they get the attention of recruiters in the first instance?

Top Tips of Building a Manager Level CV

1. Get help with your CV – if you’re not sure whether your CV is up to scratch, you can seek the help of professionals. Don’t be afraid to ask recruitment consultants for their help and advice when applying for certain roles. Always ask if you need to tailor your document to suit different roles and get the views and opinions of different people in the industry.
2. Highlight your people skills – being a manager is about working with others. Highlighting the times when you have worked well with people or delegated within a team (whether you were at managerial level or not) will help to show that you have had a lot of experience in leading others.
3. Show your leadership ability – leadership ability can be seen in the roles you have done but also in extracurricular activities and any work experience you have done. Are you the captain of sports team? The chairman of an organisation? The spokesperson for a charity? These are all things worth highlighting in your CV.
4. Get the right training – does your desired role require certain qualifications on top of your degree and school achievements? Or will getting on the right training course give you an advantage over others in your position? If you are natural born leader, your employer may not get to see this until the day of your interview but if you want to show your leadership skills, a dedicated management training course could be a great investment of your time and effort. (To find out more, visit www.righttrackconsultancy.co.uk and find out what courses are available for you).
5. Get references – providing references can really help you in your application process. If you can offer references who can vouch for your managerial abilities, this can give you a great advantage.
6. Ask for feedback – if your CV is not bringing you back any potential leads or no-one is responding to your emails / letters, it never hurts to ask why. Speak to employers and recruitment consultants about getting feedback and take what they say on board. In some cases, it may even be a second chance to re-apply for a role.

This is a guest post for TheEmployable