Have you applied to hundreds of jobs and haven’t even received a single interview? All you have received is just rejection, rejection, and rejection? I know how that feels. It’s frustrating because you start doubting yourself and feel you’re not getting anywhere. All the hard work that you have put in so far is not leading you anywhere. You’re stuck and you hate that feeling.
But don’t give up just yet. I have the perfect solution to your problem. In this post, I’m going to talk about what’s wrong, why you’re not able to get those interviews, and how to actually get more interviews.
Why Are You Not Getting Desired Cybersecurity Job?
In your rush to give numerous interviews, have you ever wondered that the problem might not be you but your CV? You are not actually selling yourself properly on your CV and simply mentioning some basic certifications. You’re not modifying it for each job that you’re applying for. Additionally, you are adding the skills that you learned in your current job but are not relevant to the job role you are applying for. And that’s a problem. Basically, you are creating a generic CV that no one cares about.
So, how do we fix it? The solution is to optimize your CV based on the job role. Before we go on to find out about optimizing your CV for cybersecurity jobs, let us first understand why a CV even matters.
Why Does a CV Matter?
Whether you are an IT professional or someone else from a different background trying to get into cybersecurity or have finished your studies and are looking to get a job, a CV is necessary. Your CV is going to act as a brochure, as a sales letter, and as a sales product. It will market you properly and sell you for the job you have applied for.
How to Optimize Your CV for Cybersecurity Jobs?
An optimized CV will help recruiters see your qualifications and experience quickly. It will increase your chances of getting noticed by your potential employer. If the first impression is the last, then a well-optimized CV will create a great first impression in the eyes of your potential employer.
You have to optimize your CV with each job that you apply for instead of using the same generic CV. All the jobs are different. And the thing is, when recruiters see your generic CV matching all the others that they have already seen, they will toss your CV in the bin without even going through it, even if you may be eligible for the job role.
Hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds reading a resume. So, you need to make sure that your CV is selling you in the first five to 10 seconds. You can optimize your CV as follows:
- Each job, each position has different roles and responsibilities. So, when you’re applying for jobs, you need to adjust your keywords according to the role itself. It will help you tailor your CV as per the job profile.
- Properly mention your name and the job profile you are applying for. Your name will be the headline on your CV, and the sub-headline will be the target role for which you’re applying.
- Try to present yourself better in the summary and skill section of your CV. These are the two sections that should be on the top of your CV. Let’s say there’s a job opening for the role of a Cybersecurity Analyst. Then, in the summary section, you have to sell yourself in a really good way. And below that, you have to list all the skills that you have that are aligned with the job description.
To help candidates create a CV that recruiters notice, we have created a CV template. You can access that in our free school community and create your CV according to that.
Join Our Community to Get Free CV Template
Bonus Tip: Reach Out to Your Prospective Employers on LinkedIn.
Another reason why you might be facing rejection is because you’re not actively looking for a job. You just apply for jobs and wait for someone to call you back. That’s not good. That’s not the way to do job hunting in this new and modern age. You have to actually get out there and use LinkedIn to network with people.
When you see all those job opportunities, you will know the names of the recruiters, hiring managers, cybersecurity managers and the names of the companies posting about the job. Look up the company on LinkedIn and then search for recruiters or hiring managers.
Reach out to them directly and sell yourself during the messaging. Talk to them about why you’re applying for the role and why you’re the best fit for it. You have to provide value to them. Remember, you have to get attention because you’re not competing with yourself. You’re competing with other people as well.
Ready to Get More Interviews?
So, to sum it all up, you have to make sure that your CV is optimized according to the job description. Ensure that you have listed all the relevant skills and responsibilities for the job role you are applying for. Additionally, leverage LinkedIn and reach out to people in the company you are applying to.
With my experience, what I can tell you is no one is going to hand you that job on a silver platter. You have to fight for it. It’s not going to happen on its own. You must be willing to do more than just apply for the job. And if you need help with all of that, you can join our free school community. In the community, not only will you get a CV template, but we regularly do live Q and A sessions, and I can review your CV for you. So, join our FREE school community today!!
