A powerful personal statement or profile can be the difference between a recruiter reading your CV in full or not at all. As the introduction to your bodyshop manager CV, your profile is the chance to draw the reader in and showcase your talents, skills and experience.
A strong profile will make recruiters spend time on your CV while a weak profile could mean it ends up in the bin. So, how can you write a strong profile for your bodyshop manager CV and ensure you grab the attention of recruiters?
Research your target jobs
For every job you apply for, your CV should reflect the research that you’ve undertaken for the role. It is common for people to use their profile to showcase their finest achievements. However, if that isn’t the priority skill that the recruiter is looking for, then your profile and CV as a whole won’t be hitting the mark.
Instead, spend some time looking at each job description and researching each company to determine exactly what they are looking for and how you can tailor your body shop management achievements so that you tick every box that the recruiter is looking for.
Keep it brief
Recruiters will read hundreds of CVs a day, and if a CV looks too long or complex to read, the chances are, they may not even bother. It is wise to keep your profile length between one to two short and punchy paragraphs. Each paragraph should have around three to four sentences which should be precise, relevant and unique. Try to keep your profile to a maximum of 150 words.
As your profile is brief, make sure you stay specific and don’t use cliched information that doesn’t add value to your CV. As a write your profile, read each sentence back to yourself. Does it show why you should be hired? If it doesn’t, leave it out.
Keep it high-level
It is important to consider your profile as the introduction of your CV rather than the edited highlights or regurgitation of information that recruiters can find later on in your CV. You do not need to include your career history. Instead, your profile should talk about results, skills and achievements.
As a high-level profile consider how much detail will make a difference. Facts and figures that tangibly demonstrate your achievements can really help, but minute detail about where it happened, and the date it took place can be left out.
Again, it is wise to assess every sentence to check whether it adds value or is irrelevant detail. If it doesn’t make you sound like an exceptional candidate, then it probably isn’t important enough to go in your profile.
Tailor it
Recruiters can see the difference between applicants who have spent time reading the job description and tailoring their CV accordingly, and those who send the same uniform CV to every recruiter. While it may seem that every bodyshop manager role is the same, each position may prioritise different skills and have different requirements.
When crafting your profile, spend time highlighting the key skills and requirements in the job description. Then try to apply to incorporate these into examples of your experience and stand out moments of your career to demonstrate exactly why you are the recruit they are looking for. It is wise to use the keywords that the job description uses in your CV so that the recruiter can see that you are ticking every box.
Sell yourself
Finally, the key to a successful profile is the ability to sell yourself. Of course, your CV shouldn’t lie as recruiters will be able to detect this in the interview stages, but your CV does need to show why you’re the best bodyshop manager to hire. In your profile, make sure there is a couple of sentences that can explain exactly what you can deliver and why you can benefit your prospective employer.
Remember that your CV is the first impression that recruiters will see of you, so it is essential that you make it count. Ensure you use specific examples of your own achievements and don’t be afraid to be proud of your accomplishments; your CV shouldn’t be humble!
Andrew Fennell is the founder of CV writing advice website StandOut CV – he is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to websites like Business Insider, The Guardian and FastCompany.
