How to Read an Arts CV

The current growth in outsourcing has Public Relations departments scrambling to understand this alternative type of resume. The common complaint from small business owners is ‘why can’t they just use a resume?’  When you understand the purpose of a CV, you’ll have more respect for it as a b2b tool. 

The Purpose of a CV

The inborn talent of professionals brought us Microsoft and Apple, Youtube and Myspace, many bestsellers and million dollar a year blogs. Many of today’s success stories lack even the most modest BA or BS.  A resume does not promote the genius of talent. 

A Curriculum Vita, literally translates as ‘story of your life.’ It makes the professional’s talent obvious, as well as details what the person has done with that talent.

 When it comes to hiring professionals, practical application is more important than talent. Every business owner has heard stories of the geniuses who spend their days making excuses or handing in half finished work.  A resume will not detail what the professional does with their talent. Only a well written CV will outline achievements and accomplishments.

How to Read a CV

By nature, a CV is brief. The professional will focus on the skills they believe will win the contract.  A true pro will read between the lines of the job description. Their experience enables them to understand what the business client needs. The well written CV will ‘scream’ the skills, niche talents, and focus needed to win the contract. The CV will have one message – I can meet deadlines

The CV is short, at the most, two pages. However, it will include websites, online portfolios, and samples where the professional’s skills can be examined further.

After picking the CVs that express strong skills, focus, and accomplishment, it is time for step-two. Look for holes in dates.  Pros rarely have holes. If they are not contracted out,  they are learning, attending conferences and workshops, and networking. This is the most important thing to look for. It shows a professional who takes their career seriously. 

Beware the Tricks

Publication credits are good. Good ghostwriters write for clients, but they also write their own topics.  Professionals join associations, subscribe to trade periodical, and networking in groups.  These should fit the project they are applying for.  Make sure the professional doesn’t see the contract as a stepping stone in their career.  A resume that is full of publication credits may leave the professional very little time to invest in their business clients.  

The bottom line is. What can this professional do for your business?  In-house employees can be trained and molded. Contracted professionals need to come to the job ‘fully qualified’ and able to work on their own. This is why a CV is vital for businesses who want to outsource work. A resume tells the education and work ‘experience’ the professional has. It doesn’t reveal what they can do with their skills and abilities.

Unlike a resume, a good CV will focus on the future, not the past. It explains what the professional can do, not what they have done.  This is why a CV is so valuable when hiring programmers, writers, and graphic artists.  They do not focus on education, but pride in their work, and their willingness to give 100% to their business clients.

CV Format

This is where CVs and Resumes differ. A CV has no length, format, or style guidelines. The only rule is ‘keep it brief – keep it simple.’

A CV is a marketing tool. A professional learns to use it to market their skills and abilities. From the business standpoint, the CV has one main advantage over resumes. It is easy to tell if the professional wrote their own CV, or paid a service to write for them.  It is also easier to identify the professional’s abilities when reading a CV, than when trying to decipher the typical PR that hides major personality and ability flaws in a resume until it is too late and the contract is signed.