5 Intelligent Ways How To Tailor Your CV for NGO Jobs Even Without Experience

5 Intelligent Ways How To Tailor Your CV for NGO Jobs Even Without Experience

By Dorcas Karuana,
Any time you are making a job application, you are always advised to tailor your CV to suit the job you are applying for.

Now, imagine you have seen this NGO job and feel it is a right match for you; it suits your interests perfectly. So you decide to apply for that position, but it turns out, though, that you do not have a lot of relevant skills and experience for entering into the NGO field. You are stuck, blankly staring at your CV, not knowing how to best get across your experience or even if it will make the cut. So how do you tailor your CV?

Speaking to Samuel Njoroge, Regional Recruiter Path International, he admits that “whatever sector you are applying for a job, it is important to have a good CV.”

He adds that, “if you want to get into the NGO field, there are a range of techniques you can learn to help make your CV stand out from the competition.” Little tips such as mirroring the language of your potential employer, writing a punchy and relevant personal profile, and using the formatting to your advantage can put you miles ahead.

The reality is, you will have to do the work or get a professional to do the work on your behalf.

Here are some quick tips on writing a CV for NGO sector that can help give you a fighting start:

1. Putting together a perfect CV can lead to that crucial job. Mr. Njoroge explains that, “even without NGO experience, “the most important thing is to demonstrate the core humanitarian competencies such as an understanding of humanitarian contexts and applying humanitarian principles, achieving results, managing yourself in a pressured and changing environment, developing and maintaining collaborative relationships, operating safely and securely at all times and demonstrating leadership.

2. Read the person specification and tailor your CV against the competencies they are looking for. “Most recruiters score CVs against a criterion and if you haven’t clearly labelled or demonstrated those competencies, your application won’t go any further,” explains Mr.Njoroge. He illustrates that, “if you are applying for a researcher role, make sure your research section has enough of the core competencies matched so you are ticking all their initial boxes.

3. Create a profile statement – This is a summary of your CV and should tell the HR Manager about you as a professional in a nut shell. Therefore, ensure you have a powerful punch at first glance. It may include your current Job Title, total years of experience, Industries or Sectors, products or specialist areas and your key expertise.

4. Highlighting your work experience- All relevant experience must be on the first or second page, as the recruiter needs it to make a match with ease. Additionally, job titles are a major influence, make sure yours are relevant to your audience.

Also, while writing job responsibilities, use black bullet points of no more than 2.5 lines long and do not leave a line between each bullet point it does not make the information easier to read and it takes up too much valuable space. Consider using bold to highlight key aspects of your experience. But remember less is more

5. Format – Make sure it is a consistent format and if possible send it across in a PDF format – it doesn’t lose its formatting. Alter the margins to make best use of space. Take no more than 4 lines for your name and contact details. Additionally, use white space carefully, big blocks do not make the document easy to read. White space surrounding key information like the organisation and job title is where it counts

In Conclusion, Mr Njoroge adds that when you are explaining why you want to work for them, ensure it is tailored appropriately and highlight what you can offer them. No one wants to read: “I want to work for Save the Children because I can’t wait to touch all children!”

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