It can be a cut-throat world competing for contracts, with several people all after the same position. How do you outshine the rest?
The PCG recently published new advice to help contractors boost their marketability. One key piece of advice is to steer away from presenting work experience in the traditional reverse chronological order.
Instead, the PCG advises creating a section within a CV entitled Contract Portfolio. Each contract is then written up as a case study with evidence to demonstrate accomplishments. By adopting this approach, contractors can change the order in which they present the case studies to fit the role they are applying for. Recruiters will still want to know when you worked where, so after the contract portfolio, add a section, possibly entitled career chronology, which lists company name, dates and job title.
Each case study should be written using the STAR methodology of Situation, Task, Actions and Result and you should aim to achieve this in no more than six lines.
The STAR technique can also help when it comes to interviews. A lot of people have the tendency to waffle in a competency based interview, i.e. an interview designed to find out about specific career events. This is mainly due to lack of preparation on behalf of the interviewee. However, if you prepare in advance, based on the STAR methodology, your answers will be coherent and flow naturally.
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