Contractor CV Tips – Avoid common CV mistakes

When it comes to searching for work, the content expected on your CV varies between temporary contractor assignments and permanent roles.

So, you’ve brushed up on the latest CV tips and tricks. But are you unintentionally missing out crucial information that employers need to assess your suitability for a contract role?

In this blog, we’ve addressed the most common contractor CV mistakes that we see day-to-day. Simple mistakes could cost you your next contract if left unaddressed. From formatting your CV, to clarifying your availability, we’ve summarised expert contractor CV tips to secure your next role.

Top tips for a contractor CV

Make your availability for contract work clear 

As a contractor, your availability information is vital to recruiters. After all, their client often needs to start a project immediately. Projects require the right contractor with the right skills at the right time. Your recruiter will be looking to meet the needs of their client and find a skilled contractor who can start when required.

With that in mind, your contractor CV should clarify if you’ve departed from a previous organisation or not. Additionally, you should specify your availability to commence work. I would advise that you clearly state your availability just underneath your name and contact details. Doing so will ensure that your availability is visible and easy to read.

Don’t forget to list the expected completion date of your current assignment in your employment history. Neglecting to do so might cause potential employers to assume that you may not be available for their role in time.

Explain why you have chosen contracting

The next point isn’t so much a contractor CV mistake but more of a missed opportunity in my book. As a contractor, it’s beneficial to provide more context to your application. Consider adding a couple of lines in your personal statement explaining why you’ve chosen contracting. Your reasons could include the variety of experience contracting offers, skill development, or networking opportunities.

Remember to also add your unique selling points – be specific, not generic, though. For example, it isn’t enough to bullet point “I’m a good team player” and so on. Instead, write “My last assignment was extended as I was asked to collaborate with the team on an XYZ project.” This personal touch can make your contractor CV stand out to potential employers. 

Include a summary of skills and technological capabilities

Under your personal statement, don’t forget to include a skills section and technology matrix. Surprisingly, many contractor CVs overlook this critical section. A skills section provides recruiters and hiring managers with a solid summary of your relevant expertise.

You need to be able to add value from day one. Use this section of your CV to highlight exactly what systems and technology skills you possess and the tickets you hold. Doing so will demonstrate your readiness to take on the demands of the role. Therefore, your contractor CV will be more appealing to potential employers. 

Make your skills obvious

As you know, companies usually hire contractors to facilitate a specific need quickly. Therefore, your ability to meet the hiring manager’s criteria must be obvious to the recruiter.

Hiring managers and recruiters will review both your career history and skills section of your CV. Hiring managers will spend much less time reading your CV for contract roles than for permanent positions. That’s why it’s crucial to clearly list your most relevant experience.

Highlight achievements specific to the contracting role you’re applying for and quantify the responsibilities, skills gained, and results delivered. Detailing the volume of work completed in previous roles is important. Employers look for contractors with experience matching their current assignment’s demands. 

Also, use keywords listed on job descriptions to ensure that your CV passes any screening algorithms. Additionally, keywords will grab the recruiter’s attention when your contractor CV lands in their inbox. 

Explain your permanent and temporary work history

A CV for a contract role must make it clear whether previous positions were permanent or temporary. For example, write, in brackets, “(contract)” or “(freelance)” after each job title. This detail will give employers a clear indication of your previous contract experience.

Highlighting your previous employment types is particularly important when you’ve completed several assignments. Hiring managers may otherwise assume you’ve left a string of permanent roles in quick succession, or that you’re unreliable. Clearly indicating the nature of each role will provide clarity and transparency regarding your employment history.

Showcase your soft skills

Your technical skills are important, however recruiters also recognise soft skills as a strong prerequisite for contractors. These are the less teachable skills which reflect your personality traits, and they can separate a good contractor from a great one. Here are some of the most commonly sought-after soft skills for contractors:

• Communication – e.g. the ability to communicate with other departments in a language they’ll understand rather than specialist jargon 
• Adaptability – e.g. the ability to adjust quickly to new environments and integrate with a new team and culture 

• Quick learner – e.g. the ability to grasp new product knowledge quickly and hit the ground running

So, when writing your CV, think about the soft skills that have served your contracting career well so far. You can weave your soft skills into your personal statement and key skills section.

As mentioned earlier, contracting is becoming a more viable option for many skilled professionals such as yourself. My colleague Travis O’Rourke explores this topic more in the Hays Worldwide Podcast. Stand out against your competition when searching for your next contract by demonstrating that you are a cut above the rest. This starts with tailoring your CV for the contracting world.  

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