Devex Career Hub: Recruiters share their top CV tips

Since recruiters receive boatloads of applications for every single job posting, they need to see certain things quickly if a CV is going to make it to the next stage. In this edition of Career Hub, I’m sharing some of our favorite tips from recruiters on how to make your next job application stand out. Plus, new job postings from UNDP, DAI, and much more. + Join us on Oct. 31: Our next event for Devex Career Account members will explore strategies for mastering your next development job interview. If you're not yet a member, you can try it out with a free 15-day trial to access all career advice events and articles, our complete job board, and much more. Top jobs this week 1. Procurement Analyst UNDP Denmark Denmark (Remote) 2. Humanitarian WSSH Technical Advisor / Interim DCOP DAI United States (Remote) 3. Director of Global Advocacy Hope and Homes for Children South Africa | Central Africa | Southern Africa + 4 more (Remote) 4. Agriculture Finance & Productive Use Manager NRECA International Zambia + See the full list CV tips recruiters want you to know “We see CVs that have five or six, even 10 pages with a lot of details. But the CV needs to be very focused, have the achievements [clearly stated] so that we understand what it means.” -- — Anne Favreau, regional chief of human resources, UNICEF We’re constantly speaking to global development recruiters from leading organizations about what they’re looking for in top job applicants. As such, we’ve collected a lot of amazing advice, especially for what HR teams are looking for in CVs and cover letters. One thing we hear over and over is to keep your CV focused. There are no firm rules regarding CV length — as long as it’s to the point. When in doubt, be succinct and “highlight the most relevant elements of your experience in relation to the job description,” says Lykke Andersen, UNDP’s head of talent acquisition and people programmes. We’ve curated more of our favorite pieces of CV advice in our latest downloadable cheat sheet. Download: Insider tips for standout CVs (Career) Read more: Top recruiter tips for development CVs (Career) Members-only jobs this week 1. Grants Management Officer Humanitarian nonprofit organization Somalia 2. Individual Consultant: Gender and Capacity Building Expert United Nations agency Mozambique 3. Senior Officer, Nature-based Solutions Humanitarian aid organization Switzerland 4. Head of Communications United Kingdom government department Dominican Republic (Remote) + See the full list Ask a recruiter: Breaking into globaldev We get a lot of questions from those who are looking to transition into global development from other sectors. We recently asked Iosif Sofios, a recruitment specialist with the Danish Refugee Council’s human resources team, what advice he had for those looking to make their mark. Where might there be opportunities for people looking to transition from other sectors? Jobs that are focused on project management give an opportunity for people to bring skills from other industries or sectors. This involves project management skills and coordinating with different stakeholders. And program management roles come under the same umbrella. Another sector is monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning, or MEAL — there can be opportunities here for professionals with a background in research or statistics. Grant management roles also, as people with a finance background can transition smoothly to such a role. There are [also other] job opportunities for candidates without strictly humanitarian profiles, including in our support services, such as administration, finance, HR, supply chain, and IT. Those roles are office-based and can be suitable for candidates with backgrounds who are inspired and motivated by the work of DRC but do not necessarily want to work on the ground. Read: Danish Refugee Council shares what they look for in top candidates (Career) Around the watercooler News and views from around global development worth knowing about. • U.S.-based staff members at Open Society Foundations are publicly protesting the organization’s restructuring process, specifically its plans to replace full-time staff with contractors, as OSF moves ahead with cutting jobs and offices around the world. • Several days after fighting began in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, a flash appeal has been launched seeking $294 million to fund urgent humanitarian work in the region. • UNAIDS has been facing funding shortfalls that are souring its relationship with its U.N. partners, and raising questions about its work. To keep up to date with all the must-read global development coverage, be sure to sign up to the daily Devex Newswire. Sign up to Devex Career Hub for global development’s top jobs, expert career advice, and practical tips to help you do more good for more people.