Usually, the CV reflects what we have done in the past. But you can use that CV format also to plan your career development.
Many find it difficult to project themselves into the future. The REVERSE CV is a simple and pragmatic career planning tool, which can help you define the career steps that you should aim for to reach your dream job.
How does it work? It’s very simple:
- You should start defining the dream job that you aspire to reach in your career (how to find your dream job). This is the starting point to write your CV strating from the end.
- As a next step, you should specifiy the experience and knowledge that is required for that job. You will find this information in the job profiles that are available online.
- You should then work yourself through backwards step by step by asking yourself the question: What are the different positions I need to take in order to gain these required skills?
It is likely that you will need to reach out to people who can advise you in this exercise because they have more experience and information on these career pathways. Please do not hesitate to do so, you will find out that people are very often happy to share their experience.
Be audacious. Give yourself permission to write your ideal CV and include your dream job into it. Maybe you will conclude that it is not so far away from what you can achieve. Maybe having written it on paper will allow you to overcome a mental barrier that gave you the impression that this is something you can’t reach. Maybe you’ll stop thinking that this level of responsibility is simply not for you.
Finally, you may write more than just one life CV. There could be different development options that you want to consider. Write them down. Project yourself. Try to imagine your life within those different scenarios. Try to be as clear as possible about how you would feel in those different career trajectories.
- Is this really what I aspire to?
- Is that the type of life I want to live?
- Are these activities in line with my deep desire? Maybe you will discover the CV you really aspire to.
Give yourself permission to write your ideal CV in view of your career aspiration!
More information in my book:
Sven Sommerlatte : Successful Career Strategy – An HR Practitioner’s Guide to Reach Your Dream Job (Springer, June 2023)
