When a job interviewer asks ‘can you walk me through your CV?”, you may be thinking “surely they have already read it?” Yes, the interviewer will have read through your CV and noted your experience, qualifications and achievements. However, they will ask this question for a few specific reasons.
Firstly, they want to understand what you feel has been the most important aspect of your career and which of your accomplishments you are most proud of. They also want to understand more about your career journey and why you chose to take the path you did.
However, it is easy to become flustered and forget things especially when you are under the pressure of a job interview. Therefore, it is important that you practice your answer and make sure you know your CV inside and out.
Here are some other tips for offering a strong response when the interviewer asks ‘walk me through your CV’.
Keep your answer short and concise
This question is often used as an icebreaker so keep your answer to no more than 2 minutes. You don’t need to go into great detail about every single job you have had, each of your qualifications and all of your accomplishments. Focus on the experiences that best make you the ideal candidate for the role. Beforehand, read through the job description and think about what skills and experience the employer is looking for.
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Have a good structure
Structure your answer around your work history. Start off with your earliest experiences and how these helped you develop throughout your career. Next, you should talk about your current role including any significant accomplishments that make you the right person for the job. Lastly, explain what you are looking to achieve, why you are interested in the role and how you can contribute to the organisation.
Highlight specific skills and accomplishments
When answering this question it can be easy to focus too much on your past roles. You should also use this to highlight your skills and any special achievements that help you stand out from the other candidates. Talk about the skills you have gained from your previous roles and how you have applied these throughout your career. You could also highlight any accomplishments such as being top salesperson or helping to secure a deal.
Practice your answer
As this question likely comes at the start of the interview it is important to have a strong and impressive answer to create the right first impression. Practice your answer beforehand by saying it out loud either in front of the mirror or perhaps to a friend or family member.
Example answers
“Since graduating from university three years ago I have been working as a finance assistant for ABC Co where I am responsible for preparing financial data and invoices, updating accounting systems and reviewing and auditing financial statements and reports. This role has allowed me to develop strong analytical skills and build my knowledge of accounting principles which have helped me to prepare for the next step in my career.
Joining West Finance Ltd will allow me to put into practice my knowledge of accountancy and contribute to the development of the company’s financial strategy“.
“I began my marketing career as a digital marketing assistant where I was responsible for building email marketing campaigns, creating social media posts and designing online adverts. This allowed me to enhance my marketing skills and knowledge which helped prepare me for my current role of digital marketing specialist where I became responsible for managing the company social media accounts and designing marketing campaigns.
I believe that these experiences have helped to prepare me for the next stage in my career. In addition to building my knowledge and understanding of developing a digital marketing strategy, I have been able to enhance my leadership, critical thinking and storytelling skills. I have also developed an advanced knowledge of marketing tools and software“.
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