CVs that Shine: Use Your DiSC Report to Better Opportunities

November 20, 2024

CV Qualities and Skills

This article shares a method that helped me improve my CV to make it stand out.

Through my career history and experience at My Training Shop, I've noticed a fascinating pattern of feedback: professionals who understand and leverage their DiSC profiles in their CV writing are seemingly more successful in landing interviews and securing their desired positions.

Understanding Your DiSC Profile's Impact on CV Writing

As someone who has previously worked in adult careers guidance and redundancy coaching, I consider myself to be considerably well-skilled in helping others with strategies towards the complex world of applications, interviews and career progression. However, when it came to adapting my CV, it would always cause me stress. Although I am much more self-aware now, I have never been great at acknowledging my achievements.

I’m the sort of person who thrives on challenges accomplishes something and then quickly moves on, I am not comfortable with promoting myself either. Rather like a sprinter reaching the finish line, I tend to push through to achieve my goals, but as soon as I cross, I'm already focused on my next race rather than raising my arms in celebration.

Invest in yourself with personal development

Your DiSC profile offers valuable insights into how you can best present your professional story. Each style brings distinct strengths that can enhance your CV when properly highlighted.

First, let's dig a little deeper into CV's and the format for the UK

Is a CV and resume the same

No, although they do share the same purpose of showcasing your qualifications for a job or academic role. Below is how they can differ

How Long a CV Should Be

Length and Detail

Think of a CV as the full story of your relevant professional life. It can be quite detailed and is often stated that a CV can cover a few pages. However, in practice, a CV should be no more than a maximum of 2 pages long. It should outline all aspects of your academic, and professional career. You can expect to see links to achievements such as publications, research projects, memberships, certifications, and even presentations in a CV. It can also contain some hobbies and achievements relevant.

On the other hand, a resume is more like a snapshot. Tending to be brief, concise and relevant usually just 1–2 pages long, focussing on the qualifications and experiences that matter most for the job you are applying to.

Structure

CV vs Resume

A CV follows a set structure, listing your career history usually in chronological order to give a complete picture. In the case of non-academic jobs this would be more skills orientated. In reality, though, it is recommended not to go back further than 10-15 years on your CV unless you need to highlight older achievements to speak to the job applied for. A CV can also have a summary section highlighting the most relevant information. Formats can vary with CV’s

Resume: This is where you can get creative. You can organise it by skills or experiences, tailoring it to fit the job requirements perfectly. A resume should follow one format.

Content

CV Meaning

CV: Is a document that tells the story of your career journey, often focusing on academic roles. It can highlight teaching placements, research, grants, and scholarly work. If used for more skills-based positions CV's can list a person's experience, characteristics and skills.

Resume: The focus should be sharp and to the point. It highlights skills and experiences that are directly tied to the job at hand.

Use Purpose

For the most part, you will see CV's requested in academia, research, and scientific fields, but they are now more commonly utilised for some private sector jobs and very occasionally government positions. Utilised mainly in Europe and Asia

Resume: Usual practice is when applying for jobs in the U.S. or Canada, particularly in the private sector or for non-academic roles.

In summary

CV or Resume

A CV is more of a comprehensive career biography, often used in academia or specific roles and when requested from the employer, mainly in the United Kingdom.

A resume is a focused, tailored document used mainly in the U.S. for most job applications.

Importantly, for both CVs and Resume’s, it's essential to tweak and update them to align with the job description and person specification.

CV UK Format

Use a Word document as this is a universal format.
Fonts to consider: Arial, Times New Roman, and Calibri. These fonts are particularly known for their readability and professional look. Don’t get fancy!
Think of white space positively: Similar to a newspaper or magazine. Sometimes less is more!
The ideal CV should list all your accomplishments, not your life history. Tailor your CV to the role you are applying for by referencing the person specification and job description. Minimise the waffle.
Highlight your personal qualities: Even if you are applying for a technical role, they can directly influence how you function at work.
Only include relevant information: If your hobbies and interests don’t help you stand out - don’t waste valuable CV space!
Consider the font size: As well as using a professional, easily readable font, think about font size. It is common practice to adjust the font slightly:
A larger font can make your application seem longer. This might be useful for individuals with limited experience. Consider including transferable skills, perhaps from unpaid work. If not, leave your CV short and to the point.
Reducing the font size is a method often used to restrict a CV to two pages. Ensure it is still readable. Alternatively, reduce the margins or cut down on less relevant skills and achievements. Experiment and ask a friend or family member for their first impressions.
Always include a cover letter: Even if there is no request to do so, a cover letter provides an extra opportunity to sell yourself. Utilise it!
Grammar and spell check
Never use the same CV repeatedly. Adapt it to suit each position applied for.

Below lists Reed’s general do’s for CV writing

Top Tips for Crafting an Effective CV

How to type a CV

Choose a professional font: Opt for clean, easy-to-read fonts like Arial or Calibri. Avoid anything too informal—Comic Sans is definitely not a good choice.

Keep it short and sweet: The best CVs are concise and straight to the point. Stick to the most relevant details and aim for no more than two sides of A4.

Organise logically: Structure your CV with clear headings (e.g., Work Experience, Education) and use reverse chronological order. Highlight your most recent achievements prominently.
Play to your strengths: Tailor your CV to emphasise your most impressive qualities. If experience is limited, lead with education or skills instead. Arrange sections to best suit the role you’re targeting.
Use bullet points: Bullet points make it easy for hiring managers to skim your CV and quickly find key information. Focus on relevant achievements and avoid overloading with unnecessary detail.
Don’t forget the essentials:

Include your contact details.
Use a professional email address (not something like iamthebest@email.com).
Ensure consistent formatting throughout.
Proofread carefully or ask someone to check for spelling and grammar errors.

By keeping it professional, focused, and tailored, you’ll make a strong impression and stand out from the crowd.

See Reed's website which lists 8 myths about CV’s

Your DiSC profile offers valuable insights into how you can best present your professional story. Each style brings distinct strengths that can enhance your CV when properly highlighted.

CV Personal Statement

Motivators and Stressors section of my DiSC report:

The screenshot shows a small section of my DiSC workplace report that lists various characteristics. Firstly, I identify the points that resonate with me most, remembering to align them with the role I’m applying for. Then match each one with at least two experiences - note relevant examples along with which skills/attributes were required against each example given.

The same approach can be applied using the Leadership, Management, Sales, or Agile EQ (emotional intelligence) profiles.

DiSC for workplace teams. Leaders, managers, Sales team and productive conflict

D Style Strengths

If you have a 'Dominance' style, you naturally focus on results and leadership. Your CV should emphasise:

Decision-making roles and outcomes
Projects where you've driven significant change
Quantifiable achievements and bottom-line impacts

For example, instead of writing "Managed team projects," try something like "Led cross-functional team to deliver £100K cost savings through process improvements."

i Style Strengths

Those with an Influence style excel at building relationships and inspiring others. Your CV should highlight:

Successful client relationships
Team motivation achievements
Presentations and public speaking successes

Transform "Worked in customer service" to "Built and maintained relationships with 50+ key accounts, increasing client retention by 25%."

S Style Strengths

Steadiness styles bring consistency and reliability. Focus your CV on:

Long-term achievements
Team support and collaboration
Process improvements and stability

Rather than "Helped team members," you could write something like "Consistently supported team of 12 through major system implementation, maintaining 98% customer satisfaction."

C Style Strengths

Those with a Conscientiousness style should emphasise:

Accuracy and attention to detail
Systems and process improvements
Quality control achievements

Instead of "Responsible for data analysis," try "Developed comprehensive analysis system reducing reporting errors by 40%."

Common CV Mistakes by DiSC Style

Each DiSC style tends to have blind spots when writing CVs:

D styles often focus too heavily on results without showcasing collaboration skills. Balance your achievements with examples of team success.

i styles might emphasise relationships without quantifying results. Include specific metrics and outcomes alongside your people skills.

S styles sometimes undersell their achievements. Don't hesitate to highlight your individual contributions alongside team successes.

C styles may focus too much on technical details. Remember to demonstrate the business impact of your analytical skills.

Shading and Priorities

Extra shading and priorities don't always appear in reports when they do, they do not indicate in any way that one person is better than another. However, as you can see from the screenshot, my DiSC® style is S with shading that extends to include Action, which isn’t a typical trait for an S Style. You can read more about shading and priorities in this Everything DiSC® article here

Top Tip for Online Job Applications

Maximising Your Online Job Applications with JobScan

Despite the fact that JobScan is referred to as a resume, ATS scanner is a powerful tool for anyone applying for jobs through online platforms. If you’re concerned that your CV isn’t effectively highlighting the right keywords to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS), this tool can make a real difference.
The best part? JobScan offers a free version, allowing you to perform two scans per month. This means you can get help with optimising your CV towards specific job descriptions without any cost.
Beyond the scanning feature, JobScan also provides a wealth of additional resources and tips to help you strengthen your applications. Whether you’re a job-seeking pro or just starting out, it’s a resource worth exploring!

Taking Action

At My Training Shop, we can help individuals translate their DiSC insights into compelling CV content through self-development and DiSC for self-reflection.

Optional 45-minute coaching session

Our approach can help you not just list your CV qualities and skills but present them in a way that authentically represents your professional brand. By helping you better understand yourself, you can then understand your skills and what you bring to the table, thereby making it easier to convince an employer to hire you.

Understanding your DiSC profile is just the first step. We can help you with:

Assessing your DiSC strengths
Identifying opportunities to better showcase your achievements
How to prepare for interviews using your DiSC insights

Ready to create a CV that truly reflects your professional strengths? Contact My Training Shop today for a DiSC assessment and personalised CV consultation. Let's work together to showcase your unique talents in a way that captures employers' attention and opens doors to better opportunities.