The 7 Second CV: How to Land the Interview

by James Reed

It takes an employer just seven seconds to save or reject a job applicant’s CV. In this book the chairman of Britain’s largest recruitment company offers invaluable and specific advice on what employers want to see in the CVs they receive and how you can stand out from the crowd. Unlike other career development books, the honest advice presented here has been compiled from one-to-one interviews, surveys and workshops across a network of recruitment consultants. This book is an accessible and enjoyable read, intensely practical and packed with pull-out quotes, layout examples and tips. Find out what future employers are looking for and take the first step to start loving Mondays again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2019

Reviews

[Natalie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought a book about resumes/CV's could be both informative and entertaining.

Sound advice, interesting anecdotes and a very knowledgeable author with the authority and experience to be giving advice.

A spur-of-the-moment read after several intensely disturbing fiction books, I learnt a lot and would highly recommend this book to those who are both job-hunting or providing assistance and information to people who may be on the hunt.

Definitely one to keep on my reference/resource list.

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't had to create CVs for anyone (an old job I had) for about 5 years so I enjoyed this as a way to see how things have changed in that time. I especially liked the section on social media accounts. While we warned against the content potential employers could see back then I think the level of social media has grown so much in that time it's definitely a chapter that needs addressing.

The book does exactly what you want it to and gives a detailed breakdown of how to create the perfect CV. A must read for job hunters

[Hira Amjad Farooq · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, also a fun book.
But there are a lot of things that were not much needed I'll say. Few things are over-explained.
But still, informative and also appreciated.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for anyone, excellently written. I can't think of a demographic which wouldn't take away from this. Regardless if you're a school leaver, revamping the CV or returning into work; this book is literally aimed at everyone!
I have recommended it subsequently to a friend who is looking to move roles after 10+ years with the same company. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers, i will continue to recommended this one!

[Jeni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my usual book, but after recently reentering the job market I was looking for a way to revamp my varied CV and the idea of a 7 second CV really interested me. And who better to take advice from than the Chairman of Reed.
I went into the book expecting it to be mumbo jumbo about buzz words and fonts, but it isn't. It doesn't spin yarns or bulk itself up. This book is a no nonsense look at the CV and how tailoring it can not only get the whole thing read, but can get you the interview.
As I have previously worked in social media I liked how Reed addressed the use of it as a tool for the job hunter. It was also nice to see the practical advice from those doing the actual hiring and from the industries as a whole.
Grab this book for an evening read then dive into that CV revamp.
Thank you to Netgalley and Virgin Digital for the chance to read and review this book.

[Gnanakumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a quick read with tips and guidance on creating a seven-second CV—the time it takes recruiters to look at a CV and decide to put it on either 'yes' pile or 'reject' pile. The author, James Reed, is a chairman of REED, Britain’s largest recruitment company. A separate chapter focused on different scenarios and situations jobseekers might encounter, such as no relevant experience, gaps in work history, etc., with suggested CV strategies and tactics to handle them appropriately. It is also encouraged to tailor the CV to the job description that one applies for—"Don’t be afraid of having more than one CV". I learned a few more tips on crafting the perfect cover letter, especially structuring the content into four paragraphs. It will be a good handbook for beginners.

[Yekta Sarıoğlu · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a concise and very informative book. I really liked the outline of the book and how the information present to the reader. Thus, it was not a compelling book to follow.

It is a book that covers all the essential process of making a good CV and also the tips and tricks part that I learned a lot. It also mentions the subtle errors that we don’t care a lot when we make our CVs. All in all, this book taught me a lot of good information in a very concise way. And made my learning process from reading very efficient due to its low number of pages. I do recommend definitely it.

[Carl Rannaberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid advice about what recruiters are looking for and how to create a CV which shows why you are the best candidate for the job. Having been a hiring manager myself I can definitely agree with many of the points brought out in this book. At the same time nothing really surprising or groundbreaking.

[Nick Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are preparing or thinking about preparing a CV, what more could you want then tips from the Chairman of Britain’s largest recruitment agency.

Nice easy read with practical advice garnished from industry surveys and many many years of domain experience.

Thanks NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for a review copy.

[Catherine Kabahuma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely sharpened my CV writing skills!!! I read it, applied lessons therein during application for roles in a multilateral organization abroad, got called for an interview in less than a month!! Need I say more? 😁🥳

[Christos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book! Easy to read and with good tips. More specific for those jobseekers in the UK

[Priya · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit too basic. "How to Write an Amazing IT Resume: Get the Interview Every Time" by Baron Fendler, was more comprehensive and relevant.

[Laura Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really useful book to help you craft a CV that will help you nail the interview of your dreams. Really useful tips and tricks and a book I will share with others.

[Romany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, this is relevant for Australian audiences as well.

[Dhruvina Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the only helpful books for constructing a CV. No blogs/website has relevant information shown in this book.

[Val Robson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is outstanding and an easy five stars. I've been helping to run a Job Club for years and we've already bought a copy of this book to loan out to job seekers. The 7 Second CV has got all the things that we've been saying to people for years but you rarely, if ever, find a job seeker that knows all these things already. I am rather sceptical of reviewers who say this book doesn't tell them anything new and wonder if they’ve actually read it all. I've been helping people with CVs for years and I've learned some things. One being that numbers up to 10 should be written in letters. So I am amused by the title of the book!

It gives very up-to-date advice and solid examples and tips. The style and needs of CVs has evolved over the years with the advent of technology to create them and more competitiveness for every sort of job. This book is clear and has a lot of anecdotes which break up the serious material that needs to be communicated. The format is excellent with nine templates included which cover CVs for difference periods of life and states of employment from new graduate to someone who's been made redundant or a person with gaps in their career. One template is for a cover letter - something we find a lot of job seekers have no clue about.

If you are looking for a job do not even bother looking at other books - this is the definitive one on the subject in my opinion. I agree with everything in it. I think the only point I'd like to add which isn't covered (or maybe it is and I didn't notice) is to keep a copy of _everything_ you send in for a job application including the advert you are replying to, cover letter, job description, CV and any application form (paper or online). We frequently get people at Job Club who don't do this, despite being advised to, and are then anxious as they have an interview and they can't remember much about the job they've applied to as it's 'gone' off the website. Or can’t remember which ‘version’ of their CV they sent in.

With thanks to NetGalley, James Reed and Virgin Digital for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Onyeka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quit without a role to go into at the end of last year, and having taken 18months to secure that role in the first place, I was petrified to go back on the job market. So much had changed - majority of the roles advertised online & at the level I was applying for, was being managed by agencies. My past experience was that agents tended to sit on your CV, and it took persistence to get a result.
I WAS WRONG!
The 7 Second CV is the satnav to CV writing with the desired result of securing that interview! Its littered with tips from recruiters (some of which are contradictory, but it just goes to show that no 2 people are the same); practical advice; and self-assessment nuggets that leave you running back to your CV to improve it prior to sending it in for the next role. That being said, it's an easy read, so don't expect anything enlightening.
Did it work? Hell yeah! I was head-hunted for several roles and just secured one in my dream industry.