We're delighted to have you back today for a blog on “How to use CANVA to get a job!”. The job market is very competitive, and it is necessary to be able to stand out. CANVA is a free design tool allowing you to create content on several social networks but also to make presentations, infographics, CVs, cover letters and more. This tool will allow you to create a professional identity and make the difference during the recruitment process. Don’t miss out on our tips!
Social networks: Social networks have become particularly important communication tools in recent years. They allow companies to communicate and search for talents. They also allow a company to brand themselves and communicate about their services. It is crucial to showcase yourself and your strengths, to be noticed. We advise you to invest time in your LinkedIn and Facebook profile. Here, CANVA will allow you to create your visual identity, thanks to your profile photo and your banner. This tool offers you many free tools and other paid versions. You will find examples below.
Example of a Facebook banner:
Example of a LinkedIn banner:
Extra tip: -On LinkedIn, please ensure your work experiences are up to date and add your contact details. It may also be relevant to create posts to outline your job search and criteria, comment on or share posts related to your interests or industry. -On Facebook, please ensure that no compromising photos are attached to your profile. Be sure to remain neutral and professional in all circumstances. -Be creative, add recruiters and groups related to your job research (e.g., French in Barcelona, working abroad, etc.). However, if CANVA is famous for being a useful tool on SoMe, it’s particularly famous for the creation of CV and motivation letters.
CV and cover letter: As you know, the CV and cover letter are the keys to land your dream job. As competition between candidates is becoming increasingly fierce, it’s important to stand out thanks to a CV that reflects your identity, in a simple and effective way. Indeed, will only spend few seconds reading your CV (5 to 10 seconds), if we cannot clearly identify your profile, we will select another candidate. CANVA offers you many pre-filled CVs, you only need to fill-out the information. Those CVs are nicely designed, colourful or sober, depending on your preferences. Ideally, try to keep your CV to one page, especially if you are a junior. A person with a lot of professional experience can afford to detail this experience on two pages. The aim of the CV is to convey information clearly and efficiently, so try to get to the point. When it comes to motivation letter, CANVA offers models matching the CV, easy and quick! Make sure to have made much research on the company before to create a motivation letter. It will be important to match the job requirements but also your personality.
Extra tip: -Make sure you share an up-to-date CV. Make sure you put all important experience on your CV as well as your address, email, and current phone number to make it easier to get in touch. -It is important to adapt your CV to the sector of activity. A person working in accounting will not need to create a CV that is as creative and colourful as someone in marketing and communications. -It’s crucial to tailor your resume for each position, select the achievements you need to highlight, adapt the vocabulary to the company requirements. When it comes to the design of the CV, every detail matters. Did you know that for example colours have meanings? For more information you can visit CANVA resources and especially “Colour meanings and symbolism” (https://www.canva.com/colors/color-meanings/) -Proofread your CV, ask friends and family to read it before to send it to a company. You only have one chance to make a good impression. -Always create a version of your CV in your native language and a version of your CV in an English version. It shows a great motivation and attention to detail.
Presentations When it comes to recruitment processes, you will often need to answer case study or do a presentation. That was my case when I searched for my first job. Once more, a company will appreciate some efforts being made on the presentation. CANVA offers free presentations that you can adapt to the company you apply for. It would be a good idea to use the colour code of the company and to use their logo. It’s always important to do much research before to apply to a company, check their values, history, etc. You can then match the vocabulary of the presentation to the one of the companies.
