You’ve written your CV. Maybe even updated it recently after watching a few YouTube videos, scrolling through LinkedIn posts, or consulting a helpful friend (you know, the one who always has an opinion). But something’s still not working — you’re not hearing back, you’re not getting interviews, and you’re starting to wonder…
“What’s wrong with my CV?”
This is the question I’m most often asked by mid-career professionals.
And the truth? Your CV probably isn’t bad. It’s just not you.
Why CV Advice from Friends Often Falls Flat
You’re not the first person to ask your friends and colleagues for help. Most mid-career professionals do it. And why not? Your friends have likely hired people for their own teams, written at least one CV (their own), and may have even gone through a job search themselves in the current market.
But here’s the problem: you’ve had too much advice — and not enough coaching.
Advice usually starts with:
“If I were you…”
But they’re not you.
What worked for them may not work for you. And let’s be honest — some of that well-intentioned advice is based on outdated practices or their personal preferences (no, a two-column CV with one column in a dark blue is not a good idea, Mark).
Why Your CV Might Not Be Getting Interviews
Even if you’ve had success with your CV in the past, things change. The job market has shifted, expectations have evolved, and what worked five years ago might now look a little… tired.
Plus, let’s face it — when we’re in a rush (hello last-minute job alert from an old colleague), we:
- Forget to tailor our CV
- Undersell ourselves
- Leave in typos (just one more thing for hiring managers to judge)
- Panic-write bullet points that don’t really show what we’ve achieved
You can brush up your CV in an hour, but will it show you at your best? Probably not.
A CV that doesn’t clearly answer “Why you?” within seconds is likely to get skimmed, skipped, or sent to the “maybe later” pile (also known as the bin).
CV Coaching vs CV Advice — What’s the Difference?
Here’s the thing: coaching is not the same as advice.
Advice is someone else’s opinion, usually offered quickly, and often not tailored to your unique background or goals.
Coaching, on the other hand, is about uncovering what really makes you stand out.
“My CV review is not just my opinion and advice – it’s coaching.”
I’ve spent over 20 years reviewing thousands of CVs from both sides of the interview table. (Including recruiting cabin crew for Air New Zealand, back in the days when it was a very glamorous job — we’re talking red lipstick and matching luggage.)
And for the past 10 years, I’ve coached hundreds of mid-career professionals to crisply, concisely, and clearly communicate their unique value proposition.
I take the time to understand what you really want from your career. I ask targeted questions to reveal the individual challenges you’re facing — and we solve them together.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all template tweak. It’s human-first, coaching-led support that helps you land not just any job — but the right job.
Can AI Help with CV Writing? Sure — But It’s Not Enough
Now, let’s address the elephant in the CV: ChatGPT.
AI is having a bit of a moment (some people think it’s the next best thing, others call it the microwave of language — it looks real, but tastes like plastic).
Truth is, AI can absolutely help with CV writing:
- It can make your language more concise
- Correct your grammar
- Suggest synonyms
- Make you sound like a native English speaker
But here’s what it can’t do:
Bring out the best in YOU.
Your CV is a two-page summary of your career, values and strengths. Unless you’ve trained your AI model with everything you’ve ever achieved and every nuance of your working style, it doesn’t know what really sets you apart.
It doesn’t know your goals, your personality, or the job you secretly dream of when you’re stuck in another Monday meeting that should’ve been an email
“Unless you’ve spent a lot of time training your AI model, it doesn’t know who YOU are. Only YOU know all that about YOU.”
That’s why human-to-human coaching still matters. It’s not plastic. It’s real, messy, tailored, and (yes) often more effective than any algorithm.
The First Step to Fixing Your CV? The CPR for Your CV Workbook
If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “Yes, this is me,” — the good news is you’re not alone, and help is here.
The best place to start is with my CPR for your CV workbook. It’s designed specifically for mid-career professionals who want to:
- Get clarity on their career goals
- Avoid common CV mistakes
- Learn how to communicate their strengths and direction clearly
- Craft a CV that feels like them
Final Thoughts: Time Won’t Wait — But You Can Get Ahead
Your future job isn’t going to wait for your CV to be “ready.”
When that unexpected opportunity comes along — from a friend, a recruiter, or that unicorn role that suddenly opens up — will your CV be ready to go?
Let’s make sure it is.
Start with the workbook. Then let’s talk.
Buy the CPR for Your CV Workbook
Jane Piper is the founder of Pipsy and an experienced career transition coach. With a background in executive coaching and organisational psychology, she helps professionals take confident steps into their next career chapter.
Jane combines clear, practical advice with deep empathy and insight. Learn more about her here.
