No perfect CV? Your skills count

Many applicants ask themselves whether their CV is “good enough”. Maybe there is a gap. Maybe they changed industries. Maybe certain qualifications are missing or their career path was not always predictable.

However, a less-than-perfect CV is no reason to give up on suitable opportunities. What often matters less is whether every stage looks seamless, and more which skills, experiences and strengths you bring with you.

Especially in a dynamic job market, practical skills are becoming increasingly important.

A CV does not tell everything?

A CV shows positions, time periods and qualifications. It provides an overview, but it does not always show what someone can really do.

Many skills develop in everyday working life, through responsibility, teamwork or personal challenges. These include, for example:

• reliability

• organisational talent

• resilience

• communication skills

• willingness to learn

• practical experience

• technical understanding

These qualities are not always prominently shown in a CV, but they are crucial for many jobs.

Gaps can be explained

Career breaks can have many reasons. Further training, caring for relatives, illness, relocation, reorientation or looking for a suitable position are all part of real CVs.

It is important to classify such phases openly and objectively. A gap does not automatically have to appear negative. Often, it even shows that someone has made conscious decisions or mastered challenges.

Applicants should therefore not focus solely on hiding supposed weaknesses. It is much more important to clearly name your own strengths.

Make skills visible

When you apply, you should consider which skills are relevant for the desired position. Concrete examples help with this.

Instead of simply writing “team player”, you can describe the situations in which teamwork was important. Instead of naming “resilience”, you can explain which tasks were successfully completed under time pressure.

This makes skills more tangible and easier for companies to assess.

For organisations, this means that securing skilled labour is not only about recruitment. It is also about succession planning, upskilling and retaining existing employees.

A career change can also be a strength

Not every professional development follows a classic pattern. Career changers often bring experience from other areas that can be valuable in new jobs.

For example, if you come from retail, you often bring customer experience, strong communication skills and organisational talent. If you come from gastronomy, you know shift work, team coordination and high-pressure situations. Such experiences can be an advantage in many industries.

Conclusion: The right job starts with your strengths

A perfect CV is not the prerequisite for a good career opportunity. It is much more important to know your own skills, describe them clearly and connect them with suitable tasks.

Applicants should therefore not let formal uncertainties hold them back. If you know what you can do, you have a good foundation for your next professional step.

In the candidate portal, you can create your talent profile and find suitable jobs that match your skills, experience and career goals — even if your CV does not follow the classic pattern.