How Interims Can Write an Impactful CV

In this blog, you will learn:

• What an interim role is.
• Why an impactful interim CV is important.
• What to include on your interim CV.
• How to write an impactful interim CV.
• Where the latest interim jobs are and how to apply for them.

Embarking on your search for an interim job role, requires a strategically crafted CV that speaks volumes about your ability to take on an interim role and deliver impressive results within a short time frame. 

Your interim CV should showcase to a hiring manager that you possess the leadership skills required to manage a team throughout a diverse range of challenges and important projects.  

However, making an impact with your interim CV is easier said than done. In such a competitive job market, it’s more important than ever that your CV leaves a lasting impression on a hiring manager, for all the right reasons.

What is an interim role?

An interim job role refers to a temporary employment opportunity, typically at a leadership or managerial level. 

Interim positions are typically filled to address a specific need within a company or to fill a temporary gap within an organisation.

Often, interim roles require a person with leadership or managerial experience to step in and complete a project with no need for prior training. 

The fast-paced nature of interim working means many local authorities work on this basis, thanks to their periods of transition, requirement for specialised expertise and project-based needs. 

Why is an impactful interim CV important?

An impactful CV is important for any job type, but especially within the interim market.

The fast paced nature of the interim market means employers require interim workers to join their organisation, hit the ground running and deliver immediate results. For this reason, it is essential that your CV highlights that you have the skills and experience to do this. 

When compiling your CV for an interim role, it is important that you convey your flexibility and adaptability to take on a new challenge, with little training or guidance. 

Your CV should showcase your ability to thrive in a diverse work environment and display a track record of navigating change and delivering results in different contexts.  

Establishing your credibility is also an important aspect of creating an impactful interim CV. A CV that clearly demonstrates your ability to carry a job out to a high level of expertise, is sure to make an impressive impact on a hiring manager. 

What should be included on an interim CV?

There are a number of key elements which should be included on your interim CV in order to make it as impactful as possible.

These elements include:

• Personal details.
• Professional summary.
• Skills section.
• Professional certifications.

Personal details

Personal details are crucial for establishing your identity and whilst you don’t need to disclose information regarding your marital status, sexuality, ethnicity or religion, your personal information provides a baseline for establishing trust with an employer. 

It also goes without saying that a CV must include your up-to-date contact details. It’s no good a hiring manager being impressed with your credentials but having no way to contact you to arrange an interview date.

Professional summary

Your professional summary should highlight your key skills, experiences and previous interim responsibilities. 

This section of your CV should serve as a concise snapshot of your qualifications and career objectives. 

In regards to an interim CV, your professional summary will provide a hiring manager with a quick overview of your suitability for temporary positions. For this reason, this section of your CV must pack a punch and leave a lasting impact on an employer. 

Skills section

In this section of your CV, you should highlight any relevant skills you have for interim work. Including both hard and soft skills will help to make an impact on a hiring manager.

Soft skills might include strong timekeeping skills, which are essential for interim projects that often have a tight deadline. 

Hard skills are generally industry and role specific, so be sure to include any that will impress a hiring manager and showcase your technical abilities. 

Professional certifications

Highlighting your personal certifications is a sure fire way to have an impact on a hiring manager and help you stand out from the pool of other candidates. 

The inclusion of personal certifications on your CV validates your experience, gives you a competitive edge in a fast-paced interim market and demonstrates how your specialised qualifications mean you will need little to no training on the job. 

How to write an impactful interim CV

There are a number of ways to create an impactful interim CV:

• Tailor your CV to the employer.
• Emphasise your ability to hit the ground running.
• Add credibility with numbers and statistics.
• Keep your CV clear and concise.
• Speak about your professional development.

Tailor your CV to the employer

Thanks to the competitive nature of the interim job market, and the way in which interim workers operate from job to job, tailoring your CV to each employer might seem like a task you’d rather avoid.

However, tailoring your CV is an important way to create a direct impact on the person reading it.

A hiring manager will spot a generic, bulk sent email from a mile off. However, if it’s clear that you’ve taken the time to personalise your CV and pay attention to the job description, this will help you stand out from other candidates who haven’t bothered. 

Tailoring your CV might take you half an hour or so, but if it helps you land your next interim role, then it’s worth dedicating the time to.

Emphasise your ability to hit the ground running

Probably more importantly than anything else, hiring managers for interim roles are on the lookout for candidates who can join their company and make an immediate, significant impact. 

Showcasing your ability to hit the ground running, through the skills, experience and qualifications you include on your CV, is advised for making an impact. 

Interim recruitment specialist, John Shorrock, says “If a hiring manager can tell from a CV that a person possesses the skills required for the role they’re applying for, they are more likely to invite them for an interview. Interims are expected to hit the ground running, so showcasing the skills that are specific to the role is a great way to get your CV noticed.”

We advise including real life examples of situations where you have demonstrated these qualities in order to add credibility to your CV.

This leads us nicely on to the next point… 

Add credibility with numbers and statistics 

Telling a hiring manager why you’re the perfect person for their role is one thing, but backing your points up with solid and impressive evidence is a guaranteed way to make an impact with your interim CV. 

By providing concrete evidence of your achievements and contributions to date, a hiring manager can see for themselves that your claims are based upon quantifiable measures, making your experiences more tangible and impressive. 

There are several ways to incorporate numbers and statistics into your interim CV:

• Quantify your achievements.
• Highlight percentage improvements.
• Include team metrics.
• Don’t forget certifications and training.

Quantify your achievements

Rather than using vague statements such as ‘I have previous experience of managing a successful project’, improve this statement by backing it up with quantifiable evidence.

Instead, you could say, ‘I have previous experience of managing a successful project that saved the company £X annually.’

This highlights the fantastic results you achieved to a hiring manager and will help to make an impactful impression on them. 

Interim recruitment specialist, Richard Shorrock, explains “Clear metrics highlighted throughout a CV help to showcase a person’s unique contributions and achievements, making it easier for hiring managers to compare candidates and make informed decisions about their ability.” 

Richard continues, “If you’ve contributed to significant milestones or successes, ensure this is listed!”

Highlight percentage improvements

Being able to showcase improvements using percentage measures will add credibility to your claims. 

For example, instead of saying ‘I increased customer satisfaction’, elaborate on this by using a percentage, ‘I increased customer satisfaction by X%, which resulted in…’.

By adding ‘which resulted in’, this also demonstrates the positive impact your achievement had on the company and will encourage a hiring manager that you are capable of delivering similar results for them. 

Include team metrics

Don’t forget, it’s not all about what you have achieved alone.

There is nothing wrong with leaning on team metrics to boost your CV, in fact, not only can they make an impact, they also demonstrate you have the qualities required to succeed as part of a team.

Whether you have managed a team or worked as part of a team, you should showcase the achievements you made within this group by detailing your activities and the numbers behind these. 

Don’t forget certifications and training

Any relevant certifications and training should be documented on your CV.

If a particular qualification carries an impressive score with it, don’t forget to note this too.

For example, if you achieved 97% in an industry related exam, shout about it! 

Keep your CV clear and concise

In the fast-paced world of interim work, a hiring manager won’t have endless hours to trawl through pages of irrelevant CV material.

For this reason, it’s essential that your CV is formatted in a clear and concise structure, allowing a hiring manager to decipher your skills and experience within the first few seconds of looking at it.

A document that is easy to navigate will allow a hiring manager to quickly find the information relevant to them, so be sure to showcase anything that makes you perfect for an interim role, in a clear and concise manner. 

Speak about your professional development

Professional development is important for any job application, but especially within the interim market, which offers fantastic opportunities for career growth and leadership roles.
Hiring managers within the interim market are looking for individuals who can hit the ground running, therefore highlighting your professional development and ability to lead a team is a great way to make an impact.

John Shorrock says, “I see hundreds of interim worker CVs a week and I can say that those which are most successful are the CVs that have been tailored to suit the needs of the role and showcase professional development.” 

John continues “The most successful interim workers may have 3 or 4 different versions of their CV, each highlighting specific elements of their experience to make them a more attractive proposition to a hirer looking for that specific excellence.”
Professional development is also important for displaying your commitment to growth, your adaptability, your knowledge of up to date trends and your overall credibility within an industry. These are all desirable characteristics that a hiring manager for an interim role will be looking for. 

Where the latest interim jobs?

Hoping to find your next interim job? As a specialist public sector recruitment agency, we work alongside a number of local authorities throughout the UK to connect them with the UKs leading interims. 

To find out more, simply get in touch with Divisional Manager, Richard Shorrock, or Lead Consultant, John Shorrock, today! 

Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our expert consultants will be in touch with any opportunities that suit your skills and experience.  

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Based in Lancashire, we are an award winning recruitment agency operating in both the public and private sector in a number of different specialisms. 

Since 2017, we’ve been matching candidates and clients to ensure that everyone involved within the recruitment process, is able to fulfil their requirements to the highest standard. 

We understand how important it is for a candidate to thrive within their role and the necessity for employers to find hard working, dedicated and qualified professionals to expand their existing teams. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering