Is this you?
If you’re a mid-career professional in Pharma, have broad cross-functional experience, and your CV has already been rewritten three times without generating interviews, your next step is not necessarily a fourth rewrite. A polished document cannot compensate for an unclear direction.
☘️ I sometimes hear versions of the same concern: ‘I have a versatile background; I could do a variety of roles; I’ve applied across a wide range of jobs, and… nothing.’
And therein lies the problem.
To take a concrete example
You may have relevant experience for both Patient Advocacy and Chief of Staff roles. But the same CV should not try to make the full case for both at once.
A lack of focus dilutes your value and expertise—especially when competing in a sea of specialists whose experience looks more directly aligned to the advertised role.
☘️ The issue is not the breadth of your competencies; it’s trying to make one CV carry every possible version of your career. Because, what you’re ultimately doing, is asking a recruiter or hiring manager to work out why you’re a credible fit—work they most likely won’t have time for.
So, what do I suggest?
Instead of applying to different job families with one generic profile, use your CV to clearly demonstrate your capabilities and achievements for a defined target role.
📌 So, before rewriting it, I recommend you answer the following questions first:
* What specific role is this CV intended to support?
* Why does that role make sense as your next step?
* What makes you credible for it?
* Which experiences best show the value you would bring?
Get clear about your direction and the story you want your experience to tell first. Then, and only then, should you start your fourth rewrite.
☘️ And once you’ve rewritten it, do one final check:
“Could someone reading your CV explain, in a few sentences, what you’re aiming for, why you’re credible, and what you bring?”
And yes, this means that if you decide to target different types of roles, you’ll need a different CV for each one.
📌 Does your CV describe what you have done—or make a clear case for your next target role?
With love,
Dina 🫶🏽
P.S. Next week, I’ll be sharing more practical thoughts for those with a specialist CV.
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