CV Advice – The first steps It is essential your CV portrays the best description of your experiences and is presented in a professional manner. You may offer the exact skills and experiences a company is in search of. However if your CV does not sell your skills you will be overlooked and candidates who may not be as suitable as you may gain an advantage.
CV – steps a guide to putting you CV together in order of sequence
1. Name
2. Personal Statement - This brief (6-8 lines) snapshot should identify your current motivations and long term career objectives
Try to strike a comfortable balance between including information on past, present, and future as well as between professional and personal realms.
Know your audience
3. Employment History
Start with you most recent positions
List your job title, company name and duties
Use bullet points to illustrate key achievements using measurable indicators (e.g. improve productivity by 50% in first year)
Ensure your dates correspond and there are no gaps
4. Education and Qualifications
List your most recent qualifications (e.g. Degree, A’ level and GCSE)
Also provide information on your professional qualifications (e.g. ACCA, CEng, CIPD)
5. Training Courses (From First Aid to internal programmes)
6. Personal Details
Full Name
Address
Telephone and mobile numbers
Email
DOB
7. Hobbies and Interests – (real ones!!) Try to steer away from the usual socialising and eating out options
8. References – you should normally provide 2 employment references however you can state “References available upon request” if you feel this to be a more suitable option.
Key Tips
Try not to write a biography - 2 pages should be sufficient!
Understand the job you are applying for and make sure you use similar terminology when detailing skills.
You may at times have to emphasise different sections of your CV, which means editing and refining your CV template
Your CV should be easy to read – use bullet point formats when describing duties and key achievements.
Check your spelling and grammar.
Include a covering letter (only where necessary) this should include your key skills and experiences for specific roles.
Please try to refrain from using photocopies – original or emailed CV’s are better for our consultants to sell your skills.
