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How to Create a CV |
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 70 to 80 percent of jobs are not advertised so a high quality CV with a good covering letter can go a long way to creating additional opportunities for employment.
It is generally agreed that a CV should be no more than 2 pages long and in one of two formats: chronological or functional. The former is particularly useful for those with a solid career history, high profile roles or where the most recent jobs you have undertaken are the most relevant to the positions for which you wish to apply. The latter is mainly used for graduates, those changing career path or returning to work after a gap.
Avoid using hyperbole but do emphasise your strengths and successes. Too much exaggeration and you could become unstuck at interview. When attending an interview always remember that it is a two way thing – you are also assessing whether the employer and the company are right for you too.
Set your CV into sections so a recruiter can easily skim through and pick out relevant points and do not over crowd the pages – you want the most pertinent information to stand out. Generally, the following sections are included:
Profile:
Aim to summarise your best qualities here, be upbeat and use positive words.
Key Skills:
Set out the most relevant experience you have for the job you are targeting. This section can be expanded for graduates or those changing career to highlight skills gained through other activities and how they could relate to employment.
Education:
List your most recent qualifications first as they are generally the most relevant. If there is a particular one you wish to stand out, consider putting it in bold.
Professional Courses/Training:
Make this list in reverse order outlining any training or courses you have attended. If you have a formal qualification, such as a City & Guilds certificate or the European Computer Driving Licence these can go under education instead. You could include here other certificates you may have such as First Aid training.
Computer Skills:
Write in all the software packages you are familiar with. Avoid putting “Microsoft Office” and list the individual software (ie Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc) as different versions of Office have additional programs. If you have large number of technical skills consider breaking them up into subsections such as General Software, Graphical Software, Website Software and Hardware.
Work History:
List your work experience in reverse chronological order, ie starting with the most recent. List the dates in month/year format – exact days are not usually helpful and consider just using years if there are gaps. Put in your job title and the company you were working for along with the town where you were based.
For the job description focus on achievements and how you positively affected others around you and company performance. For example any projects you have successfully completed and how you supported, assisted or led the team shows that you have met targets by proactively working with those around you.
Always use figures to back up your claims outlining the number of people you were leading or working with and any budgetary allocations you might have been working within. Also cite instances where you have made cost savings (reduced overheads), improved productivity, increased turnover (even better increased profit) and improved the customer experience and satisfaction with services.
Voluntary Work:
Outline any voluntary work such as acting as secretary for a charity or community body.
Personal Details:
This has become a shorter section over the years. Include your date of birth only if you really want to – new legislation means that employers cannot dismiss an application because of someone’s age and they are not allowed to ask. Your nationality could also go here and inc |
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