CV Tips
There is no perfect way of writing a CV as it is a very subjective thing. This said there are a number of good practice guidelines which can be implemented to ensure your CV looks both professional and credible.
A CV often is the first introduction to an employer or recruitment agency and therefore it needs to speak volumes quickly about your experience and suitability to the role. It must presents you in the best possible light and be factual and relevant.
A golden rule you must remember when writing a CV is to keep everything in a logical, easy to read and understandable order.
Below is a simple guide example which is one of the formats we would recommend:
NAME & PERSONAL DETAILS:
Whilst this may sound obvious your full name and nationality should be included on a CV. Especially if you are applying for an overseas role as employers in today’s age need to be 100% sure all employees have the correct right to work in the country they are in. Or if work permits are required an employer should be made aware of this from the start as they are not as prohibitive as once they were.
Adding your date of birth is optional within employment law however we still feel it is best to add this, many companies and agencies keep records of all applicants and if your name is common then it avoids duplication.
We would also recommend adding you’re driving license entitlements and if you have current transport.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Your contact details including accurate telephone and mobile numbers (please double check these) if you have one. We would also recommend a current email address be used on the CV as at times this can be an easy medium of communication, please do ensure your email address is suitable to be given out as some personal ones we encounter could be taken the wrong way.
There is a host of other optional items that can be added like national insurance number but we would recommend not attaching photo's unless they are professional.
Social media, if you wish to add something to further support your application add your LinkedIn profile (make sure it matches your CV though). We would also advise ensuring your facebook or other social media site information would not do your application a discredit. Employers and agencies can access this information as it is in the public domain and even if you lock the details your profile picture must look respectable.
PROFILE:
Describe yourself in a brief paragraph; this is an excellent opportunity to adapt on your personal qualities for the role in question. If you are applying for a role which requires excellent communication skills and you feel this is a strength you have, it is worth highlighting.
Also it is good place to target your application to a group of roles that you are looking for i.e. Business Development Manager or Electrical CAD Draughtsman. If you have skills outside of the normal for your level of experience also highlight these in the profile as this is often the first thing read. It should be kept brief but it should entice the reader to read on.
EDUCATION:
Don’t forget to include institutions and professional bodies that you belong to in addition to your qualifications. It is worth listing the dates you achieved these qualifications. (In order of most recent to oldest qualification e.g. degree first, GCSE’s last.) Industry specific qualifications are vital in fields such as engineering, IT and accountancy.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Starting with your most recent position, state the dates of your employment including both a start and leaving date. Also include the name of the company you worked for and a paragraph on your key responsibilities and achievements. Sometimes it may be appropriate to state why you left each role but ensure this is brief and a sentence maximum will suffice.
It is also good to add just a sentence or two about the nature of your employers business as often the name does not make this obvious to the reader.
People can neglect to mention important key facts about their employment history:
For example, if you are the top salesperson state what you did to earn this title. If you got promoted to supervisor mention why you earned this, also if you manage staff indicate the size of the team you manage. These points can be deciding factors for a prospective employer and could be the difference in you getting to interview.
It is also important not to embellish these points and keep them factual.
HOBBIES & INTERESTS:
Briefly give the reader an outline of your hobbies and interests e.g. Golf, Cricket or playing in a band but it is worth ensuring they are current interests.
You do not have to go into too much detail but again they can be interesting points which can make good topics of discussion at interview especially if it’s a less common interest such as playing in a paintball team or part of a gymnastics team.
REFERENCES:
State any possible referees with contact details that you may have.
There really is the chance to be creative in your curriculum vitae but ensure at all times you are correct and that what you are putting is suitable to its target audience. Do proof read your CV and remember keeping them fresh and updated is a good thing it is really has to ensure you are short listed for interview and a CV is just a text summary of you and your working career to date.
It is worth checking your fonts are the same across the whole document and avoiding adding tables with Excel where possible is also good practice.
As a final note we would suggest getting someone else to proof read the document before you submit is just for a second opinion as you get one chance only to make your first impression.
