Creating a great CV
Since your CV is the first thing that any potential employer will see about you it’s a really powerful tool. It creates the first impression of you and it therefore has to make the right one so that a prospective employer sits up and wants to meet with you for an interview.
A great CV will demonstrate that you have clear potential for the job and will provide an overview of your education and qualifications as well as any training and work experience that you have. It’s really important that your CV is well presented and easy to read. Keep the message short and to the point and more importantly relevant to the job that you are applying for. Finally, make sure that you give just the right amount of information that will tell the reader about you, but will leave them wanting to see you to find out more.
Our key tips to creating that great CV are:
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Make the layout as simple as possible and well structured
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Keep it relevant and tailored to the job you are applying for
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Keep it concise – a good CV is ideally no more than two pages
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Always write your CV in chronological order starting with the most recent job
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Make the content honest and accurate, since this is likely to form the basis of the interview
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Use short sentences and bullet points that can be expanded on later
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Concentrate on the contribution you have made to previous companies or departments – for example, improving efficiency, saving money, improving communication or smashing targets
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Any factual or statistical information must be accurate and you must be able to back this up at interview stage
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Include activities that you do outside of work
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Don’t use abbreviations that may not be understood by the reader
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Make sure there are no type errors or spelling mistakes. Get someone else to proof read it for you
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Always use a good quality white paper when submitting your CV and never use coloured paper
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Always attach a covering letter with your CV when applying for a vacancy
