Creating your CV
The most important thing to remember about your CV is that it is an advert for you!
The objective of a CV is to give an overview that will grab a prospective employer's attention enough to secure you an interview: you do not need to give every detail of your career history. A generic or 'one-fits-all' CV is not always a good idea. Tailor your CV to emphasise the skills and experience relevant to the job for which you are applying.
As a general rule, your CV should be no more than 3 pages long, with your contact details and personal profile on the first page. Ideally you should then detail your employment history, followed by your education and skills. This enables prospective employers to find the information they need quickly and easily, and gives them a good idea of your professional background.
CV Content
There is no universally accepted format for a CV, but you should always include the following information:
Personal Details - This should always include your address, contact number and email address. Don't forget to have your name at the top of the CV as well!
Profile - Use a short statement to describe your main skills and strengths and to give an idea of your career ambitions. It is important to make sure that the content of this is relevant to the job for which you are applying. For instance, stating that you have excellent IT skills and would like to develop these further will not help you to get a job as a waitress or hostess!
Employment History - Start with your most recent employment and work backwards chronologically. For each period of employment, you should detail the employer, your position and the dates that you worked there. You shouldn't write too much description for each job as an employer may have many CV's to review and needs to be able to recognise your relevant skills and experience quickly and easily. A good format to use is a few sentences giving an overview of your role and then listing your main responsibilities and key achievements. Bullet points are a good way of showing this information in a clear and concise manner.
Education/Qualifications - List the dates that you achieved each qualification. You can also list any relevant courses or training you have completed here. It is not necessary to detail every subject qualification, for example you can say 5 GCSE's A-C grade rather than listing each individually.
Skills - Use this heading to note any additional skills such as computer skills (ie proficient in Word, Excel etc), foreign languages and any relevant general training.
References - It is best to write 'references available on request' and have reference details ready to give when they are requested. This protects the referee's personal details from mis-use if you are sending your CV to many places. It is usual to have one professional and one personal reference.
TOP TIPS
ALWAYS proof read your CV.
Use a spelling and grammar check, but do not rely on it to do the job for you. Spelling errors and typing mistakes will not help to promote you to prospective employers, and some may even discount you altogether on this basis.
Ensure your contact details are up-to-date!
If you cannot be contacted, what's the point in applying?!
Keep it simple!
Remember that many CVs are transmitted by email these days, so keep the format as simple as possible. Use a plain black print on a white background. Avoid use borders or tables, these only divert the reader's attention from the purpose of the CV - to advertise your skills and experience.
Tailor the CV to the job for which you are applying.
Generic CVs are often obvious to the employer and taking the time to make your CV relevant to the job shows the employer that you are truly interested. Try to include references to the key skills required for the job, highlighting your relevant skills and experience to ensure that the employer can identify your suitability.
Reasons for Leaving
It is not necessary to include your reasons for leaving each job you have held on your CV, but if you do secure an interview the interviewer will ask, so be prepared to answer these questions. If you are writing a cover letter it is generally good practice to explain why you are looking to move on from your current position within the covering letter.
Include a cover letter
Make sure you clearly state which position you are applying for and give a very brief summary of why you are interested and why you think you will be suitable. Keep it brief and simple, if it's too long, it won't be read.
Read the Job Advert carefully
Does the advert ask you to include any specific information with your application? Make sure you follow any instructions for the application process that the employer may have specified. Has it asked you to state your current salary, advise if you hold a certain qualification or include a photo? These are often a test of your attention to detail and ability to follow instructions, FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT!!
Be honest!
Try not to exaggerate the truth or lie as you may well be questioned on all of the information that you include in your CV and will need to be able to back up any achievements you have described.
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