CV Advice

CV Workshop

Some brief advice on CVs, how to set a professional CV out, what to include and how to sell yourself on paper.  A CV is a tool to be used by you as an introduction to an employer or recruitment company. It is your way of getting noticed.  A CV should be one to two pages. No longer than two pages – an interviewer does not have the time to read all of the information.

• It should be simple and easy to read
• Focus on the key points- leave the detail for the interview
• Keep it short
• Make sure the information in the CV is relevant to the interview
• List your latest job first
• Use positive language in preparing your CV and stress your achievements
• Be honest
• Give useful contact details, such as address, phone numbers (work, home, mobile) and e-mail address.

CV Layout

Name and contact details
List your home address, home telephone and mobile number.
Only give your work telephone number if it is appropriate to be contacted at work.
Give your email address if you have one. If using your work email, make sure that you are comfortable with who can access it.
If you are moving or changing countries, give both your temporary and permanent contact details.

Career history
You should start with your most recent position first.
Your responsibilities and achievements should be in bullet point format – this makes the CV easier to read. Paragraph format makes it difficult to find information.
List achievements that are measurable (ie: increased profit from X to Y, reduced staff turnover from X% to Y%)
Give figures where ever possible.

List two or three of your main responsibilities
Do not list duties that would generally be expected at your level
Major achievements:

List two or three achievements
Be proud of your achievements and ensure that you list those that are fundamental.
Previous Position (Date -including month & year)
Previous Employer, Location (Country if internationally)
Give a brief overview of the company.

You do not want to write more than five bullet points p/job and only for the most recent three jobs. All others should be described briefly.
If you have had more than one position within a single company, list each position but do not be repetitive in the description of your responsibilities or achievements.

Education, Qualifications and Training
Start with the most recent, industry related qualifications.
Training courses should be listed separately and include all company and statutory training courses.

Interests
List your personal details, such as Marital Status.
Nationality and language skills are important when applying internationally.
You can’t always be at work and should show that you have a balance between work related and non-work related activities. List your interests and hobbies, including any sports, clubs or associations that you participate in.