Writing that killer CV
What is a CV and what can it do for you?
A CV is your personal specification, it documents your abilities, and shows the reader what you are capable of. It is important to realise that a CV is an exercise in selling yourself in a highly constrained and abbreviated format. Include only what is relevant and positive.
A well written CV will help get you that interview. This will be the only source of information the employer has about you, along with your covering letter.
What to put in your CV?
An employer needs facts about your skills, experience, qualifications, and some personal insight. If they like what they read then they will require contact information to get in touch with you. The order in which these facts are documented is important.
Contact details
Convention states that contact details should be at the top underneath your name, then employment history, followed by qualifications. A daytime phone number is most important, include your mobile number if you have one. Include an e-mail address, especially a private address.
Previous employment
Write in reverse chronological order, including starting and leaving dates for each position. Include concise details of what the job entailed, your responsibilities and what you achieved in the role. Use active verbs to describe your achievements. Bullet point these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.
Qualifications
There is no need to list all of your primary school and high school subjects, simply write something like, Grade 12 GCSEs A-C including mathematics and English. List only the academic centres where a qualification was earned in reverse chronological order with dates. The more qualifications and experience you have, the less the older qualifications matter.
References
Unless you have a reference that you are particularly proud of, then it is advisable not to include references in the CV. Instead simply write "References available on request"
Language
· Try to slip in some relevant industry buzzwords, because it is a fact that employers scan read CVs and you want them to think that you know what you are talking about. Source: www.thestudentroom.co.uk
A CV is your personal specification, it documents your abilities, and shows the reader what you are capable of. It is important to realise that a CV is an exercise in selling yourself in a highly constrained and abbreviated format. Include only what is relevant and positive.
A well written CV will help get you that interview. This will be the only source of information the employer has about you, along with your covering letter.
What to put in your CV?
An employer needs facts about your skills, experience, qualifications, and some personal insight. If they like what they read then they will require contact information to get in touch with you. The order in which these facts are documented is important.
Contact details
Convention states that contact details should be at the top underneath your name, then employment history, followed by qualifications. A daytime phone number is most important, include your mobile number if you have one. Include an e-mail address, especially a private address.
Previous employment
Write in reverse chronological order, including starting and leaving dates for each position. Include concise details of what the job entailed, your responsibilities and what you achieved in the role. Use active verbs to describe your achievements. Bullet point these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.
Qualifications
There is no need to list all of your primary school and high school subjects, simply write something like, Grade 12 GCSEs A-C including mathematics and English. List only the academic centres where a qualification was earned in reverse chronological order with dates. The more qualifications and experience you have, the less the older qualifications matter.
References
Unless you have a reference that you are particularly proud of, then it is advisable not to include references in the CV. Instead simply write "References available on request"
Language
· Try to slip in some relevant industry buzzwords, because it is a fact that employers scan read CVs and you want them to think that you know what you are talking about. Source: www.thestudentroom.co.uk
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