How To Write A Successful CV

When creating a resume you have your one opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer. It also represents the first opportunity which that employer has to find out about you, your knowledge, your skills and your attributes. With this in mind, it is important to look at your resume from the employer’s point of view. Remember that they are likely to have more than a hundred applicants, so restrict your resume to just two pages if possible, and make it relevant. Tailor your resume writing to the specific job application.

A good resume will follow a familiar format. An employer will rarely look kindly upon a very different style of resume, although they will certainly notice it, for better or for worse. This is a judgment you will have to take depending upon the type of job, but it is recommended that a standard framework is adhered to in the vast majority of cases.

Keep it simple. Your full name, in bold, at the top. There is no need to add ‘Resume’ or ‘  Curriculum   Vitae ‘, as it should be obvious what it is. An optional section can follow this, your personal profile. This could be a positive statement of your skills and attributes, your career aspirations. Avoid clichés and buzzwords, and be aware that a badly presented personal profile can do more harm than good, so be careful with your choice of words and steer clear of irrelevant terminology.

One of the most important sections when creating a resume is the description of your current or most recent job, or your academic achievements if you are still at this stage. You need to engage the reader to demonstrate your competence through your achievements to date. You should try to tailor these specifically to the job for which you are applying, and avoid focusing on one single element. By appearing to overlook any demonstration of competence in other areas required by the application you could raise doubts by their omission.

Your employment history should follow this, in reverse chronological order, with the month and year of starting and finishing each job. This should be a compact summary of the responsibilities required by your previous employers, and you should ensure that there are no ‘suspicious’ gaps in your employment. If you were between jobs, travelling, or spending more time with your family, say so.

Your education and qualifications should also be detailed in reverse chronological order, the most important and relevant qualifications coming first. Be sure to include any relevant training, courses taken, or training by a previous employer, adding the date and the course title.

Finally, add your personal details, including full name and title, your postal address and full contact details, along with other relevant information such as whether you have a full, clean driving licence. You may be required to provide two references, and one of these should be your current or most recent employer, or your personal tutor if you have recently graduated.

Your resume is complete, but the final step should be to submit it for proofreading by an independent resume writing service, such as Grammarholic.com. This will ensure that your professional resume is as perfect as it could be.

How To Write A Successful CV