Writing A Winning CV

When it comes to applying for jobs the importance of a well written and presented   curriculum   vitae  should not be underestimated. With high unemployment many employers and recruiters are swamped with applications for their vacancies, you may well be the perfect candidate for the vacancy but your CV will have to sell you. So how do you make sure they notice you?. The following points include some important advice for when writing your CV.

1. Presentation – you want your CV to stand out, but not for the wrong reasons! Use clear formatting, smart, but not too fancy font which is clear and easy to read, use bold or italics for important information such as qualifications, job titles, achievements etc

2. Introduction / Summary – on the front page, this is the place to sell yourself and grab the attention of the recruiter, a paragraph maybe some bullet points covering your abilities and experience. Make sure any claims you make here can be backed up e.g. ‘I am a successful manager’, how are you successful? Include key points from your work history and education and if appropriate personal achievements.

3. Length – typically 2-3 pages is recommended, one page even for a school leaver or graduate will look lazy, even if you do not have much experience include information about yourself such personal achievements and key skills learnt by playing sports, voluntary work, education etc. More experienced job seekers will have to keep their experience brief, the focus should be on recent employment, training and education and what is relevant to the vacancy, other details should be kept to a minimum but never left out.

4. Chronological Order – always start the employment and education sections with the most recent first, if the recruiter reads your high school qualifications first they may not keep reading to see you have a PhD! If there are any gaps in your CV make sure these are explained, unemployed, ill health, travelling, studying, looking after family etc

5. Content – keep sentences to a minimum, use bullet points where possible e.g. duties in previous jobs, qualifications etc. Recruiters will usually skim through CV’s in the first instance

6. Repetition – try not to use the same phrases over and over, you may have been working in several similar jobs but do not write out the same duties and achievements out for each one

7. Personal information – sadly some people do still discriminate so only include vital information; name, phone number and email address. Even home address can deter some recruiters if, for example, you live in a poor area. Never include date of birth, marital status or ethnic origin, even though it is illegal to discriminate some people still do.

8. Other information – do not include references, instead ‘references available upon request’ at the end of the CV. Include brief information about personal interests, hobbies, sports played or watched and any outside achievements

9. Spelling – always spell check before you send!

10. Re-write your CV – certain aspects of your CV may be more relevant for different job vacancies, highlight the aspects of your experience and skills which are required for that role.

Writing A Winning CV