Top tips for writing a great CV

It’s all about first impressions  ….

 

Your CV is your most important selling tool and without a good CV you will not even get an interview.

 

Some CVs try to look “different” and this can frustrate the reader so keep the format simple and uncluttered.

 

Don’t put false information on your CV  -  reference checks and in depth questioning will confirm the accuracy of your statements.

 

Your CV will highlight your skills, experience and accomplishments, and a well presented CV is likely to encourage the company to actually interview you.

 

Try to limit the length of your CV to a maximum of three pages and include details on awards, memberships, courses attended, language and technology skills.

 

Remember that a short, clean and to the point CV has a better chance of being read all the way through.

 

There are a few golden rules to follow when presenting your CV and these are:

 

COVERING LETTERS

First impressions count, so make sure your letter is addressed to the correct person, check there are no typos and use good quality paper.    Put your name and address on the top of the letter, with the date on the left, and type in the person to whom you are addressing the letter, with the correct address.Start your introduction by stating how you heard of the position and identify what you are applying for.   Put in a short paragraph detailing your suitability for the role by using the information in the advertisement and provide an overview of your qualifications and experience.   The last part of your letter should let them know your contact details

 

TYPING MISTAKES

Always have someone else read over your CV - errors show prospective employers that you are careless

 

FONTS

Make sure your CV is readable and that the font is not too small. Bold headings, dates and job titles can effectively separate sections and create visual interest.There is no point in squeezing all your information on to 1 or 2 unreadable pages as the interviewer will switch off. Aim to show your abilities on no more than 3 pages of easy to read text. Do not use too many fancy fonts or different sizes as this will be distracting not interesting

 

THE “I” WORD

Keep this off your CV as it makes you appear self obsessed. Don’t write in the first person (“I was responsible for...”) or the third person (“Jane Jones was responsible for ...”). Instead, write as “responsibilities included ...”.

 

GRAND CLAIMS

Don’t make them unless you can provide examples to prove it.

 

THE USE OF LANGUAGE

Do not use excessive or overly complicated words. You may think it makes you look smart but a potential employer doesn’t want to use a dictionary in order to understand your CV.

 

THE EXCLAMATION MARK

Do not use them!!! Your professionalism, experience and skills will show through without these desperate attempts at humour, so don’t add exclamation marks on either your CV or covering letter.

  

HUMOUR

Avoid this on your CV as the recruiter may not have the same sense of humour as you. A CV trying to be funny at best can be irritating and at worst could make you look like an oddball. Tongue in cheek statements can also show that you don’t actually take work seriously and nobody is going to interview someone like that.

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

Be clear and concise in describing the main responsibilities of each position held and keep the description to a few constructive lines or bullet points. Focus on what the role entailed and your accomplishments and avoid stating “objectives” unless they are highly compelling. Provide less detail on descriptions relating to the early part of your career and put the emphasis on the most recent years of your employment.

 

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

When highlighting the things you have achieved, use words that express action such as “directed, negotiated, improved, generated, launched” and show the results using words like “increased customer retention by 10%”. If you are applying for a sales role, indicate your targets and results.

 

INTERESTS

You will stand out because of the presentation of your CV, your skills and experience, not because of your personal interests. Personal interests are just that and if you make too much issue of them on your CV it could taint the interviewers perception of you as a person and you will not get a chance to show how good you really are if they don’t invite you for an interview.

 

Interviewers can be put off by your personal comments on paper, especially if they appear to be weird, boring or controversial. If you really must include a personal statement then make sure it is a positive interest that will not take away the focus from your abilities. Most importantly, make sure you do not make silly statements i.e. “Objective: to find a job” or “I love to play football” or “my hobby is watching television”.