How to Prepare a CV

Preparing your CV

A CV (Curriculum vitae) is a short list of facts about you and your work history, skills and experience.

With increasing numbers of applications to every vacancy, making sure your CV stands out from the rest is the first and most important step to finding that right job!

Recruiters often have very little time to read each CV in depth and after reviewing several applications they will often just glance over the details and look for exact matches to key words/skills to see if the experience matches their requirements.

It is important to always include the most relevant information which relates to specific needs of the vacancy and then put that information into your CV in a clear way so that even at a glance, a potential employer can easily see your relevant skills and experience.

 

 

CV Content and Design

You should always try and keep your CV to 2 pages unless you have extensive experience.

It should always be printed on good quality paper with the first page covering all the relevant/important information required for the position applied for.

The layout of your CV is vital – make it clear and easy to read.  Avoid using a mixture of fonts or overuse of underlining, italics or colours.

Content

  • Personal Details – not forgetting telephone numbers and email address
  • Date of Birth –  new laws on age discrimination mean that you do not need to disclose your date of birth or age
  • Personal Profile – your career aspirations, personal qualities, strengths and relevant information for the position applied for
  • Education and Training Courses – most recent/relevant first
  • Qualifications – summarise  and don’t list the number of GCSE’s – for   example 8 GCSE’s including Maths and English
  • Employment History – most recent position first and summarise achievements referring to examples you feel would most beneficial to the organisation and role you have applied for
  • Interests – these can support your application if they highlight responsibilities and skills that are relevant to the position applied for –example sports activities can show leadership or teamwork skills
  • References – if short of space – use “available on request”

Covering Letter

First impressions do count whether in person or on paper, so when sending your CV always include a covering letter addressed to a contact if possible detailing the position you have applied to and where you saw it advertised.  Utilise this as a way of informing a potential employer what you have accomplished and give them a reason to invite you for an interview

A typed letter looks neat and professional and is easy to read – it goes without saying to check for spelling mistakes before pressing send!