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A CV is probably the most important weapon you have for job hunting. Employers will often make a swift judgement on you by the quality of your CV. A CV should be designed to grab the attention of the employer within 5 seconds, and should be short, simple and straight down to the point and NEVER too fancy or clever or it will probably end up in the bin. It has to be clean and tidy, ie. Ink smudges, coffee stains, rips etc. could prove fatal to your chances of claiming the job you are seeking. It should also be typed up and printed and NEVER handwritten. Make sure you tell the truth and don’t bother trying to bend it… even a little. A basic check will uncover your lies and ruin any chance of getting the job.
A good CV should be:
· Aimed towards the job you are applying for.
· Simple, clear, easy to read and straight to the point.
· Short, 2 A4 pages should be enough.
· Written up well on a computer with correct spelling and grammar. If you have dificulties with this give it to someone to check and correct.
· Accompanied by a covering letter. The CV and covering letter should be in the same font, layout and on the same paper.
What should you include?
A CV should normally contain the following information, but layout will vary depending on which information is most relevant.
· Personal details: name, address, phone, date of birth, nationality (international students)
· Education: postgraduate study, first degree, school qualifications, listing the most recent first
· Work experience: relevant first, then other work experience - including unpaid
· Skills: computer literacy, driving licence, languages etc
· Extra-curricular activities: including student societies, sports teams
· Interests: including sports, hobbies
· References: personal tutor, employer, (voluntary work supervisory, work placement supervisor), project supervisor
There is no perfect CV. But for your CV to be most effective, use the kind of CV format that suits you best - chronological, skills-based or combination.
Checklist
§ Have you included all your personal details?
§ Have you included all your qualifications?
§ Have you included all your previous jobs/work experience?
§ Have you included all your main personal skills?
§ Have you included your out of work interests?
§ Have you got refences from your previous employer(s)?
§ Is your CV clear and consise?
§ Is it short and easy to read?
§ Are all the fonts the same?
§ Are there any spelling or grammatical errors?
§ Is the information included relevant to the job you are applying for?
§ Have you got a variety of words? (e.g. don’t overuse words, even if they mean the same thing, even though your CV is meant to come across as simple, it makes you look ‘simple’)
§ Is it clean and tidy?
§ Have you given it to someone else to check?