Writing a CV can prove to be a difficult task for some people. There is no perfect CV, but a good one could get you the job you have been waiting for. It is important to note that employers’ criteria in assessing a CV differ from one to the other. There are however, some common aspects of a CV which are taken into account when deciding whether or not to give you a job.
A well planned out and organised CV is the key to securing an interview. An attractive CV makes it easier for an employer to see what he/she is looking for. Please see the following tips on writing a good CV
1. The first thing on your CV should be your name. This should be in bold with a larger font but not too big.
2. Your address and contact details should come next with date of birth, nationality and marital status here if you wish.
3. Brief Personal Profile: This should be about 3 to 4 lines of text. It should detail your objectives regarding your next positions and also a brief overview of your key skills and attributes. Be concise, try to appear interesting and professional to the reader. It will encourage them to read on. This is also the part of your CV which you can tailor to fit the role you are applying for.
4. Education: Briefly list your school qualifications, college certificate/diploma and university degree giving dates, location and exam results. Again start with your highest level or most recent training first, and then go backwards through your education.
5. Additional skills: List your important everyday skills such as some IT skills, programs used, professional skills, languages. Perhaps provide some evidence of where you have used them.
6. Work experience: Looking at your CV an employer wants to know why they should employ you. Your personal experience (employment history) should start with your current or most recent job first, and then go backwards through your career. State the company name, job title and the period you worked there. Begin by listing your duties and responsibilities. Be specific and detail only what is relevant to the new position (up to 5 or 6 duties).
List specific achievements such as finishing a job/project ahead of schedule, or learning a new skill. List any industry training and qualifications you gained while in that employment. Employers like to see employees who learn and respect new skills. If you are a graduate, you should list some work experience. This can show that you have worked in a company and can be a team player. Using bullet points will help keep this section concise.
7. Interests: Employers are usually more interested in activities which require you to show team commitment or personal initiative and drive.
8. References/Referees: Write 'References available on request' if you prefer that the employer asks your permission before writing or ringing them up. Referees can be personal or professional, though professional referees are much better.
9. Ask someone to read through your CV and offer constructive criticism, often a fresh eye can notice an obvious mistake.
10. We would suggest that you use a clear font (generally Arial or Times New Roman) and avoid using tables, columns or boxes. A recruitment consultant will remove your personal details before submitting your CV to a client and this can mean that your formatting goes haywire if your formatting is not standard.
Finally go through our checklist:
• Is your grammar and spelling correct?
• Is your font and style the same throughout?
• Have you read it through twice?
• Is your CV approximately two pages long?
• Is your CV saved as a Word document?
Microsoft Word contains a variety of CV templates that ensure details are presented clearly and effectively.
To find these templates follow the path:
File > New > Templates >
Select 'Other Documents' in the dialogue box that appears and select one of the resume wizards.
