CV Tips

Getting your CV to work for you is crucial for any successful job search. Competition for top jobs is fierce and selection methods are far more streamlined and sophisticated than in the past. Here we put the components that make up a winning CV under the microscope.

Over the years we have seen and read literally hundreds of C.V.s. Some too lengthy, others too short, some immaculately presented and others written with little thought. So what is a Curriculum vitae and how can you use it to help you get that job?

 

A concise definition is; “a brief account of one's education, qualifications and previous occupations" in other words it is your own very personal story, which aims to highlight your education, training, work experience and specific skills matching them to a particular job or opportunity within an organisation. Broken down in those terms it really sounds very straightforward, so why is it that there are so many varied opinions of how a C.V. should look, and is there such a thing as the perfect C.V.?

 

When preparing your C.V. you should initially create a Model version, this means that for each application you will be able to adapt the content to specifically match your skills and target them towards a specific employers requirements. When applying for jobs remember that you are not conducting a direct marketing campaign, so avoid sending off hundreds of mismatched applications, what we are talking about is quality not quantity, precise targeting and getting as much information about the organisation and the job before you apply in order that your application stands out from the crowd.

 

Presentation is crucial, your C.V. is literally a walking billboard extending an invitation from you to a prospective employer inviting them to find out more about you and what you have to offer. Which means that it should be clearly and concisely laid out on plain paper with no gimmicks, I am reminded of a particular C.V. that I read a few years ago which arrived in an expensive black cover, bound with ribbon, which when untied revealed not only a blow by blow account of the individuals life from the age of 5 but it was presented on fluorescent paper. Another example that springs to mind was a C.V. which was sent to me on highly textured card, with handwritten calligraphy, that's fine if you are a design graduate but I really didn't think that it was relevant for a middle management position. So rule number one; keep the presentation simple!

 

Rule number two concerns layout and length. The layout should make it easy to read and guide the reader through to the detail about you that he or she most needs to know. Your name, address and telephone & e-mail details should appear at the top of the page followed by your education and any relevant additional training you may have received. There is no need to comment on your health as this is something that can be covered at a later stage, it is not necessary for you to tell the prospective employer that you had your appendix out 16 years ago or that you broke your leg in a skiing accident - if it bears no relevance to your application leave it out.

 

Next (on the same sheet of paper) you move on to your employment history, this part of your C.V. should be carefully examined each time a fresh job application is made (and changed if necessary) in order that your skills and background can be matched as closely to the requirements of the position you are applying for. You should start with your most recent or current position including dates and information outlining the following; your job title, function, key responsibilities, objectives and achievements. This part of the C.V. provides the perfect opportunity to highlight your successes and match your particular skills with the requirements of the position you are applying for. This should be kept to the point and be written in a way that information may be digested painlessly by the reader. Do not state the obvious and try not to present information in a complicated manner, avoid so called mission statements, telling the reader that you are a conceptual thinker with an analytical mind who is most adept at organisational problem solving seems a far more complicated way of simply stating that you have sound organisational skills - keep it simple.

 

Hobbies and interests should appear next, and here you should avoid putting down hobbies just for the sake of making it appear as though you are an incredibly active, sports minded, risk taking individual. This instead is an opportunity for you to illustrate that you do actually have a life apart from the time you spend working. Using this space to highlight team activities is a good idea particularly if you are applying for a position that requires -team leadership skills, it can illustrate to some employers that you could be capable of leading others in the workplace. It is not sufficient to simply list your hobbies and interests, try to give one example for each one; for instance if you are interested in literature, music or sport illustrate briefly where precisely your interest lies together with any relevant achievements you gained as a result of these.

 

Once you have made a rough draft of your C.V. you need to look at it objectively; Does it provide a picture with words about who you are? If you were a potential employer would you like to meet this person? If so why? What makes you special? In other words; What is your unique selling point?

 

Remember to always send a covering letter with any job application whether it is asked for or not. This letter is the first impression that any potential employer will receive, it is your headline, it is what urges the reader to read on and find out more about you, not dissimilar to the headlines in advertising copy ­which act as the statements that urge us to find out more.

 

Remember, your C.V. is a very personal document, it is about you, there are many companies these days that provide a C.V. preparation service I if you decide to use a professional to write your C.V. make sure that they have a clear understanding about you as a person, Companies do not just buy skills they buy personalities too.

 

Ten Key Points to Remember

 

1.Presentation is crucial. It's a billboard announcing to a prospective employer what you have to offer. Lay it out clearly and concisely on plain paper. Avoid gimmicks. Do not use fluorescent paper to catch attention.

 

2.Start with name, address and telephone / e-mail contact details.

 

3.Don't give a detailed history of your health. But do remember to include information like a clean driving licence, fluency in languages, etc.

 

4.Follow with your education details - schools, colleges, qualifications and any relevant additional training.

 

5.On the same sheet of paper, move on to your employment history, starting with the most recent or current position. Include dates and information about job title, function, key responsibilities, objectives and achievements. You should carefully examine this part of your CV each time you apply for a job, so that you can high­light and match particular skills with the requirements of the position you are applying for.

 

6.Next list hobbies and interests. Don't just make them up because they sound impressive. It's an opportunity to illustrate you have a life outside of work. Taking part in team activities indicates you're not a loner and is useful to highlight if you're applying for a position requiring team leadership skills.

 

7.Avoid a mission statement; do not describe yourself as a conceptual thinker with an analytical mind who is adept at organisational prob­lem solving; instead state that you have sound organisational skills.

 

8.Look at the rough draft objectively. Does it provide a picture of who you are? If you were a potential employer, would this CV impress you? What is your unique selling point?

 

9.Always send a covering letter with any job application, whether it is requested or not. It's the first impression you make, your headline, what urges the reader to find out more about you.

 

10.Remember your CV is a personal document. If you use a professional CV prep­aration service, ensure they have a clear understanding of you. Companies don't just buy skills - they need personalities too.