CV

Your CV gives an initial snapshot of your working history, providing the opportunity to sell yourself and show what you can bring to the role. A strong CV will secure an interview, creating a good impression prior to the first meeting.

Preliminary Work

• Write down all the facts about yourself, your career and training experience.
• Decide how this will relate to the job you're applying for.
• Clearly state the dates you were employed for and write a short, bullet point description of the duties for each.

Format

• Personal details: full name and contact details including address, telephone number and email.
• Educational history and professional qualifications: names of institutions and dates attended (most recent first) grades and passes attained, training, development and computer skills.
• Employment record: career history should be presented in reverse date order with a short overview of the main responsibilities and career progression. If you're embarking on your first position, emphasise your training, skills and relevant work experience.
• Hobbies and interests: Listed last and kept to a minimum
• References: you can either list up two, or simply state 'available on request'

Top Tips

• Use white paper and a plain font.
• Do not include WordArt, ClipArt, graphics or photographs as this can make the document look cluttered.
• Keep to two pages if possible but ensure that the document has enough information about your current and previous roles.
• Ensure that your experiences on your CV refer to business impact and achievement rather than just tasks completed.
• Check your spelling and grammar, ask for a second opinion and do a final proofread.