Writing your CV
Your CV is an extremely valuable marketing tool and is of paramount importance in today’s marketplace. A bold reflection of YOU, it should be confident, punchy and professional.
A good CV will stand out in the crowd and will be packed with relevant information such as career history and achievements. A substandard effort will result in little or no response and leave candidates pondering where they have gone wrong.
Follow the guidelines below to ensure that you can make an immediate impact and stay ahead of the game:
- Presentation. Simple structure is far better than too many bells and whistles which may negatively influence a client or recruiter.
- Delivery. Make an impact with a concise, punchy, career history and bullet point if necessary. Two pages are ideal.
- Accuracy. It is absolutely vital to have accurate dates and educational history as any mistakes flag up warnings to recruiters.
- Spellcheck. Check your CV and then DOUBLE CHECK. A simple spelling error can leave your CV at the bottom of the heap.
- Honesty. Be honest on your CV. Make sure you can back-up everything you have put down in black and white as this reflects your integrity.
- Chronological dates. Start with your most recent job and work backwards chronologically.
- Mind the GAP. Always account for “gaps” on your CV. Holidays or travelling are not an issue and should be added.
A final word of warning
Many candidates submit a superb CV and a mistake riddled email as a covering letter. ALWAYS double check contact names and spellcheck both CV and cover mail before you press send to prevent disaster!