CV Advice

It is paramount when it comes to searching for a new opportunity to have a CV that is easy to read and accurately reflects your education, experience, skills, personal attributes, attainments and of course your career aspirations.

Customise and pitch your CV correctly and you’ll have an interview in no time, however, get this wrong and you may face rejection after rejection.

Although every CV should be unique and different in order for you to stand out against the competition, you should follow a similar structure and layout for your CV to be easily read and comprehended. After all, although you may be the best potential candidate for a position, this may not come across with a poorly constructed or written CV.

 

Contact details

Typically positioned at the top of the page, you should place your contact details such as your name, home address, email address, and phone number(s). You might choose to include your LinkedIn URL as well. It’s not necessary to include personal details such as your date of birth, marital status, or religion.

 

Personal statement

Considered as potentially one of the most important aspects of your CV. This is where you are able to give an overview of who you are and provide a snapshot of your personality. This should ideally be tailored for every role you apply for so you are able to highlight specific qualities or experience that match you to the role. Aim to keep your personal statement clear and concise.

 

Experience and Employment History

This part of your CV gives you a chance to outline your previous employment experience and work history. List this in reverse chronological order so start with your most recent/current employment history first. Within this, state your job title and the dates you were employed followed by your responsibilities. It helps to choose the duties most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Use bullet points for clarity and highlight key skills.

 

Education

List your educational background in reverse chronological order, in a similar format to your employment history section. List the names of the establishments, the subjects you studied, dates you attended, followed by the grades you achieved. If you have many qualifications, there’s no need to list them all; just choose the most relevant. If you have a degree, you could list a few of the most relevant modules you completed.

 

Achievements

You may also want to consider a section listing your achievements to date. This does not have to be formal awards, but anything you’re particularly proud of, for instance, the launch of new successful products, winning new business, increasing productivity, reducing costs and gaining standards or accreditations for the business. This helps a prospective employer build a picture of you and your successes.

 

Hobbies and Interests

You don’t always need to include hobbies and interests on your CV, but they help a prospective employer know more about your personality. If you have any interesting hobbies that make you shine, or if your hobbies relate to the industry, you should include this as it will help build a bigger picture of you as a person.