CV Advice:-
This section contains information about CV's, How it should look, What it should include, Responsibilities and Achievements, Should I use the same CV, Personal Statements, Using a CV abroad and Covering Letters.
Think of your CV as your advert to a prospective employer. It should be:
Well presented
Interesting
Quick to read
Tell the truth - don't be tempted to lie on your CV - you will be found out!
Your CV is a highly personal document, you need to be comfortable with it.
About CV’s
When should I use a CV?
When an employer requests one. If an employer asks you to complete an application form - Never send a CV in its place.
When the ad says, send full details.
When making speculative applications for any type of work - permanent or temporary.
Covering letters.
Always send a covering letter with a CV.
Where do I start?
Make a list of all your
Academic qualifications
Accomplishments
Experience
Then, select the highlights. Remember, don't underestimate yourself
Check all the dates of school/college/university attendance
Check dates details of academic and other qualifications
How long should it be?
Two pages maximum. Selectors give CVs about two minutes on their first trawl.
What should it look like?
Presentation is very important - your CV needs to get its message over quickly.
Word process on good quality paper - photocopying paper is usually a bit thin.
Most people use white paper - if you do choose a colour, use a pastel shade.
The layout needs to be clear and balanced.
Keep paragraphs short.
Use bullet points
Font size of 10-12 - smaller is difficult to read.
Typeface is a matter of personal taste. Generally non-seraphed face (like this - Arial) is quite modern, easy to read and no-nonsense. Times New Roman is a little more formal and old fashioned, whilst Comic Sans MS is to casual!
Lots of underlining and italics can be distracting- use bold instead for headings.
What should it include?
CVs usually include the following sections, but it’s not necessary to follow this format slavishly.
Personal Details
Education
Employment or Work Experience
Responsibilities (and achievements)
Interests (and achievements)
Other Skills/ Additional Skills
Referees
Personal Details.
This section should contain:
Name
Address
Phone
E-mail
Date of Birth
Don't include marital state/health
Only put gender if you have an unfamiliar first name
Nationality is not always necessary
Education
Put this in reverse chronological order
Degree subject and class
A levels / AS levels or equivalent - with grades
GCSEs- not necessary to list individual subjects and grades
Don't include
Primary school details
University and school address
Minor qualifications - list these elsewhere
A level or GCSE examining boards
Employment or Work Experience
Put this in reverse chronological order
You can include all employment/ work experience, paid or unpaid, but you may find it useful to divide it into 'related' and 'other', if appropriate
Describe the duties and skills required, even for basic jobs
Expand on the skills developed
Referees
Two are usually sufficient.
Always ask permission
The ideal is one from School/College/University and an employer.
Check addresses
Give postcodes, phone numbers and e-mail addresses
Responsibilities and Achievements
If you have had few formal responsibilities, ignore this heading
Concentrate on the last three years (approx.), don't give too much space to school.
Expand on skills developed
Include student membership of committees, organising social events, anything in the wider community.
Interests (and Achievements)
Don't just give a list
Explain what was involved in taking part in the drama production - teamwork, reliability, time management.
Or captaining the football team - you need skills in communication, diplomacy, negotiation, motivation ,strategy and planning ,teamwork.
Emphasise achievements. If one of your interests is music, and you represented your county - blow your own trumpet!
Other Skills
Odds and ends - like
Driving licence
Languages - to what level
Computing skills - programs, spreadsheets
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Sporting/coaching qualifications
Speech and drama
Music
Should I use the same CV for every job?
Not really necessary to alter it for individual employers - your covering letter is the place to highlight things.
It can be useful to change it for different types of employer e.g. a Local Authority.
Personal Statement/Profile?
This is often inserted between name and personal details.
It is a summary experience, skills and ambitions .
Can be useful for those in mid career
for example:
Highly motivated and committed to a career in the public sector. A good team worker with well developed communication skills, gained through enthusiastic participation in student and community organisations. Varied work experience, including a spell with Local Authority playschemes.
Try to avoid making it sound like a personal mission statement.
I want to work abroad eventually - can I use a CV
CV format varies from country to country - you must adapt to your market.
German employers are far more interested in academic qualifications than extra curricular ones.
A résumé for the US market need only be a page long.
Covering Letters
The covering letter is a much more personal document than a CV - you have the chance to show your enthusiasm for the job, highlight any skills that match the job description. The CV is your advert, the covering letter is your 'pitch'. Go for It!
A covering letter should always be used with a CV. It is also advisable to send one with an application form.
The aim is to make the employer read your CV
Keep it to one page of A4.
Always word process it, unless the employer asks for a hand written letter
If you do have to hand write it, make sure your writing is legible - you will also take up more space.
Keep it concise - don't waffle on and on.
Basics
Make sure you send the letter to the appropriate person
Phone up the organisation to check
Do not rely on literature or web sites for these details - people change jobs!
Say why you are writing.
Specific advert - where you saw it.
Speculatively?
Say who are you and what you have got.
Why you want the job.
Say why you want to work for them.
Why you are interested in them.
Don't quote their literature back at them.
What makes you the right person for the job?
Highlight skills, experience which match the job description.
Be specific - back up statements with evidence.
Always use active rather than passive.
You can repeat things that are on your CV, but do it in a slightly different way.
Address any problems
If there is a reason for poor exam result - ill health, family problems, mention them.
If there are any obvious gaps in your CV, explain them more fully.
Be positive
Say when you are available for interview/work.
If the letter is accompanying a speculative application, say you will follow up with a phone call.
End by saying something like 'I look forward to hearing from you….'
Good Luck!
Submit your CV to: enquiries@keystonerecruitment.com
Copyright Keystone Recruitment 2006
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