How to write a CV
Get your CV right and you’re on track to securing that dream job.
What is a CV?
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a written summary of your education, qualifications, work experience and employment. It is a tool which most employers use to decide whether to hire you or not.
A covering letter normally goes with the CV. It should briefly tell your prospective employer about your strengths, both personal and in terms of your skills, as well as why you want that particular job.
What should I include in my CV?
The vast majority of CVs include the following sections:
• Personal details
• Personal statement
• Education and qualifications
• Employment history
Optional categories include interests, skills and key achievements.
Personal details
Always include:
• Your name
• Address
• Telephone number
• Date of birth
• Email address
• Driving licence details (i.e., what licence you have and whether it is 'clean')
Education and qualifications
Your qualifications should appear in reverse chronological order, focusing mainly on your most recent results. So if you've just finished your A levels, make a feature of these, putting less emphasis on earlier exams results. Even if you haven't yet done major exams, make sure you include results for other school work, highlighting any distinctions or starred results you may have got.
Employment history
Order your job history in reverse chronological order and keep it concise. Pick out the key functions you carried out in your various jobs. Save most of the detail for more recent jobs. It doesn't matter if you haven't had many (or any) previous jobs – employers still want to know what you've been involved in. So mention any work experience or volunteering you have done. It can be as relevant (or even more so) than paid experience.
Interests
Employers want to see that you are a rounded, interesting person so include any activities or interests that illustrate this.
Skills
If you have particular skills relevant to the job, then make sure you list them. For example, if you are applying for a role as a receptionist and having good typing and shorthand skills, this is the place to mention it.
Achievements
Achievements can be personal (e.g. winning a five-a-side football competition, raising £500 for a cancer charity) or professional (e.g. being named salesperson of the month). They show that you have stood out from the crowd and shown initiative.
Dos and don’ts
Do:
• format your CV clearly (at least 11pt type);
• use good quality white paper;
• check everything, and make sure the grammar and punctuation is correct, and all the words are spelled correctly.
Don’t:
• include any negative information about yourself;
• lie;
• rely too heavily on a spell-checker – they don’t pick up everything;
• go on too long – only rarely should anyone go beyond two pages.