Tips for writing your CV

A professional CV is the key to a successful job search; below are a few essential tips to help you draw up an impressive new
CV.

• Make sure your CV gives the right impression of your skills and achievements.
• Be careful when using abbreviations, you need to be sure that the recipient of you CV understands what you are referring to.
• Be positive: do not give details of anything you are not good at.
• A photograph is not necessary.
• Age discrimination legislation means you should not include your date of birth.
• Focus on quality not quantity, a good CV will be no longer than three sides of paper.
• Be clear and concise, using bullets where necessary to reduce word count.
• Check thoroughly for spelling and grammatical errors.

Information to include

Personal details
Without your name, address, phone number and e-mail address a company or agency is unable to contact you.

Details of relevant experience
Your experience is the foundation of your CV; your success is dependent on how you sell it. Tailor the presentation of your work experience to the role you are applying for. For each previous position you should include:

• the company name
• a brief description of what they do
• your job title
• start and finishing dates
• your key responsibilities

You should start with your most recent role and work backwards, concentrating on the two most recent. Make sure that that the responsibilities you discuss in your CV are relevant to the role you are applying for. You should also detail any major achievements, for example if you have implemented or designed a new program.

Education and qualifications
Details of your education and qualifications such as your degree, A Levels and GCSEs (O Levels) should be included on your CV. You should avoid listing all of you GCSEs, stating the number and grade range generally suffices (10 GCSEs Grades A-C).

Professional qualifications
You should list your professional qualifications and membership of any professional bodies especially if they are a requirement of the role you are applying for.

Interests and hobbies
Some people like to add detail about their hobbies and interests and it could help to give a fuller impression of your personality. If you do decide to add this information do not go into too much detail and make sure you maintain a professional tone.

References
When you are submitting a CV to an agency they will request details of your references so they can provide them to potential employers when requested. Put your references on the bottom of your CV to ensure your agency representatives have their details – they will not be contacted without your prior consent.