We are all aware how imperative it is to have the ideal CV, it is, after all, a potential employer's first meeting of you but how do you set about writing it? What details should you put in and what should you leave out? We at AllWestSussexJobs want to aid you in improving your possibility of getting that perfect job you {are after so here are tips for making the right first impression.
The Basics
We know it's obvious but a Curriculum Vitae (CV) should always be typed to give it the greatest ease of read possible. It should also be excellently laid out. Consider how it looks on the page. There should be apparent headings and breaks between sections. A potential employer will likely look through dozens of CVs for a job so they should be able to see the important information immediately before short listing it for a more thorough read through. A badly laid out CV which is complicated to read will probably end up in the rubbish.
Personal Statement
The majority employers would like a CV to begin with a personal statement as it allows them to see immediately what you are about. What should this contain?
- Who are you and what have you been doing work wise? What have you liked about previous jobs?
- What do you want to do? What are your goals?
- How are you going to go about achieving these goals?
- What do you think are your key skills? What can you bring to a potential employer?
Ensure you give these questions considered thought before you come up with an answer as they probable to be questioned at interview. Here's an example of the type of thing could say:
' I am bright, a conscientious worker and passionate about any challenges I come up against. My careerup until now has all been very customerfocused and I find this to be very enjoyable. I have spent the last several years in a sales environment and I find enjoyable the interaction with different sorts of people this brings. I feel I am intelligent and would like the opportunity to exploit. During my time at Joe Bloggs' Estate Agents I very much enjoyed learning lots about the procedural and legal parts of the conveyancing process and think that I absorbed it quickly. I am particularly keen to take on a challenging position with the opportunity to progress and train where possible. I am also very IT literate and really take pleasure using computers as part of my working life.'
Education
The next section should be your education if it is especially relevant to the job for which you are applying. For example, if you have a degree in French and you are applying for a multilingual position then it is useful to state this first. However, if you feel your educational history is not particularly relevant and you are applying on the value of your experience then it is worth considering putting your work history first.
Your education should be listed in reverse order with the most recent education undertaken first. You do not need to go into vast amounts of detail here, purely state where you studied and what grades you achieved. It is not necessary to put the dates of study if you do not wish to as, under the Age Discrimination Law, you are not required to make any reference to your age and including dates from which your age may be discerned. Remember to include information of any additional certificates you may have be awarded which may be significant to the position.
Work History
Like education, it should be laid out in reverse order, the most recent or current employment first. You should give the name of the business and the period of time you were employed (this does not necessarily have to be dates but you should indicate for how much time you were employed there). It is also useful to indicate where the employer was based, e.g. West Sussex. You should also clearly indicate what your job title was. Under this explain succinctly what your job role was and your main tasks. This should assist a potential employer decide whether your experience makes you right for their position. Try to be succinct and keep it to only relevant information.
It is not a good idea to put your salary for each position undertaken on your CV as this can cause an employer to make assumptions about your suitability for a role and make negotiating your salary, where applicable, harder. The same can also be said for putting your salary expectation on your CV.
Other Information
It is common for job seekers to put a small amount of personal information, such as hobbies, on their CV. We would recommend keep this to a minimum. You should, however, state whether you hold a driving licence and what type of transport you have.
Employers do not necessarily want to see photos on a CV. For most roles it is not necessary to include a photo but if you want to it should be passport photo sized and professional in appearance.
Spelling and Punctuation
It is important that you make sure all spelling and punctuation are right. Literacy is often highly desirable to employers so use the 'Spell Check' facility on your computer.
Second Opinion
Ask a friend or contact to read through your CV. Ask them to check it looks presentable and easy to read. They should also check your spelling and grammar.
Covering Letter
When applying for a position you should incorporate a covering letter. This should indicate why you are applying for this job in particular and a little bit about the experience and/or skills you have which could be of value to them (avoid repeating too much from the CV itself).
Each Job is Different
Remember that it may not be 'one CV fits all', it is important spending a few moments reviewing your CV before each occasion you send it to make sure it makes the greatest impact for each particular role. You may want to think about changing some information, particularly your personal statement, to suit the job description.
