How To Write A CV
Learn the art of crafting a clear and concise CV designed to boost the chances of your application being considered for an interview. This resource has been written in partnership with The Talent People.
What is a CV?
A CV is an important summary of your personal achievements, skills and experience. They are a great tool for making a first impression. Your CV should be detailed and professional allowing for the best impression possible.
The aim is to keep your CV to a page long, keeping it generic, and letting your cover letter be more tailored towards the application. If your application is a good fit for the employer, you will likely be shortlisted for an interview.
What should your CV include?
A compelling CV should be made up of five key components, which include:
Personal profile
This should include a bit of information on who you are and what you are currently doing. Starting with a personal description allows for employers to get an understanding of your personality and deem whether you would be a suitable candidate fit with their company values. This is the first impression the recruiter will have of you, so make sure you seem eager to learn and are interested in the company. Your profile should be engaging and outline characteristics and attributes you have that would make you an ideal candidate for this role
Education history
This includes current and previous qualifications you have. Do not forget to include a section within your CV for your Education history - both past and present. Include the name of your secondary school/college along with the dates you studied to and from. You will then need to list the qualifications you have achieved OR are predicted to achieve. Also, makes sure you have your grade is visible on your CV as this allows recruiters to filter through your CV relatively quickly.
Work experience
Include details of any previous jobs you have undertaken. And to include details such as where the work experience was based and dates from start to finish. Remember you can include any work experience placements or volunteering work too, even if it was just for a day! Make sure with each work experience placement/employment to explain the job role and duties you had whilst working there. It can be hard to know whether your experience is relevant but when looking at entry-level positions, the requirement would be experience that shows a level of dedication and advances a notable skill
Top tip: Make sure to proofread your work as this will ensure that you put forward the best possible application you can. This can be daunting so make sure to share with friends and family and get some feedback. And remember any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes will sadly form part of the employer’s opinion of you, so be sure that it reads well before submitting it
Contact details
Make sure your contact information is clearly stated on your CV, and ensure you have an up-to-date phone number and professional email (nothing goofy). Remember, first impressions are key!
Skills
Look at the job advertisement and list out relevant skills in your CV, whilst making sure to have evidence to back them up in an interview.
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