CV writing

The Basics

When a potential employer asks to see your CV, they’re looking for a document that proves why you are the ideal candidate to invest their time and money in. Essentially it’s a sales pitch, pinpointing the USPs (unique selling points) that make you stand out from the crowd. The purpose of the CV is not to get you the job – it’s to get you an interview. Always remember you’re not writing a CV for yourself, you are writing it for your reader. As you write your CV, put yourself in their shoes. Keep it short, to the point and, above all else, interesting.

Keep your CV to one or two pages of A4, never more than three. It should be clear to anyone reading your CV where to find the information they’re looking for, with enough ‘white space’ to ensure they’re not overawed at first glance. There’s no completely standard format but your CV should cover :

Your details - name, address, phone numbers and email address so any interested employers can contact you easily. Information such as nationality, age and driving licence status are optional.

Personal statement – a single paragraph that immediately captures the reader’s attention, enticing them to find out more about you. Don’t cram too much in but take your main skill and relate it to the job you’re after to show employers why you meet their needs.

Work experience - list your most recent position first, continuing in reverse chronological order including the name, location, website and dates of your employment for each company you have worked for. Use bullet points wherever possible to highlight your responsibilities and achievements in each role so the reader can quickly match up your experience with their job description.

Education - again, in reverse chronological order, give brief details of your academic and professional qualifications along with the grades you achieved.

Skills - you will have picked up many skills over the years, some tangible, some less so. Include every IT package or program you have used as well as any foreign language skills you have gained. State whether you're at a basic, intermediate or advanced level. Skills such as communication and project management are harder to substantiate and should be backed up with examples.

Hobbies & Interests - including these is optional and often placed at the end of the CV. The idea is to give the interviewer a more rounded picture and something more personal to discuss at an interview.

References – it’s not necessary to list referees on your CV but you should state that details are available on request. You should choose references that you’re confident will give positive remarks and you should also make sure they would be easily contactable by potential employers.

A recruiter will generally review lots of CVs for each role their looking at, so it’s important to get it right. If you follow the structure outlined above, you’re on the right track to presenting the information in a clear, concise and persuasive way.

CV No-No’s

Time spent making sure your CV is crisp and relevant is always time well spent. However, there are plenty of simple mistakes that are often overlooked that will turn your readers off before they’ve gone much further than your name and address:

• Resist the urge to jazz up your CV with images or excessive colour.
• Steer clear of long paragraphs and don’t waffle on.
• Don’t lie – you’re bound to get found out sooner or later.
• Proof read your CV before you send it and make sure your word processor’s spellcheck is turned on (take care it’s English, not set to American). All errors are your responsibility and will count against you straight away.
• Use typefaces like ‘Times New Roman’, ‘Arial’ or ‘Helvetica’ - they’re easier to read. Avoid using font sizes smaller than 11pt, employers won’t strain their eyes to read it. Careful use of bold type can be effective, but don’t overdo it. Underlining should be reserved for website links only.
• Dont use txt speak and only use abbreviations if they’re universally known.

Before you distribute your finished document, get someone to look over it. Professional CV checkers, like us at RDF, see hundreds of CVs every day and can immediately spot things that may put off a potential employer.