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| CV OVERVIEW |
A Curriculum Vitae is a summary of your skills, accomplishments, experiences and education
designed to capture a prospective employer's interest. |
| The CV is a key document to use because a good CV will: |
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Get you an interview by intriguing a potential employer |
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Encourage the interviewer to focus on your achievements |
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Help you to remember the key points that you want to emphasise at
interviews |
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Leave the interviewer with a clear reminder of what you could do for
their organisation. |
| In order to achieve these aims, you must ensure that your
CV stands out from other CVs. Your CV must be distinctive and professional. It must create
an impact and stimulate interest with the potential employer. |
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| CV CONTENT |
You are being judged initially by your CV alone. Always type your CV, and use good quality
paper. |
| CV's should cover the following areas: |
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Personal Details
Include name, address, telephone numbers & email address
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Education
Include third level and secondary schooling in reverse chronological order. When listing
courses undertaken, list them in order of relevance to the position that you are applying
for. Always limit these to what are recent and relevant.
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Career Summary
This is an optional part of your CV, which will help your CV to stand out from the rest.
It is a simple statement of 20 words or so which encapsulate your career aspirations. View
it as an advertisement for the details that follow. It can also help you to focus on your
abilities in your own mind. Imagine you only have 30 words to convince someone to hire
you.
Example:
An effective thinker and achiever, offering proven leadership and communication skills.
A genuine and direct approach with the ability to inspire others with a proven track
record of promotion.
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Work Experience and Achievements
The reader of your CV should be able to select your skills, ability and achievements with
ease. Golden rule: keep it short!
Work experience and Achievements include;
Where you work
What type of industry you work in
What dates have you worked there from
Your job title
Your main responsibilities
Ensure that your job title stands out on the page and emphasise your achievements. Work
experience should be in reverse chronological order as your most recent experience, in
most cases, will be the most relevant. |
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| APPEARANCE |
Keep your CV
clear and precise. |
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Confine CV to 2 or 3 pages |
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Keep your CV single-sided |
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Never bind your CV |
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Avoid fancy covers |
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Make sure there is enough 'white space'. Let your CV breathe.
Don't try to squeeze everything onto one page. |
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Use bullet points wherever possible Try not to have 3-4 lines of text
at one time as this makes your CV look dense. |
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Don't overuse underlines, italics and bold fonts |
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| CV Don'ts |
Some common
mistakes to avoid |
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DO NOT make spelling mistakes. The advent of the spellchecker makes
this inexcusable and reflects poorly on your application. |
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Don't lie; Hiding periods of unemployment is one of the biggest
mistakes. As innocent as the omission may be, the prospective employer can view it as an
attempt to hide something. |
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Personal information, such as your religion, race, marital or family
status, is irrelevant to job applications. Your prospective employer is not allowed to
judge you on these criteria when making a hiring decision. |
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Do not include copies of certificates or written references, unless
requested to do so. This results in a bulky CV, which reduces the impact of information
that is otherwise well presented. References are usually checked at the final stage of the
recruitment process and therefore you are normally asked at interview for permission to
seek references from the relevant party. If you want to mention references, put
'References are available on request' at the end of your CV. |
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It is unnecessary to include a passport photograph unless
specifically requested to do so. |
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Don't forget your Contact details; it may sound obvious, however it
does happen. |
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| COVER LETTERS |
A cover letter is the packaging for your CV.
If your cover letter does not command attention, then why should they read your CV? |
A Cover Letter should be typed, well-written and directed
to a real person. Find out who the potential decision maker is and address the letter to
that person. At least mark it for the attention of the HR Manager or Managing Partner.
Cover Letter Content: |
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Your opening paragraph should pique the interest of the potential
employer. Say why you are writing. Name the position that you are interested in, how you
learned of the opening or organisation and why you are interested in the company. |
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The second paragraph should create a desire to read further. Provide
additional information concerning your education, experience, qualities and interests as
they relate to the position. Expand on your CV rather than repeat the CVs content. Tell
the employer specifically what you have to offer the organisation and support your claim
with proof/examples. |
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In your closing paragraph ask for action. Either indicate to the
employer that you will be calling them within a specific period or desire the employer to
contact you. Be sure to emphasise your appreciation for their time.
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