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How to be CV Savvy

Getting a CV up to scratch is an important part of job hunting. Not only is it the first hurdle of the process, it is also the key factor in attracting an employer’s attention. So, what should it contain?

Despite what many career websites say, there is no ’perfect’ template. Different sectors may require a different emphasis on a different aspect of the content. It is all dependent on the particular role you’re applying for. For example, a practical role would require an emphasis on career history but a candidate applying for an academic role would highlight their gained qualifications.

However, experts suggest all candidates should follow these basic rules when creating a CV:

Type It Up

Employers will expect you to word process your CV. This is a much neater way of presenting your work and generally looks a lot more professional.

Keep It Short

Preferably no more than two sides of A4. Your CV should be clear and concise, stressing both achievements and strengths.

The basic format for a CV includes:

Always check the instructions for filling out the application form - if it asks you to fill out the form in black ink only, fill it out in black ink only.

  • Personal details: including name, address, phone number, and email address. If you have a relevant online blog, don’t forget to add the URL. You no longer need to include your date of birth, owing to age discrimination rules.
  • Career history: record your most recent job first. Include dates and temporary or voluntary jobs if and where appropriate.
  • A personal profile which sells you and your qualities, tailored towards the job you are applying for. You should also include a covering letter.
  • Achievements from previous jobs that are relevant and which highlight your strengths.
  • Qualifications and training from previous jobs, with the most recent first.
  • Interests if they are relevant and especially if the skills or teamwork concerned are relevant for the job.
  • Any extra information, such as reasons for a career change or reasons for gaps in career history, such as caring duties or long term travels.
  • References: ideally two or more and including a recent employer.

Make sure that you keep font and formatting basic. Fancy font and tables can hinder your CV by taking the attention away from your achievements and qualifications.

How do you avoid making mistakes on your CV?

Most employers will agree that poor spelling is one of the quickest and sure-fire ways of getting rejected from a role. It may seem unfair, particularly if you are a bad speller, but these costly mistakes can be avoided.

Why not ask a friend or relative who is a competent speller, to check over your work for you? This way, you can be sure that you haven’t made any mistakes and you will feel a little more confident once you’ve hit ‘send’.

How do you adjust your CV to suit that particular role?

According to career buffs, you should search the internet for inspiration. Find adverts for similar roles and work your CV around them.

This doesn’t mean that you should do a ‘copy and paste job’ because the likelihood is; the employers have seen this kind of thing before and binned CVs because of it.

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