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CV Tips
Keep it Simple
A CV, your first and possibly only chance of securing
an interview. It is therefore vitally important that it works for
you and not against you. Use it to draw attention to your strengths,
achievements and technical know-how.
Lead with Achievements
Make frequent use of active verbs, i.e.: achieved,
set up, managed, attained, responsible for, led. Don't use bullet
points to describe jobs or achievements, prose is easier to read
and you can be more descriptive.
Work Reverse Chronologically
Start with your current employment and work backwards,
remembering to include the name and country of your employer, start
and end dates, your job title and a brief description, plus your
accomplishments. If you are looking for your first job, list any
RELEVANT work experience first, paid or unpaid.
Be Honest
Lying on your CV is a waste of your time and that
of your prospective employer. Adding six months to your time in
a job can seem like a good idea, but if you are caught out you will
have lost the job for sure. But don't sell yourself short. If you
think the three summers you spent working for a charity in France
show your knowledge of the country and its culture - then say so.
IT Skills
You must list all software packages, hardware platforms,
operating systems, programming languages, databases, utilities etc,
that you are currently familiar with. Don't list packages that you
haven't used for years, because if you are asked about them at interview
you will look foolish.
Education
Give equal attention to achievements while at University
- but not if you have been in the job market for more than two years.
Captain of the debating team, student union rep, set designer for
the university play all show you to be enthusiastic, a self-starter
and full of initiative.
Don't Overcrowd Your CV
Don't feel you need to keep your CV to one page. If
it's three pages then fine, as long as the content and layout is
appropriate. If your a client has to work hard to read your CV,
they will quickly lose interest.
Spelling
Typos and grammatical errors mean your CV goes straight
in the bin. No employer will want to hire someone who can't be bothered
to check their own work. Don't rely on the spell check to pick up
any mistakes, read it over thoroughly.
Two Pairs of Eyes
A fresh eye is useful to spot mistakes or offer suggestions,
so ask someone else to proof it for you. Once you've read your CV
three or four times, it's difficult to stand back and look at it
objectively. Never try and finish your CV in one sitting, always
go back to it after a couple of days.
References
Check with referees before you use their names. There's
nothing worse than using someone who has either moved on or holds
a grudge against you. The best people to use for references are
your current employer or a professor or teacher at your college/university
- someone who knows how you react in a working environment.
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