CV Writing

Preparing your CV

Presentation

• Clean and sharp - black ink on quality white paper.
• Clearly mark each section with a section heading.
  Ask a friend to check the grammar and spelling before you send the CV.
• Avoid fancy fonts and decorations - focus on the content.
• Use a spell checker.

Structure

• Put your name right at the top of the front page, with your contact details directly underneath. Include a mobile number; only include you work number if you don’t mind being contacted there.
• The structure of your CV should be clear and easy to understand. Your mission is to present facts about yourself clearly and concisely!
• Use bullet points rather than complete sentences (which can sometimes lead to unnecessary wordiness).
• Your educational history, academic achievements and work experiences should be listed in reverse order – university degree should come before your school exam results.
• Never leave gaps - if you took a year out, or carried out interim assignments, say so – otherwise employers can suspect the worse – perhaps you got sacked, or were even in prison! Leave nothing to chance.
• Leave you hobbies and interests until last – and keep this section short

Check, check and Check Again

• Check your CV carefully – always run a spell check and re-read to check it also makes sense; ask a friend to check it too – mistakes are not always as obvious to the person who made them!
• Simply staple the pages together – comb bindings and plastic wallets are irritating as they often do not fit in in-trays, so can end up separated from the other CV's.
• Send your cv off in a good quality, clearly addressed, A4 envelope, and send it first class to indicate efficiency.
• Remember that your CV is the first impression your potential employer will have of you. Take the time to get it right. You may not have a second chance! Know who it is you're meeting, where and how to get there.