What is the purpose of a CV?
It is a tool to be used by you as an introduction to an employer or recruitment company. It is your way of getting noticed and will be used as a guide for an interviewer.
How long should a CV be?
One to two pages, and ideally no longer than four pages.
How should I lay out my CV?
Part one: Name and contact details.
- List your home address, home telephone and mobile number.
- Only give your work telephone number if it is appropriate to be contacted at work.
- Give your email address if you have one. If using your work email, make sure that you are comfortable with who can access it.
- If you are moving or changing countries, give both your temporary and permanent contact details.
Part Two: Career history.
- You should start with your most recent position first.
- Your responsibilities and achievements should be in bullet point format – this makes the CV easier to read. Paragraph format makes it difficult to find information.
- List achievements that are measurable (ie: increased profit from X to Y, reduced staff turnover from X% to Y%)
- Give figures where ever possible.
- You do not want to write more than five bullet points p/job and only for the most recent three jobs. All others should be described briefly.
- If you have had more than one position within a single company, list each position but do not be repetitive in the description of your responsibilities or achievements.
Part Three: Education, Qualifications and Training.
- Start with the most recent, industry related qualifications.
- Training courses should be listed separately and include all company and statutory training courses.
Part Four: Interests.
- Language skills are important when applying internationally.
- You can’t always be at work and should show that you have a balance between work related and non-work related activities. List your interests and hobbies, including any sports, clubs or associations that you participate in.
What else do I need to know?
- Don’t exaggerate from the facts. Be prepared for an interviewer to question you on ALL of the contents of your CV.
- Use a clear font/type-set. A fancy font may look pretty, but is often inappropriate.
- Always proof read a CV for mistakes or errors. It is often helpful to ask a family member or friend to check your CV too.
- Use good quality and plain paper.
