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Top CV Tips

Getting your CV right is crucial to landing your dream job

top cv tips
Top CV Tips
Top CV Tips

What is a CV?

CV which stands for ‘Curriculum Vitae’, and should be a brief summary of experience, this includes your education, qualifications and previous employment. 

What should I include in my CV?

All that you need to include at the top of your CV is your name, your current job role & contact details. 

As for the rest, this can vary depending on the role you are applying for, there are many different creatives and formats which you can use, however, a recruiter/employer would expect to see the following:

Contact Details

In this section, you should include your full name, home address, contact telephone number and email address. You can also include your LinkedIn professional profile so long as it is up to date.

Personal Profile

In this section, you want to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Highlight your relevant achievements and skills, what you can bring to the company and express your career aims. 

You want to keep this section short and to the point, recruiters don’t have a lot of time so keep this to around 100 words. 

Education

Here is where you list and date your previous education, starting with the most recent, include the qualifications achieved and the grades, don’t forget to include any professional qualifications. 

If you have any relevant modules related to the role you’re applying for, be sure to include this here too. 

Work Experience

Now it’s time to list your work experience, making sure your most recent role sits at the top of this section. 

If you have experience relating to the role, make sure you mention this here too. Include the job title, the name of the company, how long you were there and key responsibilities you had, try and keep this relevant to the role you are applying for. 

If you have an extensive amount of experience relating to the role, include this section before education. 

Additional Sections

If you have room, (you ideally want to keep your CV to less than 2 pages) or if it’s relevant to the role you are applying for, then you can add extra sections: 

Skills and achievements

This is where you would add some key skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. 

For example, you could include a foreign language you have learned or IT Packages or software you have experience with, or anything that will help you land your dream role. 

Hobbies and interests

This provides the recruiter with an idea of who you are as well as gives something to talk about at the interview. 

You can include any unusual hobbies that may add to your suitability for the role, if you don’t have any relevant hobbies or interests, you can leave this section out. 

References

You don’t need to provide the names of your references here, however, you can include ‘references available on request’.

What format should my CV be in?

You want to make sure the format of your CV is easy to read, you don’t want a recruiter to dismiss your CV straight away if it looks visually confusing!

Keep it brief

You want to make sure your CV is around 2 pages long for most job roles. This can vary depending on the job sector or experience, a single page or up to 3 pages is also acceptable.

Headings

Clear headings make your CV easy to read.

File Type

Save your CV as a PDF, this ensures all-round readability, as well as the fact a PDF file can be opened on any machine. 

When choosing the title of the document, include your name, this makes it easier for recruiters to find your CV.

Font Type

Make sure you use fonts like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri.

Font Size

You should ensure the main body of your text is between 10 – 12, whilst headers should be 14-18.

Proofread

Get your friends or family members to read through your CV, they may spot things you have missed!

Final Tips for a good CV

Ensure good grammar

Make sure you use a spell checker and get a second pair of eyes to look over your CV

Tailor your CV

Look at the companies website and their social media. This will give you a further understanding of the company and make sure your CV is targeted to the job role.

Email address

Make sure your email address sounds professional, maybe don’t use the email you set up when you were 12! If it’s inappropriate create a new email address for professional use. 

Cover Letter

Always include a cover letter unless stated otherwise, this will allow you to draw attention to relevant parts of your CV and further help you stand out from the crowd.

Get your CV right the first time

You have one chance to make a first impression so getting your CV right the first time is crucial to landing your dream job

The more tailored and relevant to the role your CV is, the more chance you’ll be offered to interview. 

Good Luck! 

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