Your CV is a key part of showcasing your experience, strengths and potential. A well-prepared CV helps hiring managers understand how you're well suited to the role. Here are some practical tips...
Key points to remember...
- Keep it clear, concise and relevant
- Use a clear font like Arial or Calibri in minimum size 11.
- Always use the samestyle throughout.
- Use headings and bullet points to make it clear and concise.
- Ask someone else to read it to double-check your spelling and grammar.
It can be tempting to have one version of your CV, but every role is different and will require different skills highlighted. At the start ask yourself what skills and qualities are essential and how best to show this.
Get the structure right:
Contact details
Include your name, telephone number, email address and LinkedIn profile link if you have one.
Personal summary
- Write a short paragraph at the top of your CV that outlines who you are, your key strengths, and why you are a good fit for the role you're applying for. Keep it factual and aligned to the role.
- Review the job description or advert and highlight any skills, experience and transferable skills. These could be technical skills, like software or applications you know how to use, or more general skills like problem solving and creativity.
Key skills section
The key skills section of your CV is a snapshot of your strengths; tailored to the role you're applying for. It should be easy to scan and focused on the skills most relevant to the job.
- Keep it concise: aim for 4-8 bullet points.
- Mix hard and soft skills: e.g., technical abilities and interpersonal strengths.
- Avoid generic terms like ‘team player' unless backed up elsewhere in your CV.
- Use active language: e.g., 'Stakeholder engagement' or ‘Data analysis' rather than vague phrases.
Work history
- List your work history in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.
- Include the employer names, job title, dates you worked there including achievements and responsibilities.
- Lead with achievements rather than responsibilities. For example, rather than ‘Managed customer queries', try ‘Resolved 95% of customer queries on first contact leading to a 20% increase in satisfaction scores
- Where possible, use data or outcomes to back up your successes.
Gaps in work history
- Write a short explanation (not too much personal detail). For example, ‘Career break due to family responsibilities (Jan 23 -Jan 24)'
Education and professional qualifications
- Separate your education and professional qualifications. It helps us distinguish between your academic background and industry specific or job-related certifications.
- List your qualifications in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top.