Top Tips for CV writing

Making the best of your CV is vital, it is the tool that will secure you an interview.  A CV is your own personal marketing campaign and should always be written with a prospective employer in mind.  It needs to demonstrate the value you can add to their business.

• An attention grabbing personal statement is a great way to start your CV.  First impressions always count, so it should give the employer a reason to read on and should highlight your professional skills and attributes
• Ensure the layout follows a clear and consistent format.  Good and appropriate CV layout is critical to showcase how your skills match the requirements  for a particular vacancy
• Focus on the information relevant to the job description.  The care you take to target, interpret and prioritise your experiences also demonstrates effective written communication skills
• Be specific.  If you mention a skill, describe how this could add value to an employer
• If you have factual evidence of success, i.e. increased revenue, do include details
• A CV is to get you an interview, not a job, so don’t overload the reader with too much detail.  Keep it short, preferably within 2 pages
• Font size should be regular – between point 10 & 12.  Don’t be tempted to cram in more text in a smaller  font.  Try a different or larger font for headings, but DON'T use bold or itallics within paragraphs for emphasis
• Graphics and gimmicks should generally be avoided, unless showcasing job related skills.  Also using tables and charts can make a CV look cluttered, and detract from the key information
• Avoid abbreviations and cliché phrases that do not make you stand out as a candidate
• Include ALL possible ways of contacting you (address, telephone, mobile & email)
• You may not want to include your current employer as a referee but make it clear that references are available if requested
• And finally, ALWAYS spell check your CV and get a friend to proof read it

Click here for a Sample CV Template