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Writing a CV

It's a good idea to create a Master CV first, and then adapt it to make it relevant to the position you are applying for. Every job and employer is different so its good practice to change your CV to meet the needs of each application. The master CV should include all those activities which demonstrate significant challenge, comittment and your achievements.

What's the big deal about a CV?

A CV (Curriculum Vitae- which in Latin means Course of Life) is a really important way to market yourself and demonstrate your previous skills and experience for work, or volunteering. It's a professional document that you should update throughout your working life. It's also a great way of keeping track of the experiences, qualifications, skills and achievements you acquire along the way.

Remember, a CV may be all an employer has to go on to make a judgement your suitability, so it's key to make sure it puts you in your best possible light. It's where you should be blowing your own trumpet a little, but do make sure you stick to facts, ensure the stays true to yourself. You should be ready and willing to expand upon anything within your CV if asked.

A Note about References:

References not required on a modern CV, but some people do like to add them in still. You should provide the details of two adults (one academic, one personal) who can professionally vouch for your skills, intergrity and character. Include their name, job title, workplace and contact details. They should not be a relative. Don't forget to ask them first if they are happy to be referee for you!

Make the Headings work for you

There are a few set ideas about what headings a CV should include, its normal to have a sections on:

Personal Details: Your full name, address, contact telephone number, email address and any social media accounts you are happy for a prospective employers to see.

Personal Profile: Just needs to be three sentences:-

1. Who are you? e.g. I am a sixth form student currently studying A Levels in X,Y and Z

2. About You- What are you good at? What's your ambition? What's your interest in the position?

3. What is it you are looking for and why? e.g. part time work, voluntary experience, an apprenticeship, gap year work etc.

And then make sure you include the following headings to best market yourself:

Education and Qualifications:

Key Achievements:

Work Experience or Employment History:

Key Skills:

Hobbies and Interests:

Getting the Basics Right

List everything in reverse chronological order i.e. most recent first
Make sure everything you list includes dates, employer names, grades and courses attended
Include each subject and grades achieved, any predicted grades of exams not yet taken, or subjects currently studying
You don't need to include primary/ prep school details unless you had significant and relevant achievements
As a young person, it should all fit onto one page of A4 ( with a font size 11 is ideal)
Keep it to the point, less is more!
Get as many friends and family, and your tutor, to read it. They may remember something you've done that you've forgotten, may spot spelling or grammatical errors, and will tell you if you have over, or under-played your achievements.

Help! what can i say about myself?

As a young person, you may struggle to get started on what to include in your first CV. Getting a sheet of A3 paper and creating a mind map can be a good way to start. Think about what you have achieved and participated in at school, through your academic programme and co-curricular activities, as well as through sports, creative arts, music, drama or dance. Think about your interests, hobbies and achievements outside of school too. The below list is by no means exhaustive, but it might help get you started off:-

Languages spoken
Drama performances
Customer Service skills
Caring for others, supporting others
Duke of Edinburgh Award, NCS, Cadets etc
Creative and Artistic abilities
Sporting Achievements and teams
Competitions, Awards and Certificates
Virtual Work experience
School Tours and Open Days
Part-time work
Mentoring or coaching a younger pupil
Volunteering Days
Charity work or sponsored events
Covid Lockdown Challenges
Public Speaking
IT technical/ coding skills
Fundraising activities
Supporting In-House initiatives
Prefecting (House or School)
School committees
LAMDA, dance and music gradings
Hobbies- Films, Music, Cookery, Car Mechanics, Singing, Nature Conservation, Travel, Escape Rooms, Windsurfing, Gaming etc

(Don't be a sheep!) make your CV unique

Layout is key to making your CV easy to read and navigate. Use the "white space" well, think about using coloumns and infographics to make your CV stand out.

Given that your CV is pretty much a self-marketing tool, do have a think about using some of the following ideas to highlight your skills, and make your CV truly unique-

Infographics/ pictorial CV's
Adding in a link to a personal website/ social media site
Producing a video CV
Adding in a LinkedIn Profile (if over 18)
TIP: Have a look on Pinterest for some great ideas and inspiration for layout and styling

There are lots of free and paid for CV templates available on-line. Whilst these are really convienient, please do bear in mind that they are not going to be unique to you.

READY, GET Set, go!

If you are looking for a basic CV template to get started on, please click here

If you make a copy and then share this document with me, I will happily give you some feedback and ideas.

AND FINALLY...

By the end of the Lower 6th, every student should have a draft CV in place, following on from the support of Futures Week.

However there is nothing stopping you creating one at any time! Once you've got a first draft CV in place, please share it with me for feedback and suggestions. I also run regular CV workshops, so look out for these too. Once you've got a CV, make sure you keep updating it as you develop new skills and gain experience.

Good Luck!

Mrs Franks

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