A CV (also known as Curriculum Vitae) is a document that helps you show employers your skills, strengths, qualifications and experience when you apply for a job. Employers often ask for a CV and expect it to look and feel professional.

A CV is a big first step to getting a job. It doesn’t just show employers what you’ve done – it shows them what you can do. Think of it as an introduction to one of the world's most amazing and employable people. You.

The ultimate purpose of your CV is to secure you a job interview. It needs to tell employers what you’re good at, what interests you, and what you’ve achieved in life so far.  You hand it out when you are looking for jobs. They are great to take to career fairs, and you can often upload your CV if you are applying for a job online. If an employer likes your CV, they might ask you to come to a job interview.

Your CV is your chance to show employers you’re a good match for the job and can back up any claims you make. 

Think of it as a leaflet of services, advertising your skills and knowledge to potential employers.

If an employer likes your CV, they will call and invite you in for an interview.

What To Put On Your CV: ☑️

• Full name

• Contact details
  – phone number and email address.

• Personal statement:
  – A personal statement is a sentence or paragraph that summarises your strengths, career goals, and what you can offer employers.

• Key skills:
  – Skills like teamwork, communication and problem-solving are useful to put on your CV when you are still building experience

• Education:
  Putting your education in your CV means adding what you’ve studied, for how long, and what grades you got. You can put predicted grades if you are waiting for results.

• Work experience:
  Work experience can include part-time jobs, work placements, work shadowing, internships, and paid training like apprenticeships.

• Hobbies and interests:
  This section is your chance to show your general life experience and skills. Volunteering, personal projects and learning out of choice (e.g. sports or music) can show employers your skills, motivation and suitability for a role.

Before you start writing your CV, it’s wise to research and find exactly what your target employers are looking for in a candidate.

So head over to a job website and run a search for the type of job you are looking for, then look through 10 or more job adverts and make a list of the most important candidate requirements that keep appearing.

What Not To Put On Your CV: ❎

• Age

• Date of birth

• Gender (your business, no one else’s)

• Religion (your business, no one else’s)

• Relationship status (single, married or “it’s complicated”? Never put it on your CV!)

• Nationality (all these things are way too personal, and employers will only ask if they absolutely need to know)

• Weird colours, designs and fonts (keep it simple!)

• A non-professional email address (Weird or joke emails like ihatedonuts@gmail.com give employers the wrong impression. It’s quick and free to get a new professional email address like FirstnameLastname@gmail.com if you need one.)

• Lies (Never lie on your CV. You can emphasise your good points, but never lie – you will just get caught out.)

• References (If employers want references from people, they’ll ask you. Save that CV space for your skills, experience and achievements.)

• It is recommended that you do not provide your address for personal security reasons, but it you can decide whether you think it is necessary to include it.

A CV personal statement is a bite-sized sentence or two summing up who you are as a professional and what you want to offer employers in terms of your ambition and experience. 

You won't have much to say here if you haven’t done much work experience. You can still talk about your skills, though. 

If an employer has 200 CVs and only 1 hour to review them, this will be the ONLY bit they will read. It is important! The profile is a short summary of the sort of person you are in the context of a  job. Include the main skills and experience you can offer and what you would like to do next or in the future. Ask friends, teachers or a career adviser to help you identify your skills. 

Think about how your best friend, teacher, parents, siblings, or even your previous boss would describe you. This blend of perspectives will make for an interesting and well-rounded description of yourself. Consider your strengths, skills, and experiences. What are you passionate about? What education and strengths do you have that you can bring to the table? In summary, describe who you are and what you can offer.

List your education (Format: qualification, institute and date) with any accreditation’s you have, certification, training or courses you’ve been on. 

You may have never had a job before, but you probably have more experience than you think. 

Examples of work experience include:

• work shadowing

• work experience and placements

• volunteering

• charity work

• Saturday jobs

• summer jobs

• babysitting

• dog-walking 

• extracurricular activities such as clubs and sports (examples)

Work experience can take all kinds of forms. For each bit of work experience, include the name of the place you worked, how long you worked there and what your main tasks were. Try to write about the work you did in a way that shows future employers what you’d be good at. 

If you have little or no work experience, you can still use a CV to discuss your skills and strengths. These are known as ‘soft skills’ or ‘life skills’. They are personal qualities that have helped you develop as a person, but they can also help you fit into the workplace and develop as a professional.

Many youth-friendly employers are changing their recruitment approach in terms of job descriptions and job requirements to focus on skills and strengths instead of qualifications and experience. This can help you demonstrate your suitability for a job in your CV when you are a student or school leaver and still building your qualifications and experience.

Talking about hobbies and interests in your CV gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ambition, motivation, positive attitude and life skills. It’s important to talk about your interests in your first CV because it shows employers you are keen to learn and try new things. You are motivated to do more than the bare minimum in order to develop yourself.

Example hobbies and interests to include in your first CV:

• Volunteering (this includes volunteering online)

• Social action

• Learning a new skill, also known as lifelong learning (e.g. sports discipline, instrument, crafting, coding)

• Clubs and societies (e.g. scouts, guides, after-school clubs, youth clubs)

• Achievements (e.g. awards you have won, charity events you have participated in, courses you have completed)

Employers are likely to ask you about your hobbies and interests in a job interview. Talking about these can make you feel more at ease with the social side of the interview process. You can also talk about the skills you use in your hobbies to show you are a well-rounded person who is suitable for the job.

Someone who gives you a reference is someone who can vouch for you when you are applying for a job. You don’t have to put references on your CV. You can say “References available on request” at the bottom. But this does give you time to think about who could be a good reference for any work experience you’ve done.

You could ask a teacher to be a reference if you're still in school. If you’ve done any Saturday work, volunteering, or charity work, you could ask the team leader or the person who supervised you to be your reference. If you’ve done school work experience, you could ask your supervisor to provide you with a reference.

Whoever you ask for a reference, be polite and explain why you want the job – or ask if they will be willing to provide a reference if you apply for jobs in the future.

1. 1. Imagine yourself as the employer. What would you like to see in a future employee? 

   2. Your CV reflects you – if it is ripped or scruffy, what does that say to the employer?

   3. Make your CV easy to read – it will stand out to the employer 

   4. How will your CV look compared to others? Ask a professional to check your CV 

   5. Adapt your CV for different jobs – show you understand the skills for different jobs 

   6. Make your CV one or two A4 pages maximum 

   7. Use the format on the next page - It is tried and tested 

   8. Good spelling and grammar are CRITICAL – the employer will notice so get your CV checked. 

   9. Never lie on your CV 

Example CV

It's important to know how to email a CV because it's likely to be the first impression an employer has of you when you apply for a job. Using a professional-sounding email address, such as your first and last name, is best. Try to avoid using a nickname, as it could give the recruiter the impression that you lack professionalism. To email a CV, follow these steps:

1. Find and enter the recipient's work email address.

2. Mention the reason for sending your CV in the subject line.

3. Greet the recipient by name in the email and inform them who you are and why you're sending them your CV.

4. Close the email politely and give your full name.

5. Use the 'attach' button in your email's interface to select and upload your CV document and cover letter.

6. Check everything is in order before sending.

What to include in the subject of your email

Be clear, concise and precise in the subject line of an email about a job vacancy so that the receiver knows what your email is about. A clear subject line can also help make sure an email doesn't go straight into an employer's junk mail (this can sometimes happen when subject lines are written in all capitals).

Here are some pieces of information to include in the subject line of an email:

• the job title

• your first name and last name

• the employer's name

• the job reference number (if applicable)

These pieces of information are included for the employer's benefit, but including the employer's name can help you search for a specific job application email when looking to follow up.

Explain the purpose of your email

Your email must be clear about what vacancy you're applying for. Make sure to mention that a CV and cover letter are attached. Remember that an email to an employer may not reach the employer initially. It may be screened by an assistant or PA first who won't be interested in anything more than the basic information.

Example:

Dear Helene,

I'm writing to you about the job vacancy on Indeed.com for a plumber, which I'm very interested in.

I feel my skills in unblocking pipes would be an asset to your company.

Please find attached my CV and cover letter.

If you wish to hear more or schedule an interview, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks,

Phil Morris

Brighton, East Sussex

0121 234 5678
www.philmorrisexample.com

What to include in the body of your email

It's best to use a common greeting in the opening of your email, such as ‘Hello' or ‘Dear'. Always try to address the employer by their first name, such as ‘Dear Helene' or ‘Hi Helene'. If there's no contact name on the job advert, try the following:

• Dear Sir/Madam,

• Dear hiring manager,

• To Whom It May Concern,

Conclude with a proper signature. Attach a cover letter or job application form with a professional signature for the employer to learn your name and contact details. It might also be worth including a professional website or blog if you have one.

Example of CV email:

Here's an example of a CV email you can use to help you write your own:

Dear Helene,

I came across the posting for your plumber vacancy on Indeed.com and would very much like to apply for the role. It sounds like a great opportunity, and I have the skills required to excel in this job, especially skills with water pipe systems. I've attached my CV and cover letter, and I would love to be considered for this position.

Please let me know if you need any further information. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks so much for your time.

Best wishes, Phil Morris
Brighton, East Sussex 0121 134 5678
www.philmorrisexample.com

Include a cover letter

Cover letters may be requested in the job application. Even if the job doesn't require a cover letter, be sure to include a brief message that quickly summarises your interest in the job, your name and the best way to contact you in case an employer would like to learn more or schedule an interview. When sending your CV and cover letter, address the hiring manager by their first name. For example, Hello Helene, or Dear Helene.

If the name isn't available, you can try the following options instead: ‘To Whom It May Concern' or ‘Dear Hiring Manager'. Always send a cover letter as an attached document, not within the body of the email. This is so the employer can share a CV and cover letter with other people in the company. An attachment makes it easier for them to share, print, or hand over to relevant colleagues.

Related: How To Write a Cover Letter

Email sign-off template

You can use an email sign-off or signature to ensure your email sounds professional. Some email programmes have automated email signatures you can use for this purpose. Keep it simple and short, add links to any professional websites or social media pages and use professional colours like black, white or navy blue.

Here's an email sign-off template:

Sincerely,

[Your first name]

[Location]

[Contact details]

[Signature]

You don't need to include an email address in your sign-off, as the employer can take note of the email address you're sending the application form. If you have several email addresses, use only one for each job vacancy to avoid confusion. You can add any professional online profiles to the signature, too. Try a professional social media site if you don't have a blog or website.

Related: How To Write a Professional Email: A Complete Guide With Examples

Proofread your email

It may be helpful to enlist the help of a friend or family member for a fresh set of eyes. They could pick up on spelling or grammatical errors you've overlooked. You could also send the email to yourself to see how it looks before sending it to an employer.

Job application email template

Here's a template of what to include when emailing a CV:

Dear [hiring manager's name, Sir/Madam or To Whom It May Concern],

Please find attached my CV and cover letter for the role [job title].

If there's any additional information you need, please let me know.

Thank you very much for your consideration. I hope to hear from you soon.

Best wishes,

[First name]

[Location]

[Telephone number]

[Website or link to professional social media]

Related:

• Recruitment email templates and examples (With steps)

• How To End a Letter

When is the best time to email an employer?

Early job applications tend to catch an employer's attention as they show that you're keen. Make a note of the application deadline, and be sure to send your application in time. Here are some tips to help you choose when to apply for your next role:

• Mondays: The beginning of the workweek is a great time to send your application. You may be more likely to get an interview if you email on a Monday.

• Tuesdays: This is also a good option as it's still early on in the week, and many employers won't have worked through all of their emails yet.

• Wednesdays and Thursdays: Most people are likely to be tied up in projects or tasks in the middle of the week. It's less likely for employers to have spare time to devote to application emails on these days.

• Fridays: The final day of the week tends to be the time when employers are winding down. This means it's less likely that an interview can be arranged on Fridays and more likely that emails could be missed in a pile of work.

• Weekends: Outside of business hours is the least favourable time to apply for a job. Most recipients won't be looking at their emails at the weekend, and your application could be missed on the following Monday if it has been buried in their inbox.

Make sure you pick a good time to send your CV via email. Many email programs allow you to schedule emails so you can choose when your potential employer receives them.