CV Tips

In today’s competitive jobs market, it’s more important than ever to make a good first impression. This can often be your CV, so it needs to be putting across the right messages, with the right presentation, and no mistakes. When you have been in full-time education most of your life your qualifications will probably be your main achievement. If you don’t have a lot of work experience, try to make your coursework relevant to the skills you’d use in the job. For example, you probably use time management, research and IT skills every day. You may also be able to say you’re a fast learner, and are up to date with the latest equipment and techniques in your field.

The most important thing is to take your time over your CV – make sure it’s the best it can be. You might want to leave it for a couple of days and then come back to it with a fresh pair of eyes. Get it checked over by several people to see if they can spot anything you can’t. When you’ve been working on something for a long time it can be difficult to see ways in which it can be improved. But with CVs, it’s easy to make the mistake, but very difficult to correct the damage done…

Your Name

Contact Details (including Town and County)

Telephone numbers including mobile contact details

Email address

Do not include any further personal details including gender and nationality as this does not add any value and may hinder your application. You should use Arial or similar business font and the size should be between 10.5 and 12. 

PROFILE

This section should include a brief history of your school career and qualifications gained.  This section should never be in bullet point format and should be no more than 8 to 10 sentences long. This is your opportunity to present your unique skills and the value you can bring to an organisation, this will focus on what makes you stand out, your skills (excellent communication and organisational skills etc.) and the value you bring to potential employers. 

Example of ways to start your document could include: Resourceful individual ….

 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 

• • This section should include a list of achievements. Use this section to highlight any achievements you may have had in your life to date.

  • You should include details of group projects that you completed.

  • Example: Captain of the school football team.

  • Supported fundraising initiatives within the school including organising sponsored walk. 

EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE

Remember include details of any employment (even if not in your current chosen field).  You should also include details of voluntary work including supporting fundraising activities or memberships of societies etc…

 Title Held, Name of Company                                                        Dates of employment

• Insert further details of your key duties and responsibilities.  Remember to use active verbs including sold, solved performed etc.

 EDUCATION & TRAINING

List any qualifications gained including GCSEs or BTEC qualifications.

 CORE SKILLS

• Include details of all skill you have to offer potential employers.

• Example: IT Skills: Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Explorer

• Example: Well developed analytical and numerical ability.

 INTERESTS

Include brief details of interests if you have the space on your document however avoid phrases including 'socialising', 'partying' etc.

 References available on request

Privacy and identity theft have become an issue in recent years and it is best to protect the details of your referees, do not include their contact information on your CV.  Employers don't need this information within the early stages of the recruitment process.