CV Support

CV Dos and Don'ts

  • Do not include anything on your CV that you can be discriminated against e.g. Age, Race, Sexuality

  • Keep it short and sweet. The most effective CVs aren’t just informative, they’re also concise. Try and get straight to the most pertinent points, and ideally take up no more than two sides of A4

  • Choose a professional font. A professional font ensures that your CV can be easily read and simply scanned. Remember: Comic Sans is not your friend.

  • Present things in a logical order. Use sufficient spacing, clear section headings (e.g. Contact Details, Profile or Key Skills, Employment History, Education) and a reverse chronological order to keep things clear and easily legible (most recent thing first).

  • Contact Number make sure this is correct. If you do not answer your house phone do not put it on there

  • Email Address make sure this is your personal email address and not your college email. Make sure your email address is appropriate and professional

  • Home Address you do not need to include your home address on your CV but can include the area you live in.g. Hammersmith, London

  • Play to your strengths. Format your CV to maximise the impact of your application. For example, if you feel a lack of experience is holding you back, lead with education instead. As long as you can relate it back to the role in question, how you order the sections is up to you.

  • You should only have YOUR contact details on your CV. You do not need to write any references at this stage. References will be requested at the point of interview not CV submission.

If you need any support with your CV please contact the Careers and Employability Team by clicking here

CV Template

First Name and Surname

Mobile Number

Email Address

Area you live


Check out our CV Dos and Don’t before making a start on your CV!


Profile

This is your opportunity to sell yourself and your skills. You will need to adapt your profile for each job you apply for making sure it is relevant to the role. Your profile needs to be written in a paragraph format, example;

I am a hardworking and self-motivated individual who also excels when working as part of a team. I have excellent communication skills which have been enhanced by my education and employment history. I have a friendly and helpful attitude in all situations and I have the ability to work well under pressure in a busy and fast paced environment. I am always enthusiastic about taking on new tasks and working towards targets. I hold excellent computer and time management skills.


OR


Key Skills

You can choose to list your skills instead, example;

  • Hardworking

  • Self Motivated

  • Team Player

  • Excellent communication skills

  • Friendly and approachable

  • Works well under pressure

  • Excellent time management


Employment History

Start with your most recent role and work backwards. Remember to include any Work Experience you have taken part in, present the information in the following format

Employer Name Dates Worked (Month and Year)

Job Title

  • Roles and Responsibilities


Example;

River Island January 2020-Present

Customer Service Assistant

  • Serving on the tills

  • Handling Cash and Card Payments

  • Dealing with customer complaints and refunds

  • Replenishing stock


Education

Start with your most recent education and qualifications and work backwards. Present the information in the following format

School/College Name Dates Attended

Name of course or qualification


Examples;

West London College September 2020-Present

L3.1 Sport and Exercise Science

List units covered within the course


Hammersmith Academy 2014-2020

GCSEs

  • List the subjects you took and grades