Writing your first cv

At Wyvern we divide a cv into 7 parts

1) Your contact details

• Name

• Address line 1

• Town

• Post code

• Telephone Number <- your number. Not your Mum’s

• Email <- a sensible email address that you check regularly

• Do not include your date of birth or NI number

2) Personal profile

• This is a quick pen portrait of you.

• You are highlighting the best of who you are, any relevant experience and what you hope to do.

• This section should be changed every time you apply for a job so you highlight the things that are most important for that job.

3) Core skills and achievements

This section is for you to highlight the things an employer might be interested in

• Qualifications eg. First Aid certificates, Sports Leader Award, black belt in Judo, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

• Skills and abilities eg. IT skills, blogging, playing for a school football team, Army Cadets, anything that makes you stand out to an employer and you could talk about at an interview.

• Responsibilities eg. Prefect, Form Captain – what does this involve?

4)Work experience

You can include things like baby-sitting, voluntary work, part time work as well as work experience done in the holidays etc.

If you have nothing to write, leave this section out

5)Education

You need to include details of your secondary school as well as the qualifications you will be taking next year.

An example could be

Wyvern Academy, Darlington September 2016 to July 2021

Qualifications to be taken in 2021 include

GCSE Mathematics GCSE Combined Science BTEC Health and Social Care

GCSE English Language GCSE Art BTEC Sport

GCSE English Literature GCSE Citizenship

Make sure everything lines up neatly when you type it

6) Hobbies and interests

This is where you write about everything else you are interested in.

• If you are looking for a job at PC world, make sure you include computing as one of your hobbies.

• If you want a job at the Dolphin Centre, you would focus on the sports you do.

Remember an employer is likely to ask you about this at interview so don't tell lies or exaggerate.

7) References

A reference is someone who will tell an employer how great you are and that they should employ you.

• They can’t be a friend or family.

• An employer, teacher or tutor is ideal.

• Always ask before giving out someone’s phone number.

All you write on your cv is

References available on request.