YOUR CV is your chance to show an employer you have the skills and experience needed, and that you are the right person for the job. However, the way you present your CV can have an overwhelming influence over whether your CV is even read, let alone get you that all important interview.
DO…
- Construct your CV with your prospective employer in mind.bLook at the job advert or specification and think about what the job involves, and what the employer needs.
- Tailor your CV to the job.
- Make your CV clear, neat and tidy. Get somebody to check your spelling and grammar. Your CV should be easy to read with space between each section and plenty of white space.
- Place the important information up-front. Put experience and education achievements in reverse chronological order.
- Include experience and interests that might be of use to the employer: IT skills, voluntary work, foreign language competency, driving skills, leisure interests that demonstrate team skills and organisation/leadership skills.
- Put your name and email address on every page — in case the pages of your CV get separated.
DON’T…
- Hand-write or type your CV. This looks unprofessional and old fashioned.
- Include information which may be viewed negatively.
- Include anything that might discriminate against you such as date of birth, marital status, race, gender or disability.
- Include salary information and expectations.
- Make your CV more than two pages long.
- Use jargon, acronyms, technical terms, unless essential.
- Lie — employers have ways of checking what you put is true, and may sack you if they take you on and find out you’ve lied to them.
- Include a photo unless requested.