A good curriculum vitae - or CV - is vital when looking for work, especially when there are numerous candidates for the same job, so what should it contain?
There is no perfect template, and each sector may require a different emphasis on a different aspect of the content, such as career history or qualifications.
However, we at CVpal suggest there are some basic rules on how a CV should be written and the information that should be included.
Overall, a CV should be neat and typed if possible. It should also be no more than two sides of A4. It should be positive, stressing achievements and strengths, and make a good impression in a clear and positive way.
The basic format for a CV includes:
- Personal details, including name, address, phone number, email address. You no longer need to include your date of birth, owing to age discrimination rules
- A personal profile which sells yourself and highlights your key skills, tailored towards the job you are applying for – use key words from the job advertisement
- Key Skills and Achievements – present these in a table format and give an example for each
- Qualifications and training from previous jobs, with the most recent first
- Career history, starting with your most recent job first. Include to and from dates and ensure you list (in bullet point format) 4 to 5 key job responsibilities.
- Interests, if they are relevant and especially if the skills or teamwork concerned are relevant for the job
- Any extra information, such as reasons for gaps in career history, such as caring duties
- End with “References Available on Request”
Ensure you use a spell check!
CVpal are here to help – if you need any help or advise in writing a CV then please call us on 01908 586393 – We offer a FREE CV REVIEW!
