How to Create an Effective CV
Your CV is your initial introduction to a potential employer. It is a marketing tool – “advertising your skills and experience”. It sells your qualifications, skills and achievements to a potential employer and informs them of your employment history. If you get it right, there will be a better chance of you being selected for the next stage in the process – an interview. Too often candidates are rejected prematurely because the employer cannot locate the relevant details quickly. With many applicants and limited time, an employer may miss a suitable candidate if the information is difficult to find. To make sure you have the best chance of success, here is our guide for writing a quality CV.
Suggested Format
Personal Information Your name, address, phone number and email address.
Personal Statement A short paragraph about you – should not be longer than 5 lines of text. Provide a summary of your relevant skills, personal attributes and career objectives.
Employment History Dates of employment (Start and Finish Month & Year), name of employer, job title, responsibilities, career achievements. These should be in reverse chronological order (Most recent job first).
Education / Professional Qualifications / Training Dates. Specify the institution, name of degree / diploma / certification, professional body memberships.
Other skills E.g. language skills, computer languages & packages, keyboard skills, driving licence etc.
Interests / Activities – not too many!