Writing a great CV from scratch can be a daunting and time-consuming task, even if you do have experience of writing a CV, you might still end up making some easily avoidable mistakes. A CV represents the entry point into getting that all important job interview, and one step closer to landing the job
Here are 10 steps to write a CV
FORMAT
- 1. CV Length
Keep it brief and easily read by using clear spacing and bullet points. – two sides of A4 will almost always suffice.
- 2. Font Choice and Font Size
Choose something professional, clear and easy to read such Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman with font size between 10 to 12, although your name and the section headings can be a little larger (size 14 or 16) and/or bolded.
Whichever you choose, avoid fonts like brush script or cooper black, that will make you CV look more like its fit for a comic or magazine rather than a job application.
- 3. Clear & Chronological Layout
The layout of your CV should be in a logical order, with sufficient spacing and clear section headings.
Where you are listing items that include dates, for example work and educational history, make sure you lay these out in chronological order; starting with the most recent items first in the list.
- 4. Spelling & Grammar
Check your grammar and spelling thoroughly… and then check it again!
CONTACT INFORMATION
DOs
- As a minimum, include your name, mobile or phone number, a suitable email address, and your home address, although a postcode or the city you live in is fine also.
- Consider adding social media profiles that are applicable to the position, such as a well curated ‘all-star’ LinkedIn profile. Other profiles such as Facebook, Medium and Twitter, may be valuable but this will vary depending on the role.
DON’Ts
- Use an unprofessional email address, like Starboy86@hotmail.co.uk. Set-up a completely separate email address for professional use only if you do not already have one.
- Add your personal information, such as marital status, nationality or religious faith.
- Include a head shot photograph of yourself.
CV PERSONAL STATEMENT
A study revealed that on average recruiters spend just under 9 seconds looking at your CV . So, similar to the way someone can quickly pass you by when using dating apps like hinge, use your Personal Statement (sometimes called Profile or Summary) section of your CV to really sell yourself and give the recruiter a reason to read on.
In one or two sentences, summarise who you are, your work experience and relevant skills, aiming to prove why you are suitable for the position. Keep this strong and simple.
KEY SKILLS
The “skills” section of your CV is a place where you can show your strengths and individuality. Start by stating each of your key skills as a bullet point that are most relevant to the role you are applying for.
Then back it up with a short account of how you learned that skill or why you believe you have it. Make these entries short, keeping to two- to three-lines clear straight to the point text.
This can often be a great place to add value to you CV by including things like computer software names you have proficiency in.
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
This section shows when and where you have worked. Covering specific accomplishments you have made during each of the jobs you held.
Listing your relevant experiences in reverse chronological order, include your job title, the name of the employer, time in the position, and a few key responsibilities.
Rather than focusing too much on what responsibilities were in your previous roles, show what you achieved there and some of the skills you developed. A job title is enough to show an employer roughly what you did, but it does not necessarily show your achievements.
Should I avoid gaps in my CVs work experience?
Whether it is through choice or forgetfulness, some people leave previous jobs off their CV; resulting in a gap in their employment history.
Even if you were a stay-at-home parent for a while, include it. If a potential employer has to guess how you were spending your time during your employment gaps, they will likely suspect the worst.
WRITING UP YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
Here are some simple methods of how best to include your achievements in your CV’s employment history section:
BEST
- Led a team of sales and marketing executives in a promotional campaign that resulted in increased sales of £650k and the company exceeding its annual sales targets by 32%.
- Revamped the business page on Facebook that now reached over 95,000 followers (up 38% in just 2 months); which generated over 1.200 customer leads resulting in over 4% increase in bottom line profitability.
NOT IDEAL
- Led a team of sales and marketing executives in a promotional campaign resulting in exceeding the company’s annual sales targets.
- Redesigned the Facebook business page which generated new customer leads resulting in increased profitability.
And remember, do not worry as to whether your experiences are “good enough”, employers admire people who have worked hard in a variety of positions.
INCLUDING EDUCATION ON YOUR CV
Placing the most recent first, list your educational experience and achievements in this section of your CV, include the school attended, dates of study, the type of qualification and/or the grade you achieved.
You may also wish to include other vocational qualifications in this section too such as HGV driving license or Microsoft Certified Engineer etc.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SECTION
In this section you can list various additional things that may be relevant to your application and help you to stand out. For many within this section they include their hobbies and interests.
You do not always need to include hobbies and interests in your CV but mentioning relevant ones could back up your skills – not to mention give you something to talk about at an interview.
Other options of what could be included in this section are:
Publications and Presentations: List any publications (digital or traditional media) you have written, co-written, or contributed to. You should also include any publications you are currently working on. Include any conferences you have presented at; listing the conference name and location, and the date you presented.
Professional Memberships: Include any professional associations that you are a current member of. Likewise, if you are a board member of any professional body, also list your title.
BUZZWORDS ON YOUR CV
Deciding on what keywords to use within your CV can be a bit of challenge, especially if you are not someone who has a strong vocabulary.
Generally speaking, the best types of words to use are predominately action verbs.
Action verbs help describe the skills you’ve highlighted to employers in your CV. Having an action verb at the beginning of a line in your bulleted list also helps keep the descriptions of each, short, yet powerful.
Appropriate keywords for your CV could include:
- Achieved
- Analysed
- Built
- Coordinated
- Created
- Designed
- Developed
- Increased
- Launched
- Marketed
- Organised
- Reduced
CV FORMAT
Saving Your CV As A PDF
Most employers prefer to receive a CV in PDF Format . To create yours, look for the “Save as PDF” or “Print to PDF” option in your word processing software, such as Microsoft Word. Review the file carefully to make sure any text and spacing formatting you added has been preserved in the PDF version of the document.
Emailing A CV
When emailing a CV, you will likely be asked to send it as an attachment. Review the job listing carefully to see if there is a preferred format; most likely, employers will ask for a PDF.
Remember to save the file as Firstname_Lastname_CV or CV_Firstname_Lastname.
At Chief Recruitment, we will accept CVs in many file formats, however, as with most UK recruiters, we generally prefer Word file formats such as .doc or .docx, and PDF files.
Printing Your CV
It is a good idea to have printed copies of your CV on hand when you go on interviews.
Start with a well-formatted document and make sure it has been proofread.
You also want to make sure it is the same version that you submitted as part of your application. Use a high-grade quality paper rather than regular cheap office paper; it will create a much better impression. Make sure your printer has fresh ink and then print a test run to check for any errors or inconsistencies.
Lastly, remember, only print on one side of each piece of paper.
CV WITH COVERING LETTER
According to statistics, as many as 56% of recruiters would say a cover letter to accompany as CV these days is just about redundant, a cover letter still remains one of the most important opportunities you will get to connect with an employer or hiring manager. It is the one and only opportunity you are likely to have to grab their attention and make them want to meet you instead of many of the other CVs they may have piled up in front of them.
Representing your career interests and highlighting your most relevant skills and experiences, a professionally written cover letter can say a lot about you as a person and as a prospective employee. So, you should have in mind that a prospective employer will be looking for your attention to detail.
So after hours spent crafting a great CV, just how do you write a cover letter?
Use our comprehensive guide on how to write a Cover Letter to accompany your CV:
The team at Chief Recruitment are here to help and support you with your recruitment needs or any general job advice. Please reach out to us at info@chiefrec.com
