How to write a great CV

by Sarah Daniels

When looking for a new role your CV is the first impression that people have of you so what it looks like and what it says are hugely important.  A well written and well presented CV could make all the difference between potentially securing an interview or ending up in the rejection pile.

You would be amazed at the number of poorly written, inaccurate and grammatically incorrect CVs that I have seen over the years. If I open a badly presented CV which the author couldn’t be bothered to check properly, I will hit the delete button.  If you can’t take the time to put something presentable together, then you shouldn’t be surprised if an employer won’t take the time to invite you to an interview.  

So what should it look like?

·         Your CV should ideally be 2 pages or for more detailed CVs no longer than 3.

·         It should be typed using the same font and same colour, i.e.black.  Don’t bother with tables, graphics or pictures.  It will just annoy the recruiter or employer.   

·         It should be positive and emphasise your achievements, strengths, successes and how you have contributed to your employers’ bottom line in any way (add figures to support facts whenever you can and use positive action words, for example: ‘implementing’, ‘negotiating’, ‘managing’ etc).

·         It should be bullet pointed, succinct and factual.  Avoid long rambling sentences which will only bore the reader.

·         If you have held several contract roles over a short period of time, present yourself and your CV as a professional contractor, listing key achievements within companies rather than in a chronological order.  

What should it include?

There is no official set format so how you present your CV is up to you.  However, if you follow these guidelines you won’t go far wrong.  

The first page should include your personal details, i.e.your name, address, phone number, email address and your profile. 

Your profile is a short statement at the beginning of your CV which is where you are meant to sell yourself. 

  Try and make this as interesting and original as you can and avoid clichéd language and over used adjectives -   strategic, commercial, dynamic, visionary are all ones which spring to mind! 

Tailor the statement to the requirements of each job that you apply for.  There’s no point saying you’re an ambitious, strategic thinker if you’re applying for something which requires the opposite.  

I would then recommend outlining your education and if you have them,professional qualifications, starting with the most recent. 

Your career history comes next.  

·         Put your most recent job first and include dates.Employers will be most interested in what you have done recently and won’t be impressed if you write an essay on what you did in 1979.  Don’t leave gaps between dates because employers will want to know what you have been doing and may assume you have something to hide.   If you had a career break or if you were made redundant, make this a positive thing.  Think about the skills you acquired or utilised during this time.  

·         If you don’t have much work experience do include temporary, holiday, part-time or voluntary jobs.  If you’ve had several different jobs, emphasise the skills and experience you have across those jobs (for example, dealing with customers or communication skills).

·         Leave off your date of birth as laws on age discrimination mean that you don’t need to put this or your ageon your CV.

The final page should include: 

·         Any training you’ve received in previous roles or outside work (for example management training or a certificate in health & safety).

·         Any IT skills you have (for example Microsoft Office, Photoshop, SAP etc).

·         Your interests.  These could help support your application to the job you’re applying for but be wary about putting anything too obscure or anything which may count against you in any way, e.g. sleeping!  Believe me, I’ve seen this before! 

·         References.   
    
      Make a point that you can supply these on request.

Who should you put down as a referee?

Unless you’re a student or at the very start of your career, supply the details of two or more people who can provide a work related reference.  If you can only provide personal references then make sure it’s from a professional person such as a professor or lecturer.  Peer references and also references from people who’ve reported into you are great ones as they will give a different perspective which may be relevant particularly if you’re going for a management role.  Make sure you ask permission from your referees before giving out their details and let them know when they may be contacted.  

Where possible ask for written references when you leave a job.  This is particularly important if you do a lot of interim work and move around a lot.  

Lastly get a friend or someone you trust to read through your CV and make sure it’s accurate and that it presents you in the best possible light.  

Covering letters

Research suggests that CVs accompanied by covering letters tend to be more highly thought of than not.  A good covering letter, like a good CV, will automatically single you out from the dross than employers and recruiters regularly receive.   Your covering letter should include:

·         The right point of contact for the hiring of the role.

·         The reason why you are looking to leave your current position – don’t be negative!

·         Some personalised comments about the company and the role which shows that you have done some research and also shows that it’s not a blanket mailer. 

·         Some bullet points about what you have been doing recently which gives you right experience for the role.

·         An outline of your achievements that are relevant .

And lastly, good luck!

Copyright Sarah Daniels, Director Saffron Resourcing