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Sunday 14th March 2010

Formatting
There are no exact rules for writing a CV, but remember that the aim is to give information about yourself to a prospective employer.  Your CV needs to be presented in a clear, concise format so that the reader can assess what you have to offer and easily understand what makes you an ideal candidate.

Identify your Target
It is important to remember that a CV is really a marketing document for use in a very competitive environment.  The trick is to identify your target market and then demonstrate that you have the skills and competencies that the prospective employer is looking for. If you have a job description, it is a good idea to compare this with your CV and see whether it has adequately demonstrated the skills specified.

30 Second Test
When you submit your CV in support of a job application it is likely to arrive along with a great  number of others. The prospective employer will almost certainly speed read it in the first instance and if it fails at this first hurdle, even though you may have been the ideal candidate you will have lost your chance to prove it. Try the 30-second test – does the reader need to concentrate hard, or will they be able to assess your value straight away

A Few Ground Rules

  • Here are some things that are worth remembering when writing your CV
  • Never be tempted to ‘big’ up your achievements, just stick to the facts. Try not to rely upon ‘perceptions’, or describe yourself in glowing terms. This type of information is really only a matter of opinion and therefore will carry no weight
  • Don’t include too much detail, or long paragraphs of prose. Use short, concise, bulleted lists to organise information in a clear, easy to understand format
  • Prioritise your information. Work out what is most important and put it on page 1. If the information on the first page is not enough to interest the reader, then there is a strong possibility they may not turn over to the second page
  • Remember that you are using technology as a tool to achieve an objective. Make sure to include information about project deliverables and the overall contribution that you made
  • Be objective and view the CV from the perspective of the reader. Don’t talk about what you want or use pronouns to describe yourself. Make sure that you demonstrate what you can bring to the new employer’s organisation


A Successful Format
Here is a format that we find works well...

  • Start with your name and contact details. Put this information in a prominent position at the beginning of the CV so that if an employer wants to contact you, it is easy for them to do so
  • Include a Profile which should be your introduction. It needs to summarise your skills and experience so that the reader understands who you and what you have to offer. Remember to keep it short and stick to the facts
  • Follow the Profile with a couple of bulleted lists under functional headings. Suggested headings could be ‘Areas of Experience’ or ‘Achievements’.  It is well worth including a technical skill set here
  • Your Career History. This should be shown in reverse chronological order with most recent employment first.  Remember that any promotion or career progression will be  important factors in demonstrating that previous employers have appreciated your value
  • Relevant Qualifications. There is usually no need to go back as far as ‘O’ levels. Remember to include details of any vocational training and professional development courses
  • Other Information is entirely optional, but it can include details of Nationality, Driving, Extra Curricular Activities, and Interests. It is no longer the norm to include date of birth or marital status
  • References – available upon request is all that is required, it is not considered polite to include full details of the names of your referees, but do make sure that you have the information ready if requested to supply it


And Finally …
If you are submitting your CV via the internet it is advisable to submit it in a PDF format (it is easy to download a PDF writer from the internet) which will make sure that your document is not corrupted in transit.  Be very sure that your e-mail address is businesslike so that the first impression you give is of a competent professional.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR APPLICATION !!

This information has been supplied by Gwyneth Holland a professional CV writer with more than ten years experience.  For more information about her service, or for a free assessment of your CV, please visit her website at www.cv-consultancy.co.uk or email her: gwyneth@cv-consultancy.co.uk

Feedback from Gwyneth's CV assessment service:
"Many thanks for such a comprehensive and excellent review - my CV has not been dispatched to the external market in four years and was tailored for internal job postings after I completed my graduate scheme, so it's great to obtain an outsider's perspective."

If you would like to know what other clients are saying about Gwyneth's Service, please visit her LinkedIn profile here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gwynethloraine and press the yellow 'View Full Profile' button.