We are all aware how imperative it is to have the perfect CV, it is, after all, a potential employer's first meeting of you but how do you set about writing it? What details should you put in and what should you leave out? We at AllCrawleyJobs want to assist you in improving your chances of getting that want so here are hints for making the right first impression.
The Basics
We are all aware it's clear but a Curriculum Vitae (CV) should always be typed to give it the greatest ease of read possible. It should also be excellently presented. Think about how it looks on the page. There should be obvious headings and breaks between information. A prospective employer will probably look through loads of CVs for a job so they should be able to see the pertinent information straightaway before short listing it for a additional thorough read through. A shoddily laid out CV which is complicated to read will probably end up in the rubbish.
Personal Statement
The majority employers want a CV to start with a personal statement as it allows them to see immediately what you are about. What should this contain?
- Who are you and what have you been doing in terms of work? What have you enjoyed about previous jobs?
- What do you want to do? Outline your goals?
- How are you going to go about achieving these goals?
- What do you consider to be your key skills? What can you bring to a prospective employer?
Make sure you give these questions serious thought before you come up with an answer as they probable to be questioned at interview. Here's an example of the type of thing might say:
' I am bright, hardworking and determined about any challenges I come up against. My careerto date has all been extremely customerfacing and I have found this to be very enjoyable. I have spent the last seven years in a sales environment and I find enjoyable the contact with different types of people this brings. I feel I am intelligent and would like the chance to take this further. During my time at G K Estate Agents particularly enjoyed learning lots about the technical and legal avenues of the conveyancing process and feel that I absorbed it quickly. I am really keen to take on a challenging role with the opportunity to progress and train where possible. I am also extremely IT literate and really enjoy using computers as part of my working life.'
Education
The next section should be your education if it is particularly relevant to the job to which you are applying. For example, if you have a degree in French and you are applying for a multilingual position then it is useful to state this first. However, if you are of the opinion that your educational history is not especially important and you are applying on the importance of your experience then it is worth considering putting your work history first.
Your education should be listed in reverse order with the most recent education taken at the top. It is unnecessary to go into extensive detail here, just state where you studied and what grades you achieved. It is not vital to put the dates of study if you do not wish to as, under the Age Discrimination Act, you are not required to make any reference to your age and including dates from which your age may be discerned. Remember to include information of any extra certificates you might have received which may be important to the position.
Work History
Like education, it must be laid out in reverse order, the most recent or current employment first. You should give the name of the business and the period of time you were employed (this does not have to be dates but you should put for how much time you were employed there). It is also useful to state where the employer was based, e.g. Crawley. You should also clearly indicate what your job title was. Underneath explain succinctly what your job role was and your main tasks. This should aid a perspective employer discern whether your experience makes you right for their role. Try to be succinct and keep it to only relevant information.
It is not a good idea to put your salary for each position undertaken on your CV as this can make an employer to make assumptions about your suitability for a role and make negotiating your salary, where applicable, more difficult. Similarly the same could also be said for putting your salary expectation on your CV.
Other Information
It is common for job seekers to put a small amount of personal information, such as hobbies, on their CV. It is advisable to keep this to a minimum. You should, however, state whether you hold a driving licence and what type of transport you have.
It is not always the case that employers like to see photos on a CV. For most positions it is not necessary to include a photo but if you would like to it should be passport photo sized and professional looking.
Spelling and Punctuation
It is vital that you ensure all spelling and punctuation are right. Literacy is often highly required to employers so use the 'Spell Check' facility on your computer.
Second Opinion
Ask someone to read through your CV. Ask them to confirm that it looks presentable and easy to read. You should also ask them to check your spelling and grammar.
Covering Letter
When applying for a position try to include a covering letter. This should indicate why you are applying for this job in particular and a little bit about the experience and/or skills you have which could be significant to them (avoid repeating too much from the CV itself).
Each Job is Different
Don't forget that it is not necessarily 'one CV fits all', it's worth spending a few moments reviewing your CV before each time you submit it to make sure it makes the greatest impact for each particular opening. You may want to think about changing some information, particularly your personal statement, to suit the job description.
