1. education
2. homework and study tips

 How to write a Curriculum
Vitae (CV) and a Covering Letter
WHAT IS A CV?
A CV is a marketing document which is designed to show potential employers that you
have the skills and abilities required to do a particular job, so that you can be invited for
interview. You are in complete control of what you put in your CV and can therefore
select and compose information in a way which best emphasises your suitability for the
job.
CREATING A CV: PREPARATION
Your CV must be tailored to each job or field of work that you intend to apply to. Whilst
you may develop a general CV detailing your skills and experience you must review it
each time you apply for a job to ensure that it is appropriate. This means ensuring that it
emphasises relevant skills and experiences.
To achieve this think about why the job and employer appeal to you, being as specific as
you can. It is important to demonstrate your genuine enthusiasm for the role. What
relevant experiences can you draw on to show that you know what the job will really be
like? Use your knowledge of the career, the company website, the job description and the
person specification to create a list of all the skills and qualities required by the employer.
Now think back over all your experiences and identify those which provide evidence of
those abilities. These are the experiences which you will emphasise on your CV.
CREATING A CV: WHAT TO INCLUDE
Below are some topics that you may want to consider including in your CV, but please
remember that your CV is individual to you, your experiences and your careers
aspirations. Therefore, you should create headings /sections which best present your
experiences in relation to the job/ further study applied for.
It is common practice to use your name as a header one the first page of your CV, in bold
letters. It is not necessary to write ‘Curriculum Vitae’ (CV).
Personal Details: Address (home and term-time), contact telephone number and e-mail. If
you are applying for a position outside of your home country, it is advisable to include
nationality and work permit status. Updated Equal Opportunities legislation means it is
not necessary to include details of date of birth, marital status or number of dependants.
Personal Profile/ Career Objective: 3-4 lines summarising your suitability for the job and
presenting your main selling points. This should not be a list of desirable attributes
unconnected to your own experience. A personal profile incorporates your main skills,
knowledge and experience, and evidences where these have been gained.
This section is optional as the same information will be included in your covering letter.
Education: Outline the dates of study, the institution studied at, the title of your
qualification and grades/ expected grades (where possible). This should be presented in
reverse chronological order (most recent first). Give some detail of your current course
such as key relevant modules, project work and final year dissertation, and summarise the
main skills you have developed as a result. However, only include information relevant
to the job. For example a history graduate applying to an Accounting firm would not
detail the content of their course but would instead focus solely upon the ‘transferable’
skills developed as a result of the degree. Briefly include your A level subjects (or
equivalent) and summarise your GCSEs (or equivalent)
Work Experience: Use reverse chronological order. You can include placements, parttime and voluntary work as well as permanent and temporary jobs. Be focused and
concise about the duties undertaken and skills you developed as a result. The level of
detail will depend on relevance to the job applied for. You may wish to divide this section
into separate categories using section headings such as ‘Relevant Experience’ and ‘Other
Work Experience’, or ‘Employment History’ and ‘Voluntary Work’.
Skills: You may list transferrable skills, with your own examples to evidence these,
separately from the Education or Work Experience sections, or you may use this section
for skills such as computer literacy or languages.
Interests: This section can be used to show a more personal aspect of your life and show
some level of motivation and participation in the activities mentioned. If you are able to
demonstrate skills relevant to the job, you may wish to provide some details about
particular experiences. If you have taken any positions of responsibility within a team,
club or society these could be presented in an additional section in your CV (’Positions of
Responsibility’) to emphasise this.
References: You may supply two references. One should be an academic referee and the
second should ideally be a current or recent employer from paid or voluntary work. Do
not use family or friends. If short of space just indicate ‘references available on request’.
Other possible headings include; Voluntary Work, Technical Knowledge Achievements,
Positions of Responsibility, Awards, Additional Skills, Projects……..
CREATING A CV: LAYOUT
There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ CV formats – create the format that works for you. Your CV
is likely to change for different types of jobs. For example, if you apply for a graduate job,
you will draw attention to the skills developed throughout your degree. If you are
applying for a part-time job in a shop, you might underplay your university education and
emphasise your previous retail experience or voluntary activities with members of the
public.
There are four main types of CV.
Chronological: Chronological CVs are the most common amongst graduates. They are
often the most effective layout to use when an applicant has experience and knowledge
related to the job being applied for.
Skills-based: This type of CV can be used when you do not have experience directly
related to the job, when you have so much experience that there is not enough room on
your CV, or when you are making a career change. For this type of CV you will need to
consider the key ‘transferrable’ skills required of the job and find evidence from your
experiences to demonstrate that you have been able to develop these. Each skill becomes a
different heading.
An example of both a Chronological and a Skills-based CV can be found at the end of this
handout but you should experiment with layout and format until you find one that suits
your circumstances. You will find further examples in the AGCAS booklet ‘Applications,
CVs and covering letters’ (available to download from www.prospects.ac.uk).
One page résumé: When applying for part-time non-graduate jobs, you may want to
simplify your CV, highlighting only that you have the necessary skills and experience for
the specific role. On occasion, graduate employers will ask for your CV to be limited to
one page; it is important to carefully select the information you present, maintaining a
very targeted approach.
Academic: CVs for academic positions tend to be a bit different. The major emphasis is on
academic achievement so publications, conferences and presentations should be
mentioned, as should successful funding applications. They may also be longer than CVs
for other types of work. For examples see:
• the AGCAS booklet ‘Applications, CVs and covering letters’
• our Handout on Academic CVs for Postgraduate Students
• ‘Moving on in Your Career’ by Lynda Ali and Barbara Graham (available for
reference or loan from the Information Room)
• the UKGrad website www.grad.ac.uk
GENERAL ADVICE
DO
• Describe the skills you have developed through each of your experiences.
• Make sure you relate the material in your CV to the requirements of the job for
which you are applying. Use the person specification if you have one.
• Make sure your CV provides a clear chronological picture of your life history up to
the date when you apply; no unexplained gaps.
• Make sure it looks impressive: good printer quality and well photocopied on white
paper.
• Use font size 10-12 point with a clear typeface and adequate margins.
• Try to write your CV in third person, avoiding use of ‘I’ and ‘my’ constantly.
• Keep it brief and to the point; it should not normally exceed two pages.
• Be honest – lying or gross exaggeration will usually become apparent at interview.
• Ask permission of your referees before including them on your CV and keep them
up to date with what you are currently doing and what you are applying for.
•
Bring your CV to a workshop or a CV and Applications appointment to get
feedback. These can be booked via the Interactive Careers Service.
DON'T
• Put down everything you have ever done since the age of eleven, or earlier.
• Use a ‘jokey’ contact e-mail address. Keep your e-mail address simple and
professional to avoid offence or making a poor impression. Include your sex, marital
status or number of dependents. This does not affect your ability to do the job and
looks a bit old-fashioned.
• Use the same CV for jobs requiring widely different qualifications, skills or
experience.
• Write long paragraphs of text - use bullet points or short paragraphs.
• Use fancy fonts or elaborate formatting.
• Forget to check spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Send a CV without a covering letter unless the job advert explicitly requests this.
MAKE YOUR CV STAND OUT
Provide evidence for all the skills you claim to have. An unsubstantiated claim will not
impress. If the recruiter asks for a particular ability, describe how you have used that skill
and what it means to you. Look at these examples.
‘I have developed teamwork skills from a group project in my second year at
university.’
‘During a group project, I set up regular meetings to ensure good
communication within the team and provided support to a group member
who was struggling to achieve their section of the workload.’
The second example gives an insight into how this person interacts within a team
environment. The first could be written by someone whose idea of teamwork is to criticise
everyone’s contributions whilst not delivering anything themself!
Avoid bland statements and clichés. Use words that will capture the reader’s attention. See
the list of ‘power words’ included later in this handout for some ideas.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES (How do you present….?)
Sometimes you need to present sensitive information on a CV. The best advice is always to
present this in a positive, but factual way so that attention stays focussed on your positive
achievements. Don’t give too much detail, make excuses or blame others! Poor academic
achievement: If you have extenuating circumstances (e.g. health, bereavement) state these
in a straightforward way in your covering letter. Ask your academic referee to reinforce
this message. Draw attention to areas of higher achievement. For example, if your second
year exam marks were low, then include your first year results, or results from
coursework or projects. Think about the order of your CV, so that your positive
achievements stand out. Consider a skills-based approach.
Course change: Present the benefits of this period of study and give a positive, factual
reason for the change to another course/university. For example:
2002 – 2003 Study towards BSc Geography, University of Leeds
ƒ Developed analytical and numerical skills though coursework and
seminars. Theory was applied to practical situations during field
studies.
ƒ Achieved average grades of 63% over the two terms, but decided
to withdraw from the course to concentrate on my growing
interest in psychology.
Qualifications from overseas: Provide details of your qualification by title and include
details of subjects studied. There are databases available for recruiters to research how
they compare to UK qualifications but employers often have some awareness of
international qualifications. Provide a rough equivalency to the UK system and give some
indication of the marking structure.
For example:
2003 – 2005
Frankfurt High School
Abitur: English, Maths, History, Sociology, Geography
Overall score 753 (top mark 840, below 280 fail)
Equivalent to GCE A-level
Lack of work experience or outside interests: The first thing is to get some, so that this
problem will disappear in the future! Talk to a careers adviser to get some ideas about
opportunities relevant to your career aims. Identify any other useful experiences that
demonstrate skills, such as family or care responsibilities, organising social events. Write
about volunteering or work simulation exercises. Consider a skills-based CV which will
help to disguise the absence of a ‘Work History’ or ‘Interests’ section.
Many short-term jobs: If your jobs were weekend and vacation jobs, consider whether
they all need to be presented (although you should certainly include some work
experience or volunteering). It is fine to leave out some of your less impressive pocketmoney earners, or jobs that only lasted for a week or two. If you have several months or
years of temporary work, you could group similar jobs together, for example:
2002 – 2003
Various temporary positions including administrative assistant and
data entry clerk. Demonstrated attention to detail, strong keyboard
skills, organisation and the flexibility to adapt to different team
environments.
Gaps in employment or education history: It is worth acknowledging any gaps but a
brief factual sentence will suffice.
1995 – 2001
Career break to raise a family
(You may even want to write down the skills you demonstrated by
doing this: time management, budgeting, patience!)
You may be able to hide short gaps by only using the year, rather than month and year, in
the dates column.
Disability, health issues or other sensitive information: You may need to decide how
and when to disclose personal or sensitive information. It may be more appropriate to do
this in a covering letter rather than in your CV. There is advice about how and when to
disclose in the Equal Opportunities files in the Information Room, and on the Skill website
www.skill.org.uk. This may also be an issue to discuss with a careers adviser.
Career aim unrelated to degree course: This is not usually a problem. At least 40% of
graduate jobs are open to people from any subject discipline. Describe the transferable
skills gained from your education and other experience. Consider starting your CV with a
short ‘personal statement’ or ‘career aim’ which will show your enthusiasm for the job and
put your CV in context:
Personal Statement
A highly numerate and IT-literate graduate with strong problem-solving skills. Excellent
customer service skills developed within a retail environment. Experience of teamwork
and leadership from hill walking expeditions. Looking for an opportunity to apply these
skills within the field of management consultancy.
Career Objective
To apply my research, analytical and writing skills to the career area of social research
within the public sector.
WRITING A COVERING LETTER
A covering letter accompanies your CV. Use it to introduce yourself, demonstrate your
motivation for the job and employer and expand on key activities and learning
experiences. You may have other important issues which you wish the recruiter to know
e.g. an explanation of any gaps in your work history, or a disability or health issue which
requires additional support.
The layout is like that of any formal business letter, detailing your address in the top right
hand corner, and the employer’s name and address to the left, followed by the date. Try
to write to a named individual within the organisation if possible. The length should not
usually exceed one A4 side and should be structured in clear and logical paragraphs.
Make sure that your letter is targeted to each company and post that you apply to. A
standard letter in which you simply change the company name each time is unlikely to
impress. Your first paragraph usually outlines why you are writing to the employer.
Subsequent paragraphs should demonstrate why you want to be involved in this sort of
work and why you are interested in their organisation, and what relevant knowledge,
skills and experience you have to offer. This is an opportunity to expand upon some of
the points included in your CV. When evidencing your knowledge and skills, try to refer
to a range of experiences; academic, work-based and extra-curricular.
Don’t forget to include a concluding paragraph suggesting when you are available for
interview and ending your letter on a positive note such as saying you look forward to
hearing from them.
Use the correct valediction. When writing to a named person use the phrase ‘Yours
sincerely’ but otherwise use ‘Yours faithfully’.
There are examples of covering letters at the end of this handout and in the AGCAS
booklet ‘Applications, CVs and covering letters’. Ensure that the style of your letter is
business-like and appropriate to the organisation. For example, some traditional firms
may not like the example with headings in the letter.
MAKING ONLINE APPLICATIONS
If you are asked to email your CV, there are certain things to bear in mind:
ƒ
ƒ
ƒ
Keep the format simple. If the recruiter has a different version of Word, it can alter
your formatting.
Attach your CV and covering letter as Word documents or PDFs. Lay out the letter
as you would if you were going to print it out and send it. Keep the main body of
the email brief.
Ensure that you check your email account every day, and critically review your
email address to ensure that it creates a good impression!
POWER WORDS
This list of words could be used in your CV and covering letter to emphasise your skills
and make your achievements stand out.
Ability
Compile
Efficient
Lead
Opportunity
Present
Solve
Achieve
Co-ordinate
Initiate
Liaise
Organise
Research
Success
Analyse
Develop
Innovate
Mediate
Persuade
Responsible
Team
Calculate
Drive
Inspire
Motivate
Plan
Result
Thorough
Capable
Effective
Interpret
Negotiate
Practical
Review
Train
FINALLY
Now that you have written your CV and covering letter, go back to the job description.
Does your knowledge of the job role and your enthusiasm for it come across? Have you
demonstrated clear evidence that you meet all the essential criteria? Are you marketing
yourself effectively?
Careers/informationresources/handouts09/cvandcoveringletter09
Sept 09
Chronological CV
ANTONY ZHAO
16 Crown Road North, York, YO12 6TW
Tel: 01904 123456
Mobile: 0789 5678910
Email: [email protected]
Nationality: Chinese
Permission to work in the UK: Yes
A bilingual and determined graduate with excellent communication skills developed
working in the service industry. Resourceful and adaptable, aiming to pursue a career in
financial services.
Education and Qualifications
2006 – 2007
MSc in International Accounting and Financial Studies, University of
York
Modules studied: Management Accounting, Computing for Finance
and Accounting, Comparative International Accounting, Money and
Capital in Developing Countries, Project Management, Options and
Futures, and Security Analysis.
Developed commercial awareness, problem solving, numeracy and
analytical abilities. Enhanced group work skills through team projects.
2002 – 2005
BA in Business Management & Accounting, Sichuan University,
Chengdu, China
Work Experience
11/06 – 10/07
•
•
•
09/03 – 09/06
•
•
•
•
•
06/03 – 08/03
Waiter and Bar Staff, The Townhouse Hotel, York
Received on the job training in customer service and health and safety
Worked evenings and weekends providing professional food and drink
services to residential customers, managing orders, remaining friendly
and calm under pressure
Skills developed: time management, customer service skills, English
language skills, dealing with payments.
Accounting Officer, Oriel Capital Investments, Chengdu, China
Assisted in financial reporting
Prepared tax schedules and liaised with regulatory bodies
Worked with 12 other banks and law firms to establish trusts
Assisted other team members with more general company
documentation work
Skills developed: Professional communication and project management
skills, working to tight deadlines, diplomacy
Internship, Godfrey Stern International, Hong Kong, China
•
•
•
•
Worked in Product Control (Equity Derivatives) and supported the
front office traders
Analysed the month end reconciliations to produce profit/loss reports
Gained an insight into equity derivatives markets in Asia
Skills developed: assimilating information in a dynamic environment,
business and financial product awareness
Voluntary Work
2005 – 2006
•
•
Oxfam, UK
Volunteered with a local charity shop as a Stock Controller and Shop
Assistant
Developed English language skills in further preparation for study in
the UK, customer service and organisational skills
Achievements
•
•
Employee of Month for Most Excellent Performance – Oriel Investments
Awarded class prize two years running at Sichuan University, China
Interests and Responsibilities
•
Basketball - member of University of York’s men’s team. Demands mental and
physical strength, discipline and competitiveness.
•
Travelling – Travelled widely in Asia and Europe and enjoy experiencing new
cultures and ways of life. Travelling has tested personal resourcefulness and
developed language skills. Talking to locals has led to some good friendships with
people from many different countries.
•
Committee member of University of York’s Chinese Society. Has involved
organising many events such as Chinese New Year celebrations and also liaising
with staff to encourage some international employers to make presentations on
campus to international students. Has developed project management, budgeting
and communication skills.
Skills
•
•
Fluent written and spoken English, Cantonese and Mandarin
Familiar with MS (e.g. Word, Excel, Access), Eximbills, Swift and Bloomberg
Referees
Mr. Greg Wallace
Emily Liu
Masters Course Director
Deputy Manager – Financial Services
York Business School
Oriel Capital Investments
University of York
51 Zongfu Street
Heslington
Chengdu, China 610150
e-mail: [email protected] email: [email protected]
Skills based CV
Louise Jones
Home address: 10 Albion Avenue, Birmingham, B12 34N
Term address: Flat 1, Inner City Road, York, YO89 76V
Telephone: 01904 123456 / 077538 56335
Email: [email protected]
EDUCATION
2004- 2007
•
•
University of York
BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences (2:1)
Specialised in Animal Science. Main modules included Biochemistry,
Endocrinology, Cardiorespiratory Physiology, Lactation and Indigestion,
Biotechnology and Reproductive Physiology.
Final year project: Determining the precise time of ovulation in a pig in order to
enhance the efficiency of artificial insemination
1997-2004
Doncaster High School
A Levels: Biology (B), Chemistry (C), English (C)
GCSEs: 8 at grade A-C
SKILLS PROFILE
Communication Skills
•
•
•
•
Prepared and conducted 4 assessed 20 minute presentations to tutor group as part
of academic degree using PowerPoint
Developed succinct Report Writing Skills through project assignments
Learnt to speak efficiently in formal meetings through my course representative
duties
Experience of dealing effectively with a wide range of customers through working
at Doncaster Race Course and the Carphone Warehouse.
Teamwork
• Developed team leading skills, including motivating team members, and
encouraging good performance through my role as captain of University
badminton team
• Learnt how to listen to the needs of others and provide support through my
involvement in the first year Buddy Scheme
Gained insight into how teams can develop strategies to deal with problems
through participating as a team member in project assignments as part of my course
Personal Organisation and Time Management
•
•
•
Learnt the importance of prioritising competing demands at busy
times by setting myself achievable goals
Learnt to delegate organisation of training rota to other members of
the badminton team when I had academic deadlines to meet
Adapted successfully to shift work at Doncaster Race Course
ADDITIONAL SKILLS
•
Driving: Full clean licence
•
IT: Familiar with Microsoft Office
•
Languages: Basic French and Italian
WORK EXPERIENCE
Summer 2006
Summer 2005
Summer 1994
Catering Assistant at Doncaster Course
Lab Technician at Labs R Us
Sales Assistant with Carphone Warehouse
POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
•
•
•
Captain of Badminton team at University. Organised fixtures, practices and
social events.
Involved in first year Buddy schemes which entailed being responsible for a
small group of first years, ensuring they settled in.
Course representative for final year students. Involved representing interests and
problems of students to staff in meetings
ACTIVITIES/INTERESTS
•
•
•
Sport: A committed member of the badminton team throughout university, also
involved in aerobics and cross country skiing
Travel: Enjoy experiencing new cultures and have travelled to various parts of
Europe and America.
Other: Italian films, Modern Literature
REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
4 Marchfield Terrace
Clifton
York
YO32 6DJ
Email: [email protected]
Ms Rebecca Kerwin
Senior Curator
Scottish Museum of Fine Art
The Mound
Edinburgh
30th January 2009
Dear Ms Kerwin
Ref: Summer Placement 2009 Fine Art Collections
I am writing to apply for the position of summer placement student in your Fine Art (American)
Collections, as advertised in the Museums Journal, 24th January 2009. I am currently a third year
student studying History of Art at the University of York, due to graduate this year. I am seeking a
summer placement with a view to studying for a MA in Fine Art Preservation and Restoration and a
long term career in this field.
I am aware, having frequently visited the museum and having spoken with members of staff, that
you maintain the largest collection of fine art in Scotland exhibiting the works of masters such as
Reubens, Canaletto, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Monet. I was pleased to see that you intend to stage an
exhibition of Early American Art during the summer months as it is an area in which I am
particularly interested having studied modules in it during my degree and having been fortunate to
visit similar exhibitions in New York and London. I am keen to gain a deeper insight into the care
and preservation of such exhibits and am delighted to see that your placement programme includes a
month in your restoration department.
As you can see from my CV, I have a longstanding interest in this field developed not only at
University but also as a placement volunteer with Guy & Ritchie Fine Art Auctioneers last summer.
This has given me knowledge and insight both of the subject generally and of the commercial aspects
of fine art dealing. As the University’s Art Society Chair I have gained experience in teamwork,
problem solving and events management as well as excellent knowledge of cataloguing through my
work in the University library.
I believe that this placement would provide me with an excellent opportunity of further developing
my knowledge of fine art while gaining an insight into the commercial and public aspects of its
display which would be of great benefit in a future career in this field. I would be available for
interview at any time and look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Fiona McCann
Fiona McCann
Head of Production
Northern Radio Ltd
Edge Lane
Hull
HU6 6BB
13th April 2006
50 Middle Avenue
York
YO2 8PQ
Dear Mrs Welsh,
I am writing to request some work experience within the field of radio production.
I have a strong desire to work in the media, and in particular within radio. I feel that radio is unique in its
ability to reach all parts of peoples’ lives, from home to the workplace and even in shops and leisure facilities.
The flexibility of the medium makes it an exciting field to enter.
From my enclosed CV, you will see that I have a wide range of both transferable and specific skills which
relate to working in the media.
Radio experience
I am the sole producer of a weekly show on University Radio York, which requires technical ability, planning,
time management and the ability to problem-solve under pressure. I thrive on managing a diverse range of
activities within tight timescales. This is in stark contrast to my experiences with hospital radio. In this more
relaxed atmosphere, I responded to requests from patients and acted as a communication link to the on-air
presenter.
Communication
Use of language is at the heart of my Linguistics degree. Essays form a major aspect of the assessment and so
thorough research and the logical presentation of information have become second nature. Oral skills have
been developed through participation in the University Debating Society. This requires the ability to both
present a prepared speech and to develop an argument in response to the opposition.
Project management
My second-year project involves a group of five people designing and writing a computer programme to
monitor the spread of dialect across a region. As project manager, I have arranged regular meetings to
communicate progress, identify areas of difficulty and review future plans. During the initial stages, I
encouraged the team to brainstorm all the different aspects of the project, and then assigned roles depending
on their strengths and interests. We set interim targets to enable us to review progress. The project is currently
still in progress, and we are set to meet our deadline with a week to spare.
Teamwork
From playing cricket and hockey, I have developed my team working skills. In particular, I recognise the
value of good communication and motivating the team through difficult times (like when the hockey team
was bottom of the league for 2 terms!)
I hope that I have persuaded you of my enthusiasm and ability and that you will feel able to offer me the
chance to apply these skills within Northern Radio Ltd. I will be available between July and September this
year. I will telephone you in two weeks to discuss this further. In the mean time, if you require any further
information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Yours sincerely
Sabina Khan