How to Write a CV ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ...................... ....................... ....................... Your CV plays a key part in helping employers decide who to invite for a job ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... interview. It’s your chance to show an employer that you’ve got the skills ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... and experience needed, and that you’re the right person for the job. ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... ....................... If you have never written a CV before, you’ll need to think about what style to use, what to include within it and how to make it stand out from all the others. The following points will help you start to put together your new CV: How long should it be? A winning CV should be easy to read with space between each section, and no more than two pages long. Your personal profile Underneath your Personal Details, your Personal Profile outlines your key attributes. The Profile should only be a few lines but must spark the reader’s interest. For example, if the job involves working with people, you could say you’re a good team-worker and an effective communicator. Be brief - you can highlight examples of your skills in later sections. Education and work experience What should I definitely include? Start with your personal details: your name, address and contact details. This part of your CV depends on your background and the type of job you’re applying for. Some jobs require experience, while for others your qualifications are more important. Tailoring your CV to the job Employment history Your CV shouldn’t be your life story but should be tailored for the job you’re applying for, focusing on the parts that are important. Look at the job advert or the person specification and think about what the job involves and what the employer is asking for. Take some time to find out about the company: what they do, their values, areas of success, and main activities – you may be able to find a lot of this information on their website. Start with your present or most recent job and work backwards, using bullet points. Include details of each employer, the dates you worked for them, your job title and your main duties. Employers want to see how your experience will be useful to them, so be brief about jobs that are totally different from the one you’re applying for. Relevant jobs should be listed in more detail, showing not only your main duties and responsibilities but giving examples of the skills you used and what you achieved. You should include any relevant temporary or unpaid work and you should explain any gaps in your employment history; you can provide reasons for any gaps further on in your CV, where necessary. What type of language should I use? Try to use positive language. When describing your work achievements use powerful verbs (“doing” words) like ‘launched’, ‘managed’ and ‘improved’. Quote figures if possible to back up your claims. page 1 of 2 UP1789 01/2014 Education and training What are the different styles of CV? Start with your most recent study and go back to the qualifications you got at school. Using bullet points or a table, include the university, college or school you went to and the dates and grades of any qualifications awarded. You could also include details of any other courses you’ve attended, if they’re relevant. There are a number of styles of CV, but the most widely used is the chronological CV. Examples of different CV styles can be found on the following websites. • www.totaljobs.com • www.cvspecial.co.uk • www.workthing.com Hobbies and interests Some employers like to read about your interests, as it can give them an idea of your strengths and what you’d be like to work alongside. As with your employment history, it should be relevant in some way to the job. For example, if you’re involved in any clubs or societies this can show that you enjoy meeting new people. This is also a suitable section to include details of other skills that might be useful to an employer, such as: driving, languages, and IT skills. People often put on their CV that they enjoy cooking or reading, but these activities can be too general and widespread to be of interest to an employer. Additional information If you need to add anything else that’s relevant, such as a gap in your employment history for travel or family reasons, you could include a further section titled ‘Additional Information’ after your interests to explain this. • www.alec.co.uk • www.bradleycvs.co.uk Any other tips for my CV? •It is important to ensure all the information you provide on a CV is accurate – employers may well check it out. • You will generally not be required to attach a photo Need more help? You can get advice on how to improve your CV, or write your first CV, from Learndirect on 08080 100 333. Lines are open 8am to 10pm seven days a week, or use their online CV Builder www.cvbuilder-advice-resources.co.uk/learndirect/ You may also find it helpful to visit the careers advice section of the Directgov website: http://careersadvice.direct.gov. uk/ References Finally, you should state that references are available if required, although you don’t need to include referees’ contact details on the CV. At least one referee should be work-related; or if you haven’t worked for a while, some other responsible person who has known you for a long period of time. How should it be presented? Ensure your typed CV uses just one style and font. It should be concise and easy to read. Check it for spelling and grammar mistakes. You can use a computer spelling and grammar check but it’s also a good idea to get it checked by somebody else. A common mistake is to use bold type everywhere; it’s good for section headings such as ‘Employment History’ or ‘Education’ but many people use it to highlight dates and previous employers’ names - this draws the reader’s eye away from what’s important. Print your CV on good quality white A4 paper. Useful contacts http://www.direct.gov.uk Directgov brings together the widest range of public service information and services online. www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/index.htm A list of useful contacts. http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk Job seeking support. ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................................................................................... unum.co.uk Unum Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. 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