CV ASSISTANCE
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See our main tips below or feel free to email or call us for some human help
How long should a CV be?
A standard CV should be no longer than two sides of A4.
To save space only include the main points of your education and experience. Stick to relevant information and don't repeat what you've said in your cover letter.
As a recent graduate your CV may only take up one page and that's ok. Some more specialist CV’s may be longer depending on your experience.
What to include in a CV
Contact details - Include your full name, home address, mobile number and email address. Unless you're applying for an acting or modelling job you don't need to include your date of birth or a photograph.
Profile - A CV profile is a concise statement that highlights your key attributes and helps you stand out from the crowd. Usually placed at the beginning of the CV it picks out a few relevant achievements and skills, while expressing your career aims. A good CV profile focuses on the sector you're applying to, as your cover letter will be job specific. Keep CV personal statements short and snappy - 100 words is the perfect length.
Education - List and date all previous education, including professional qualifications. Place the most recent first. Include specific modules only where relevant.
Work experience - List your experience in reverse date order, making sure that anything you mention is relevant to the job you're applying for. If you have plenty of relevant work experience, this section should come before education.
Skills and achievements - This is where you talk about the foreign languages you speak and the IT packages you can competently use. The key skills that you list should be relevant to the job. Don't exaggerate your abilities, as you'll need to back up your claims at interview.
Interests - 'Socialising', 'going to the cinema' and 'reading' aren't going to catch a manager’s attention. However, relevant interests can provide a more complete picture of who you are, as well as giving you something to talk about at interview.
CV format
Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans. Choose something professional, clear and easy to read such Arial or Times New Roman. Use a font size between 10 and 12 to make sure that potential employers can read your CV. Ensure all fonts and font sizes are consistent throughout.
Section headings are a good way to break up your CV. Ensure they stand out by making them larger (font size 14 or 16) and bold.
List everything in reverse chronological order so we can see your work history and most recent achievements first.
Keep it concise by using clear spacing and bullet points. This type of CV layout allows potential employers to skim your CV and quickly pick out important information first.
If you're posting your CV, print it on white A4 paper. Only print on one side and don't fold your CV - you don't want it to arrive creased.
How to write a good CV
Use active verbs when possible. For example, include words like 'created', 'analysed' and 'devised' to present yourself as a person who shows initiative.
A good CV doesn't have any spelling or grammar mistakes. Use a spell checker and enlist a second pair of eyes to check over the document.
Avoid generic, over-used phrases such as 'team player', 'hardworking' and 'multitasker'. Instead, provide real-life examples that demonstrate all of these skills.
Tailor you CV. Look at the company's website and social media accounts, look to see if they've recently been mentioned in the local press and use the job advert to make sure your CV is targeted to the role and employer.
Create the right type of CV for your circumstances. Decide whether the chronological, skills-based or academic CV is right for you.
Don't put the term 'curriculum vitae' at the top of the page.
Make sure your email address sounds professional. If your personal address is inappropriate create a new account for professional use.
Don't lie or exaggerate on your CV or job application. Not only will you demonstrate your dishonesty to a potential employer, but there can be serious consequences too.
Want us to have a look over your CV? Send us an email or give us a call and let us help.