CV Tips 

e will provide guidance on your Curriculum Vitae during the registration process and will give you all the advice you need to ensure you have the right document to work with. Here are some basic tips that may assist you in producing your CV for agencies and prospective employers.

 

Plan it:

Assemble the facts and list all the information you need to include in your CV:

• Personal details that will tell us a little about who you are.

• Up to date contact details on how to reach you.

• A chronological list of your qualifications.

• The responsibilities of each of your previous roles.

• Notable achievements you enjoyed at each of your employers.

This information will form the basis of your CV.

 

Write it:

Now you must write up this information in a way that sells you and your background to potential employers.

Try to tailor your Curriculum Vitae to your ideal next step, whether a particular job/specialism or organisation/sector.

• Write in a professional and commercially aware style.

• Demonstrate how you could benefit a prospective employer.

• Focus on your strengths.

• Don’t leave any unexplained gaps – if you have travelled or been out of work, say so.

• Work in reverse chronological order, i.e. list your most recent role first.

• Ensure sentences are no longer than about 15 words.

• Create an impact with appropriate action words e.g. successfully achieved…, energetically lead…

 

Stylise it:

Now that you have the content of your CV, you now need to focus on the layout, to ensure it creates a favourable visual impression.

Here are our rules of CV style:

• Word-process your CV, e.g. using Microsoft Word.

• Keep to two pages maximum certainly no more than four.

• Employ an A4 portrait style.

• Stick to a white background, and don’t include any decorative borders.

• Choose a black font and a simple typeface – use this style consistently.

• Highlight headings using italics or bold; avoid capitals and underlining.

• Keep paragraphs under five lines long. Use bullet points sparingly instead.

• Stay reader friendly by using lots of ‘white space’.

• Use good quality white/cream paper when printing your CV. Avoid special effects such as binding.

 

Proof read it:

You should now have created your own CV. It will read well, look great and be the ultimate sales tool to represent you.