What is a CV?

•  CV is short for ‘Curriculum Vitae’. Sometimes people use the word : resumé.

•  A CV is a document which sets out your personal history. This will mainly be your work and education history but might also include other personal details.

•  It will usually be one or two sides of A4 paper.

The Importance of CVs

•  A CV is a document which can ‘sell’ you to a possible employer and get you an interview.

•  It is often the first chance you get to make a good impression. It might be viewed as a ‘shop window’ for your skills and abilities.

•  Having an up-to-date CV also puts you in a position to respond quickly to a job opportunity – you can fax, e-mail or drop-in a CV to an employer on the same day you hear about a job.

The Presentation of a CV

Many employers, especially if they have many applicants for a job, might only glance at CVs to cut them down to a short-list. This makes presentation very important. Some rules to follow are:

•  Keep it short – two sides of A4 maximum.

•  CVs should be typed – never handwritten. Only type on one side of a sheet.

•  There is no need to put ‘CV’ at the top – it is usually obvious.

•  Make it attractive and easy to read.

•  Select carefully what you put in – emphasize positive points.

•  Only include information which you can back up (for example, qualifications).

•  Send a CV in an A4 envelope so it doesn’t need to be folded.

Making your CV Relevant

•  It is important to make the CV relevant to the job you are applying for.

•  It is best to have a general CV which can be used for general job applications. You can then make changes to it, as necessary, for specific jobs you apply for. For example, you might want to highlight certain skills or experience for some jobs but not others.

•  Ideally, you will keep your general CV as a template format on a computer so it can easily be changed.

What to put in your CV

•  There are no absolute rules for what goes in a CV.

•  For an example of a typical CV, click here.

•  In general, CVs should contain the following information:

Name

•  Put your preferred first name and your surname or family name at the top

Address

•  You should usually put your full postal address and postcode.

•  However, you might be on the street or do not want an employer to know that you are in temporary accommodation like a hostel. For tips on this go to Barriers to Working - Address.

Telephone Contact

•  Always give a telephone contact number if this is possible.

•  Include a mobile number if possible as interviews are often given to people who can be contacted quickly.

Personal Profile

•  Give a brief, but positive, outline of yourself (probably 3 or 4 sentences) to start the CV.

•  This might be a summary of your strengths, skills, knowledge and character.

•  It might also refer to your immediate job aims and to your longer-term career ambitions.

•  Click here for some ideas and examples.

Employment History

•  Start with your current or last job and work backwards.

•  Give the job title, name of employer, place of work and dates for each job.

•  List the main duties, responsibilities and skills used for each job.

•  Try to avoid gaps in your work history. For example, if you were unemployed for a time, it is usually better to say this or an employer might be suspicious. Similarly, if you were ill or caring for someone you can refer to this in your CV.

•  Emphasize your work experience which is most relevant to the job you are applying for.

•  You can include part-time, voluntary and self-employed work where appropriate.

•  Where your employment history is lengthy, it is best just to summarize early years job experience (say, over 20 years ago) unless it is relevant to the job you are applying for. You might say, for example, ‘Prior to 1985, I had a variety of jobs in the retail sector’.

•  If you are younger, you might want to make the most of every event, such as part-time jobs and working holidays.

Education and Training

•  Put the name of your secondary school attended, where it was, dates, and any qualifications you gained there.

•  Details of any university or colleges attended, where they were, dates and qualifications gained.

•  Details of any job-relevant qualifications obtained, or training courses attended. Give priority to those that are most relevant to the job you are applying for.

Leisure Activities

•  It is a good idea to say a few words about hobbies and interests as these might catch the eye of an employer.

Additional Personal Information

•  Date of birth - You don’t have to put this. If you are older, it might be best to leave it out to avoid any discrimination at the selection for interview stage. This might not be the case, however, if the job is clearly one where greater maturity will be an asset.

•  Health – You might want to put that you are in ‘good’ or ‘very good’ health if this is the case. If you have health problems, you will probably not include this on the CV.

•  Driving Licence details - if you have one.

•  Language skills – if you have these. But do not exaggerate, say whether beginner, intermediate or fluent.

•  IT skills – if appropriate. You might say which packages you know or give your typing speed.

References

•  You could put details of references on your CV. Alternatively, you could just state ‘References available on Request’.

Date and Signature

•  It is good practice to date a CV as this shows you have taken the trouble to keep it up to date.

•  There is no need to sign it but it might be appropriate to include a statement such as ‘I confirm that the information in this document is correct to the best of my knowledge’.