cv writing
A CV provides key information about your:
- skills
- education
- experiences and
- personal qualities
It is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Remember, yours isn’t the only CV that the HR department is going to receive, so help them to help you.
presentation
CVs should be easy to read and typed. Presentation is vital so remember to:
- Use only one typeface
- Use bullet points where possible
- Keep the layout clean and organised
- Limit your CV to a maximum of two sides of A4
- Print your CV in black and white.
- Do not use borders, colours, fancy typefaces or images
- Double check your CV for spelling/grammatical errors
- Ensure it makes sense
- Get a friend or your recruitment consultant to review your CV before you send it out
- Keep it simple
content
When writing your CV:
- Keep information factual and to the point
- Give examples to describe your skills, achievements and experience
- Be honest: at interview you’ll need to back up what you've written
- Provide all your work history and explain any gaps
- Tailor your CV to each job to highlight information relevant to that position
layout
This is a list of the information which needs to be included in a CV. Follow this order:
- Place the most important information (personal details, education, current job, relevant skills) on the first page
- Start with your personal details followed by a personal summary of about 50 words highlighting your skills
- Give details of your education and qualifications, including names of schools/colleges and results achieved
- Detail your work history in chronological order, starting with your most recent job. A brief description of responsibilities and achievements in each job can prove helpful
- List any skills such as computer skills, foreign languages, etc, and any other training you may have had that is relevant for the job
- Finally, list some of your hobbies and end the CV with a section for references. You do not have to list these and it is acceptable to state ‘References available on request'
checklist before sending
- Ensure there are no spelling mistakes
- Use clean white paper and never send a photocopy
- Check it’s going to the right person, otherwise it will go unread
- Post or email your CV depending on how the employer has asked to receive it
download Randstad’s CV template
Randstad has produced a simple CV template which you can download and amend as appropriate:
