CV advice

CV advice... because you never get a second chance at first impressions!
Your CV is the first opportunity to market yourself to a prospective employer. It should accurately document your experience and be used as a tool to secure an interview.

Here are some useful tips.

Presentation

• Always type your CV
• Check for spelling and grammar. Don't rely on the computer spell check, use a dictionary. Spelling mistakes can show a lack of attention to detail and create a negative impression
• Double check all dates and qualifications
• Keep it simple. Use bullets, tabs and bold to make it easy to read
• Choose a clear font such as Arial with a point size no smaller than 11pt
• Use a good quality white paper and avoid using computer graphics

• Your CV should be clear and concise; try to limit it to three to four pages.

• Name, address and contact telephone numbers
• Date of birth
• Nationality and visa details (if applicable)

• Include school and university/college qualifications, start with the most recent and include grades and dates
• If you have an extensive work history there is no need to give too much detail here. You may also wish to list your educational details after your employment history. However, if you are looking for your first job your education will be extremely important

• State all professional qualifications or relevant and recent courses attended
• List your IT systems knowledge and level of proficiency
• Include any foreign languages spoken and state ability ie: bilingual or conversational

• Begin with your current/most recent position. Include the name of the company and nature of its business unless this is well known
• State your job title and the dates you were employed. Describe the position in detail, bullet point your responsibilities, duties and main achievements
• Keep descriptions of previous roles brief. Your current/previous role is what the interviewer is really interested in
• Don't leave any gaps. If you've taken time out to travel, say so. You don't always need to give a reason for leaving but if you have temped for a long time or have changed jobs frequently it's advisable to explain why. These reasons should be more than just 'I needed a new challenge'.

• Be specific. Your interests can reveal a lot about you. For example, rather than simply saying "Football" you could expand and say that you play for a local team and were club treasurer for the season
• Be prepared to answer questions about your interests
• Don't list things for the sake of it!