Everyone knows that your CV is a crucial component in getting you noticed by the person who will ultimately help you land that new job. Our aim is to assist you in writing/editing your CV in the best possible way so that you have the greatest chance of getting that job. Whether this is your first time creating a CV or you are updating an old one, you can use our CV guide to ensure that you are doing everything you can to create the best CV possible.
How to Write a CV
The following key points will act as a guide as you progress through each step of writing your CV:
- Ensure that your CV is tailored to the job you are seeking. If you are looking for work in a variety of roles, then make sure your CV reflects the persona that the prospective employer is looking for. This may mean that you have multiple CVs. Avoid the mistake of completing this step after you have applied for a position and sent your CV
- Research and use keywords that prospective recruiters and employers would search for, and include them in your CV if you want to progress to the next stage of the recruiting process.
- Select a CV format. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to CV writing. Discover which of the following three CV formats will ensure that your job search is a success within your chosen niche: CV headings. It may seem unlikely, but there is a right way and a wrong way to complete this straightforward step. Make sure that you do it the right way!
- Your job objective. Determine the pros and cons of including a job objective statement, how to write a good one, and some good alternatives for not having one.
- Your summary of qualifications. Prospective recruiters/employers are likely to read only part of your CV. Does your summary highlight the very best of what you have to offer if they skip through to your qualifications? Find out how to make your summary stand out!
- Work experience. It is essential that you learn how to present your work history on your CV so that you can make the most of it. If you have a difficult time explaining a long period of unemployment or several jobs in a short space of time, explain it in detail. Honesty is always the best policy if you are looking for a long-term career with a company.
- Achievement statements. These statements are your opportunity to tell prospective employers that you are worth hiring, or at least to progress to the interview stage of the application process. This is not the time to boast, but to simply state what you have achieved in your work to date.
- Education. Where should you include your education section on your CV? What should you list in it? How do you deal with multiple college degrees, as well as having no degree at all?
- Community service and other lists on your CV. You completed your community service, but where should you include it? Your lists of community service commitments and skill sets need their own section on your CV too.
