CV Hints and Tips 

Your CV is your very own personal brochure. Done well it is designed to sell your skills, experience and abilities in a summary format. It is a tool to get you to an interview not to get you the job.

Under no circumstances lie or stretch the truth in your CV. You will be found out or you could simply end up in a job that you are not able to perform to the best of your ability in. You will therefore have wasted your new employers and your time.

• Mechanics – how does it work?
• Speed – how fast does it go?
• Economy – how economical is it?

• Mechanics – how exactly do you work? For example, do you like to work alone or part of a team; are you a perfectionist or more interested in getting fast results?
• Speed – how fast do you work? Do you need to have all the facts before you make a decision or do you make assumptions and get right on with the work?
• Economical – are you good value for money? Do you have the skills, qualifications, etc that the employer is seeking or do they need to invest in training?

 Plan and prepare your CV before putting “pen to paper”

• Decide exactly how you will capture the reader’s attention for example, if you are applying to an advertisement highlight the key words and the essential criteria specified within the advert, if you are applying speculatively, research information about the company and use it.
• Consider what you have to offer that will benefit the company.
• If you are applying for a particular employment position check the closing date and ensure that your application is received before the closing date and not after.

• Always type your CV or get someone to do it for you. Under no circumstances hand write your CV.
• Be creative in the presentation and use professional font styles and sizes. (Do not use too many different styles and sizes). Spell check and grammar check the CV.
• Ensure there are white spaces (you are not writing a book).
• Use bullet points not long sentences.
• Present the information logically.
• Ensure your CV is not more than 2 pages (A4) in length. (One page is quite sufficient if you have held only one employment position).
• Print out your CV on quality paper (not too thick) using a laser printer. 

• Use bold headings to separate subject areas, e.g., education, experience, etc
• Put the most important information first.
• List your qualifications not your grades unless the employer is specifically asking for them.
• Start with your most recent employment or education history first, namely in reverse order.
• Write in some detail your most recent employment position and summarise the positions you have held some years ago. Additionally, if you have held numerous employment positions in the last 5 years, detail the last two or three or focus upon those employment positions that are relevant to the job for which you are applying.
• Use command words to describe your achievements, e.g. developed, managed, etc.
• Briefly list your responsibilities and accountabilities.
• Detail your achievements.
• Summarise your later experience and education.
• Leave out your interests and activities or at least keep these to the bare minimum.
• Leave out your referees. Employers will ask for these at a later stage.
• Remember to include your covering letter.

• Skills
• Abilities
• Aspirations
• The job you are applying for e.g., job description
• The company you are applying to
• Why you are applying for the job and the company.