5

Writing Your CV

Before putting pen to paper it is first necessary to research the skills required in the job you‟re going for, and identify when you have demonstrated them.

General

No more than 2 sides of A4 (can be more for academic CVs)

Typed, with a clear, simple font (minimum size: 11 point)

Short paragraphs of text (3/4 lines max)

Mixture of bullet points and text (not too much of each)

Allocate space according to relevance of information

Don‟t try to squash in as many words as possible – leave wide margins and plenty of white space (less is more)

Use key words from the application and positive „action‟ words (see page…)

Make sure dates are easy to see (don‟t leave any gaps)

You choose the headings but include:

Personal Details

Education

Work Experience

Interests

Contact details for referees

Personal Details

Example 1: Steve Davies 07936 414445

his8imp@seeds.com

Home Address: 26 High street

Fulham London SW3 4HP

Term address:

(From October 10) 23 Chestnut Avenue London London LS6 9PL

Tel: 0123 735 6832 Tel: 01234 004 4801

Date of birth:

12 February 1982

Example 2:

Cynthia Xiu Whien

Term Address: (Until July 20)

23 Ches Avenue, London LS6 9VQ Tel: 01425 2537766 / 0151 4478321

Home Address (From July 20 – October 8)

63 Deancroft Avenue Queensbury London NW13 9EP Tel: 01233 205 1830 / 07845 345444

E-mail: cxw@hosmail.com

Date of Birth: 12 February 1981

KISS: Keep it Short and Sweet

Address with dates

Clear, attractive font

Don‟t use too much space

No need to write „Curriculum Vitae‟

Address with dates Clear, attractive font

For more examples refer to sample CVs (page 11)

6

Education

Relate your degree to the job

For chronological CVs, outline some skills gained which are relevant to the job, these can be transferable skills such as teamwork and communication (see page…) and / or technical skills if the job is related to your degree

For skills-based CVs, outline some relevant experience or achievements

Secondary level to degree in reverse chronological order

Show degree grade predicted / gained

A Levels with grade

Don‟t list all GCSEs (just Maths and English)

Example 1: Chronological CV (Traditional)

Education

2001–2004 University of London, BA (Hons) History (2:1 expected)

Relevant Modules:

Qualitative Research Skills Market Forces

Social Statistics Research Statistics

Skills Gained: Developed a wide range of transferable skills within the fields of analysis and

qualitative research. For my dissertation on the economies of South East Asia I analysed and interpreted information from various sources including the Internet, libraries and museum archives

1993–2001 Westminister School for Boys, London

A levels: History (A), Geography (B), Maths (B) GCSEs : 8 subjects all passed at grade “B” or above, including English Language and Maths

Example 2: Skills Based CV

Education

2000 – Present University of London MEng, Civil Engineering, 2:1 pass predicted

Key Modules:

Research Methods Computing

Presenting Ideas to Clients Information Technology

Surveying Mathematics

Research Methods Computing

Dissertation on presenting computer aided designs to manufacturers with little or no engineering background. This project involved regular communication and presentation within a fast-pace service environment

1992 – 1999 Queen Mary‟s Secondary School, Maidstone A Levels: Chemistry (B), History (A), Mathematics (B) 7 GCSEs (B and above)

Allocate space according to importance

of qualification (more for degree than A Levels)

Relate your degree to the skills required in the job your applying

for (in this case – research skills)

Dates easy to see

(reverse chronological order)

Include any relevant modules and outline a

relevant dissertation

Allocate space according to importance of qualification (more for degree than A Levels)

Describe some achievements from your degree which relate to the job (skills gained are outlined

later in the skills profile)

Include relevant modules and outline a relevant dissertation

Remember – relate

your degree to the job

For more examples refer to sample CVs (page 11)

Mixture of bullet points

and text

7

Work Experience

Include volunteer work, part-time jobs and vacation work, include most recent and relevant, e.g. over the last 4 years

Include dates, the job title, the name of the organisation and the town or city

Dates do not have to be exact (Summer 2002 or June – Sep. 2001 will do)

Include a short job description highlighting the duties and achievements which are relevant to the job you‟re applying for

For chronological CVs also relate your experience to the skills required (See page…)

Example 1: Chronological CV (Traditional)

Work Experience Summer 2003 Marketing Assistant: Sainsburys, London

Skills Gained: Motivation / Organisation Co-ordinated a small research project team looking at customer responses to refurbished Sainsbury‟s Stores. I initiated this internship myself, and negotiated my conditions and salary. At the completion of the project our team was awarded the 2003 Sainsbury‟s prize for the best contribution to Market Research.

Oct 2002 – Present Fund organiser, Childline

Skills Gained: Analysis / Problem Solving

Childine was finding that it was not attracting quality volunteers and many calls were going unanswered, I have been able to alleviate this problem by rerouting resources and initiating a „triage‟ system for new calls.

Summer 2002 Cashier: Tesco, Neasden

• Assisted in designing a questionnaire • Analysed data using Excel • Presentation to regional marketing managers

Summer 2000 Check Out Operator: Tesco, Fulham

• Developed numeric skills and customer awareness • Organised weekend work rotas • Responsible for training new weekend staff

Remember – relate your work experience to the

job

Avoid too much scene

setting – how you

show a skill is more

important than when or

where Relate past jobs to the

skills required in the job you‟re going for

Outline how you showed each skill (“alleviated…by rerouting and initiating”)

Dates easy to see

(reverse chronological order)

Less detail for less recent / less

relevant jobs

8

Example 2: Chronological CV (Traditional)

Relevant Employment

March - May 2000 and May - June 2001: Birkbeck College, London University

Research Assistant on the „Works of Robert Boyle and Correspondence of Robert Boyle‟

Proof correction and manuscript work, editing skills September 2000 - May 2001 and September 2001 – present: Queen Mary College, London University

Teaching Assistant and seminar leader on first year Shakespeare course.

Educational and communication skills including report writing; presentation and negotiation

Additional Employment

July - August 1996 and 1997: KPMG Management Consulting

Associate Researcher

Conducting surveys, editing and compiling reports, IT, networking, professional and communication skills with a wide range of clients

Example 3: Skills – Based CV

Work Experience

2002 – 2003 Sandwich Placement at John‟s Consulting Engineers, Exeter Duties included: Project management; strategic planning in a client –

focused environment

1999 – 2000 Gap year: Adventure Planner at Brighams Adventure Holidays

Duties included: Organising and managing water-based adventure holidays for school aged children

1997 – 1999 Sales Assistant, Homestyle, Maidstone (Vacations) Duties included: Retail sales and customer care

1995 – 1997 Various holiday jobs including:

Child – care

Holiday camp entertainer

Teaching assistant

For more examples refer to sample CVs (page 11)

If you have a lot of work experience you can split it up into „Relevant‟ and „Additional‟ experience

Brief outline of duties (relate to duties in the job you‟re

applying for) – Skills come later in the skills profile

Mixture of bullet points

and text