How to write a CV?

Oct 4

A CV is a detailed outline of your qualifications, skills, and work experience. It allows you to details your academic and professional history to show your employer you are qualified for the role. It is a crucial part of your job hunting process and a well-formatted CV will leave a positive impression on your prospective employer.

A standard CV should be 1-2 pages long. It is essential to keep your CV concise and to the point and to make sure it is tailored to the role you are applying for. In this blog, we will describe how to structure your CV, list what key information to include and what you should aim to cover in your CV.

How to structure your CV?

Here are basic components that make up a good CV:

1. Create a header with contact details

This includes your full name, contact number, email address, and home address so employers know where you are located and how to reach you.

2. Write a personal statement

Your personal statement is a brief summary that introduces yourself and explains your ideal career path. It should be no more than 4 to 5 lines of your CV so keep it concise, pertinent and to the point. This section is your chance to sell yourself to the employer by summarising your specific skills and experience that prove your suitability to the position and encourage the recruiter to read the rest of your CV.

3. List your relevant skills

Include all key skills that apply to the job and are relevant to the job description. You can also add an short example of when you demonstrated a certain skill to make yourself a more desirable candidate.

4. Provide your employment history

Understanding what to include in your work experience can help making it concise and informative. List all your relevant work experience to show your employer your career path, including any full time and part time employment, volunteer work, internships, or research projects. It should be included in reverse date order, starting with the most recent first. Layout your experience as follows:

· Your job title/ name of role

· Name of company and employment dates

· Key responsibilities and duties covered (keep it relevant to the role and list two to three bullet points)

5. References

Your references are professional people who are willing to testify about your qualities and character. This can be a teacher, tutor, supervisor, former employer, etc.

On your CV, you can just write ‘references available upon request’