How to write a CV
A CV is your marketing tool; a vehicle to showcase your particular skills and experience to potential employers. Before you begin have a good think about what to include, how much detail is needed and how to make your CV standout from the others. Getting it right is vital as prospective employers often make snap decisions about a candidate after one quick glance. To make sure you stand out from the crowd read our guide to getting your CV up to scratch.
Do: Keep it simple and readable
Don't: Make it too fancy and complicated
Do: Keep it as concise as possible
Don't: Make it longer than two sheets of A4
Do: Include your career progression, skills and qualifications, achievements and contact details
Don't: Include your age or DOB, age discrimination laws mean these are no longer needed; and don't include unnecessary detail, this will overshadow your main achievements
Do: Always do a spell check, ask someone else to read over it for you and print it on good quality paper
Don't: Stretch the truth - it's just not worth it
Don't: Send the same CV out for every job, tailor the information on there as much as possible
Do: Include a career statement, this should be a sentence summarising what sort of person you are and the job role you are seeking