INTRODUCTION This page explains how to write a British-style CV (curriculum vitae, or resume, or personal history) and covering letter,

used when applying for jo s in the !"# VOCABULARY $our CV (curriculum vitae) is a summary of your wor% experience and education, used for jo applications# & resume (properly written as resum') is an &merican (nglish term for a CV# & covering letter is a letter sent with your CV which explains details a out your application to a particular company# & reference is a formal letter to an employer, from some ody who %nows you well, descri ing your character or a ility# & referee is a person who provides a reference for you# DESI N !o" s#oul$ I $esign t#e la%out of m% CV& There are many ways to design a CV# This section gives an example &lways type your CV# )rint your CV on good *uality white paper# The paper si+e should e &, (this is -.#/ cm wide and -0#1cm tall)# !sually you should not attach a photograph# 2eave wide margins (there should e a gap of at least - centimetres on the top, ottom, left and right)# & good font si+e to use is .- (or ./ if you want to put more information on your CV)# The document should use only one font style, for example Times 3ew 4oman# !se old (Bol$) or italics (Italics) to emphasise important words# 5nly underline section titles (or do not underline any words)# 6f you ma%e a list (for example, a list of your jo achievements), consider using ullet points# Try to %eep the CV on one side of paper, or use two sides if you have a lot of relevant wor% experience or *ualifications# "eep your sentences short and simple# & typical section order is7 - 3ame - &ddress - (mployment - (ducation - 5ther s%ills - )ersonal details &n explanation of how to complete the various parts of a CV is shown elow# There is an example CV shown elow# Name 8hen writing your name, always put your own name first and your family name last (even if you write the family name first in your own country)#

A$$ress 6nclude the full postcode in your address# 9a%e sure that you will e a le to collect all mail sent to this address (if you move, as% the owner to forward letters to you)# 6f you have a mo ile telephone, put this num er on your CV, so that you can e contacted easily# 6f you use a voicemail service, it will e easier for callers to leave a message for you# 6f you do not have a mo ile telephone, give the num er of the telephone at your accommodation# The telephone num er should start with the area code, written in rac%ets: for example, a 2ondon num er should e written (/-/) xxxx xxxx# 6f the telephone has an answering machine, ma%e sure that you chec% the messages every day# 6f you are sharing someone else;s telephone, as% that person;s permission efore using their num er on your CV# 8rite your e-mail address next to your telephone num er, and chec% your messages regularly# Em'lo%ment Create two columns !se the left-hand column for dates# <or start and end dates, use either full years (eg .00=--///) or the first three letters of the month followed y the last two digits of the year (eg >un 0=-?ep //) 6n the right-hand column, provide information a out each of your jo roles# ?tart y writing the name of the company (in old) and its location# 5n the next line you might give a rief description of what the company does# $ou might give a title for your jo (and perhaps a department name) on another line (highlighting this in old italics) $ou should list your main responsi ilities and achievements within each role (perhaps using ullet points) 2ist the most recent jo s first# @ive more detail for recent jo s# 9a%e sure that you mention s%ills which may e useful in the jo for which you are now applying# 6f possi le, avoid any date gaps unless they are covered within the (ducation section# Aon;t mention how much you were paid# 8hen descri ing your achievements, use positive Baction ver sB (for example7 achieved, arranged, assisted, co-ordinated, completed, dealt with, developed, esta lished, expanded, handled, helped, implemented, improved, increased, interviewed, introduced, maintained, managed, negotiated, organised, planned, processed, programmed, proposed, promoted, purchased, redesigned, reduced, reorganised, revised, sold, solved, streamlined, supervised, trained, translated, wor%ed, wrote)# $ou should not use the word B6B on your CV: this is understood# <or example, you might write B6ncreased sales at the shopB, ut not B6 increased sales at the shopB# E$ucation 4emem er that the person reading your CV may not e familiar with the education system in your country# Create two columns !se the left-hand column for the dates# <or start and end dates, use either full years (eg .00=--///) or the first three letters of the month followed y the last two digits of the year (eg >un 0=-?ep //) 6n the right-hand column, list the name of the school or university on one line, followed y further details (the course name or the num er of exam su jects passed) on the next line#

2ist formal educational *ualifications only in this ta le (eg university and secondary school, ut not a language school or part-time courses), stating the most recent (and highest level) *ualifications first# 6f you have een to a post-graduate school or college, put the name of this after a la el such as B)ost-graduate studies7B so that the level is clear# 6f you have een to a university, use the word B!niversityB in the name, or put a la el such as B!niversity7B efore the name so that the level is clear# 6f the university is one of the top universities in your country, state this fact (the interviewer may not %now it)# ?tate the name of the town and country after the university;s name# 6n the description, put the name of the main su ject studied (try to avoid using the words BmajorB or BminorB, which are used in &merican (nglish)# 6f you studied (nglish, the su ject should perhaps e descri ed as B(nglish language and literatureB, not just B(nglish literatureB# &void mentioning grades unless they are particularly good: if you do mention grades, ma%e sure that they are clear (e#g# B=/CB, or Btop gradeB) - the British university grade system is pro a ly different from that in your country# $ou should list any schools you have attended etween the ages of a out .D and .=, ut not efore this age# $ou should add the la el B?econdary school7B efore the name of the school, or include the words BEigh ?choolB in the name# 6f you too% exams in a wide range of su jects, you may prefer to list only the num er of su jects passed instead of the su ject names, or if you have een to university you may choose not to list any secondary school *ualifications# 6f you are studying in the !", you may want to include details of this course# 6f so, write this in a line under the main ta le# <or example, you could write BCurrently studying (nglish at &BC school, 2ondon (since >anuary -//.)B# Ot#er s(ills 6f you have other s%ills or *ualifications which you elieve may e relevant, you can list these# <or example7 (nglish exams which you have passed (eg B)assed Cam ridge <irst Certificate of (nglishB)# Computer s%ills (eg B@ood %nowledge of standard office software, including e-mail and the internetB) Typing speed (only mention this if you are applying for data entry or secretarial jo s) &n international driving licence (only mention this if you may need to drive for the jo ) )ersonal $etails Create two columns: use the left-hand column for la els and the right-hand column for information# The exact list of personal details you want to give may depend on your circumstances and what the jo re*uires, ut the list elow will give you a guide# 8rite BAate of irth7B, followed y the day you were orn in the second column, eg BF <e .0=/B# 3ote that the date should e written in British date order (day, month, year), not in &merican date order (month, day, year)# 8rite B3ationality7B, followed y your nationality eg B>apaneseB# $ou may want to write B@ender7B, followed y B9aleB or B<emaleB, if this is not o vious to a British person from your name# 8hether you are a man or a woman may e relevant for some jo s# 8rite B8or% status7B, followed y a description of the status implied y the stamp in your passport, for example, B?tudent visaB or B(C citi+en (no wor% permit re*uired)B# 8rite B6nterests7B followed y a short list of perhaps F or , main ho ies or interests# &s you have come to the !" to study, you can pro a ly include interests such as BtravelB, Blearning

languagesB, or Binternational culturesB# Aon;t list anything which you wouldn;t e happy to discuss at an interview# 6nclude interests which may show the interviewer that you have good social or team-wor%ing s%ills, that show your dedication G enthusiasm G success, or that highlight additional s%ills that may e useful in the jo (for example, computer or language s%ills)# 6f you thin% it is necessary, write B4eferences7B, followed y B&vaila le on re*uestB# $ou should only provide references if your employer as%s for them# 6f you do need to give a reference, ma%e sure that you have as%ed the person eforehand# )ossi le referees include a teacher or previous employer# 6t may complicate your application if you give the name of a referee who lives a road: if you want to do this, ma%e sure that the person will e a le to provide comments in (nglish, and give an e-mail address so that delays can e minimised# E*A+)LE CV A,I,O TANA,A D- 5rchard ?treet, 2ondon 8- FBT Telephone7 /-/-1HD, F-./: 9o ile7 /10H/ 000000: (-mail7 a%i%o0000Ihotmail#com Em'lo%ment .000--//. Natural rou', To%yo, >apan & manufacturer and retailer of natural foods and supplements in >apan Sales Assistant J &dvised the main shop;s customers a out organic and health foods J Aeveloped new usiness in smaller satellite stores, explaining the enefits of supplements and organic food to potential new customers J 6ncreased sales at oth the main and the satellite shops# The extra profits were used to expand the usiness y esta lishing a new shop .001-.000 Son% Cor'oration, To%yo, >apan & >apanese conglomerate which develops and manufactures consumer and industrial electronic e*uipment world-wide Administration Assistant, General Affairs Department J (xamined incoming mail and redirected this to the appropriate division J Translated foreign letters (written in (nglish) into >apanese Customs Clearance Officer, Import Division, Sony Air Cargo J Completed reports (e#g# ills of entry) to facilitate the import of goods from a road J Aealt with customs en*uiries and procedures E$ucation ?ep -//. .00F-.001 Britannia Sc#ool of Englis#, 2ondon (nglish language school: passed Cam ridge <irst Certificate exam in >une -//+ei(ai Universit%, Chi a, >apan Aegree in 6nternational 4elations

Ot#er S(ills Computer literate7 good %nowledge of 8ord and (xcel, as well as e-mail and the internet <luent in >apanese: practical %nowledge of (nglish and "orean )ersonal Details Aate of Birth H >anuary .01D 3ationality >apanese @ender <emale 8or% status ?tudent visa 6nterests ?tudying (nglish, visiting museums, playing golf

COVERIN

LETTER

6f you are sending an application directly to a potential employer, you should write a one-page letter to accompany your CV (a Bcovering letterB)# The covering letter may either e typed ( etter if you are applying to a large company) or written neatly y hand ( etter if you elieve that a typed letter may appear too formal)# There is an example covering letter shown elow# 6f you %now the name of the person who is dealing with the jo applications, you can start the letter with BAear 9r ?mithB or BAear 9s ?mithB (you can use BAear 9rs ?mithB if you %now she is married: if the person has a title you should use it, for example BAear )rofessor ?mithB), and in this case you should end the letter with B$ours sincerelyB# 6f you do not %now the name of the person, you should start the letter with BAear ?irB or BAear ?irG9adamB, and end the letter with B$ours faithfullyB# 6f you are applying for a particular jo vacancy, write which jo you are applying for (including a reference num er if there is one) and where you saw the advertisement# Briefly descri e why you thin% you are suita le for the jo : mention any relevant wor% experience or *ualifications which you have# ?tate what type of visa you have, so that the potential employer %nows that you will e a le to wor% legally# $ou may want to mention the level of your (nglish a ility# (xplain in your letter how you can e contacted# 6f you are a out to change your accommodation, you should as% to e contacted either on your mo ile telephone or y e-mail# 6f you give the telephone num er of your host family, you should as% them for their permission first, and you should chec% if they have an answering machine# E*A+)LE COVERIN LETTER &%i%o Tana%a D- 5rchard ?treet 2ondon 8- FBT 9o ile7 /10H/ 000000 (-mail7 a%i%o0000Ihotmail#com

<ortnum K 9ason;s .=. )iccadilly 2ondon 8.& .(4 F &ugust -//Aear ?irG9adam, Re- .o/ as a 'art0time sales assistant 1reference- .B234567 6 would li%e to apply for the jo of a part-time sales assistant in the food section of <ortnum K 9ason;s in )iccadilly, as advertised in 2oot 4ecruit on - &ugust# )lease find attached a copy of my CV# 9y previous jo s include two years as a sales assistant in an organic food shop in >apan# This has given me experience of dealing with customers, as well as cashier s%ills and a asic %nowledge of food retailing# 6 have een living in 2ondon since last ?eptem er, and am currently studying (nglish at a language school# 6 have good (nglish communication s%ills (recently 6 passed the Cam ridge <irst Certificate in (nglish exam)# 9y fluency in >apanese may e useful when dealing with your >apanese customers# 6 am an enthusiastic wor%er, and enjoy wor%ing in a team# 9y student visa entitles me to wor% up to -/ hours per wee% (or longer during my school holidays), and 6 could start wor% immediately# 6 would welcome the opportunity to discuss the jo vacancy with you on the telephone or at an interview# 6 can e contacted most easily on my mo ile telephone or y e-mail (see details at the top of this letter)# $ours faithfully,

&%i%o Tana%a