General CV Advice

University of KwaZulu Natal Career Development. College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science.
http://www.ukzn.ac.za/
Need help with your CV and Cover Letter?
Why don’t you let us help you create your CV and Cover Letter?
Remember the overall aim of your CV is to market you and your skills to an employer to
convince them to call you for an interview.
Your Curriculum Vitae is an important document which “becomes your voice in your
absence”. The internet has many templates that you could use to create your CV but
you must bear in mind that ANY good CV must contain relevant information, like your
biographical information, academic qualifications, work experience and contactable
references.
Before we begin a little walk through, take the time to read the following guidelines.
It is wise to look at a few examples so that you have an idea of what a CV comprises of. To ensure its success it
needs to accomplish a few main things.
A graduate CV template should:
 Introduce you as a promising potential candidate for the role

 Present all of your relevant skills and accomplishments
 Tell a story of your professional experience to date
 Reflect something of your character through your personal
statement and interests sections.
Your CV should NOT:
 Be a long list of your every achievement, regardless of relevance

 Include a lengthy discourse about every course you've ever taken
 Contain information just to 'bulk it out'. Being concise will help your reader and maintain their interest,
making them want to know more.
Guide to CV basics
Presentation:
Remember that you have to make the content of your CV unique, rather than
using elaborate graduate CV layout to make you stand out from the crowd
(unless, of course, you are going for a design job, in which case you have room
to get creative). You can't afford for a recruiter to reject your CV because
they don't like your font or layout.
Contact Mahadave@ukzn.ac.za for more information or assistance with CV writing. Page 1
Some General Rules:
 Use a simple business font, some of our consultants favour Arial, Calibri, or Verdana and ensure you
have used the same font and letter size throughout.
 Split your CV into sections and ensure those sections are obvious (e.g. Profile, Work Experience,
Education) and when listing experiences within these sections keep to a reverse chronological order,
with your most recent experience/education at the top.
 Use bold or italics to emphasise text, such as job roles, rather than underlining.
 Use bullet points, numbering and dashes to format content.
 Ensure new paragraphs, bullet points and headings are all in line with each other and of a consistent
style (e.g. headings in bold etc).
 Aim for two pages in length; less is okay, more and you risk losing the readers interest.
 When reading the Job Specification decide what the most important factors are that the company are
looking for and ensure that your relevant experiences for this are on the front page of your CV.
Your CV comprises of the following details:
1. Personal Profile (optional)

2. Personal Details
3. Educational Background
4. Interests and Hobbies
5. References
Below, we provide you with insight on how to build more detail into your CV.
1. Personal profile: (optional)
This is an optional section of your CV which can be used to show the employer you are focused and determined
to pursue a career in their field. It provides an uncomplicated summary of expertise and suitability.
Eg: “Human Science graduate who is passionate about making a change in society. Dedicated, enthusiastic and
loyal. Meticulous researcher, analyst, strategic thinker. Proactive with a focus on solutions.”
(Refer to the template examples provided at the end).
It should:
 Appear at the beginning of your CV

 Be no longer than 2-4 sentences
 Give an overview of your current situation - "I have just graduated with a degree in ..."
 Be positive, lively and to the point
 Avoid buzzwords such as 'dynamic' and 'team player', which every applicant will be using
 Specifically detail what it is you want to do - "I am looking for a job as a ... in the field of ..."
 Be different for each application. Ensure you make it specific to the job and the employer and do not
use a generic profile that can be utilised for every CV you send out.
2. Personal Details:
The essentials to include are:

 Name
 Postal address
 Email address
 Telephone number(s)
 Gender
 Age
 Driver Licence type (Code EB etc)
3. Education:
If you are a recent graduate your Educational Section will be of high importance. Write your education in
reverse chronological order, so start with your university degree.
Focus on your university results, specialisation and extra-curricular experiences to start with. A term that is
often used in relation to the graduate employment market is 'transferable skills' and this section is where you
need to throw light on those skills which might include leadership, project management, communication and
presentation skills. Essentially the education section should contain:
 Qualifications (Degree, Diploma) in reverse-chronological order

 The dates you attended each establishment
 Degree subjects
 More detail on specialisation/university experience
 Other skills, e.g. computer literacy and other languages
4. Work experience:
You probably think that you don't have much in the way of work experience.
You can include everything you have done from internships and voluntary work to schemes and part-time work
experience. All experience counts!
Voluntary or extra-curricular work experiences also provide a wealth of learning experience that could become
a “transferable skill”. As long as you have developed relevant skills, then it is worth a space on your CV.
Again, your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order.

Your work experience will be comprised of:
 Company or organisation, dates and job title

 A sentence outlining the role you performed
 Bullet points summarising specific responsibilities you were given
 Evidence to back up specific achievements and skills you claim to have developed whilst in this role.
5. Interests and activities:
This is the place to say a little bit about you as a person, outside of work, and to let your personality shine
through. You can mention any activity or hobby, but obviously keep it appropriate and if possible ask
yourself…”will knowing about this hobby help me become more employable?”
Examples worth including in this area are:
 Sports teams – (gives the employer the impression that you enjoy being physically fit)
 Societies/clubs
 Hobbies (swimming, painting, cooking, dressmaking, sketching)
 Awards (these are particularly good as they can suggest a high achieving and competitive nature)
6. Referees/References:
Three referees are enough for your entry-level graduate CV. One can be academic and the other from a period
of work experience. Remember to ask your referees if they are willing to offer references and have them
verify their contact details.
This concludes our CV walk through session. One more important point - don't be
tempted to 'stretch the truth' in your CV. Interviewers are very skilled at picking up
on “untruths”.
There are no hard and fast rules for writing graduate CVs, but the overall aim is to
market yourself and your skills to an employer and convince them to call you for an
interview or assessment centre.
Have a look at the checklist to make sure that you have not forgotten anything!!
Let’s see if you ready to submit your CV?
CV Ch ec kl i st
General
G Does the CV look good? Would you want to read it? Would an employer want to read it?
G Does it fit on to one or two full pages?
G Has it been checked for grammar and spelling?
G Are fonts (type and size) consistent and uniform (ideal 11pt)?
G Is the layout well balanced, with effective use of space?

G Does the MOST RELEVANT INFORMATION occupy most space?
G Are dates in reverse chronological (that means that you place your degree qualification(s) first and your
earlier schooling thereafter - so your matric certificate would be the last in this section).
Personal details
G Does your name stand out? (write it on top – no need to mention Curriculum Vitae).
G Can you be easily contacted using the information you have provided?
G Is your nationality and work permit (if applicable) stated?
Education
G Are there relevant courses/projects that you should mention? Have you done so?
Work Experience
G Are section headings tailored to suit the potential employer?
G Have you included enough details on “duties performed”?
G Have you tailored “your achievements and skills” in response to the job requirements?
G Are you sentences “to the point”?
Other skills
G Did you include what “skills” you have acquired (example, computer, languages, maybe even sign language)?
Interests
G Has your interest indicated that you are competent (example, “I have a keen interest in studying insects,
specifically, Coleoptera (beetles) and I have spent six months researching the topic)?
G Have you indicated that you are committed?
Referees/References
G Did you include this under a heading?
G Have you contacted and requested permission from referees to use their names?
Well done!!
Now that the difficult part is ALL done you are ready for your Cover Letter……
If you have any further questions or need assistance with your CV - send
through an email to Mahadave@ukzn.ac.za
Good Luck!!
Part 2 – Your Cover letter….
Why is the cover letter so important?
What is a cover letter? It's a letter of introduction that highlights your key
accomplishments and fit for a job opening.
We often find that students don’t see the importance of a Cover letter. A cover letter adds focus to your CV
and many recruiters consider a CV to be incomplete if it is not accompanies by a cover letter; thus, a cover
letter needs to be part of your job-search strategy.
Each cover letter must be tailored to each job, each employer.
Why is a cover letter so important? A CV can be seen as a “snapshot” of your accomplishments and a cover
letter tells the employer the type of position you're seeking. It also tells the employer how and why you are
qualified for that position.
Your cover letter allows you to stand out from the rest….and a
cover letter can explain things that your CV can't.
What are some of the most important tips when writing a cover letter?
 Whenever possible, address your cover letter to a named individual.

 Grab the reader's attention by writing an appealing first paragraph.
 Highlight your three to four key
accomplishments/skills/experiences.
 Focus on the fit between your qualifications and the job requirements.
 Whenever possible, relate yourself to the company.
 Never include any negative information.
 End your letter by requesting an interview.
 Mention that you will follow-up your letter -- and then do so.
 Cover letters should be kept to less than one page; electronic versions even shorter.
 Avoid all types of mistakes, including typos, misspellings, and grammatical errors.
Check out the example below and take the plunge!
24 Mansfield Road
Berea West
Durban
4001 Your address and
10 October 2014 date
To
Dr Sally Frost
The Human Resources Manager Who are you applying to?
Sapref
1 Refinery Dr
Isipingo
4110
Introduce yourself and mention
Dear Dr Frost what you do/study
RE: Application for Engineer-in-Training Position
I am currently completing my Bachelor of Science degree in

Chemical Engineering. SAPREF held a presentation on campus This tells the company what you are
last week and I am applying in response to the invitation for In- applying for
service Training, which was extended by SAPREF during the
presentation.
Your presentation confirmed for me, that SAPREF is where I

Your next paragraphs tells the
would like to start my Engineering career. I am extremely
employer why you are interested in
impressed with the Graduate Training Programme and I
them and also provides you with an
particularly like the mentoring aspect to it and the fact that you
opportunity to show them that you
rotate graduates and facilitate exposure to various roles and
have done some “homework” or
functions. My CV highlights the experience I have gained
“research”
through internships and a variety of part-time jobs and I
welcome the opportunity to explore the many interesting
options in chemical engineering within your reputable and
environmentally- friendly organisation.
During my last holiday I worked for three months on a research

project at NCD chemicals and developed hands-on laboratory
This paragraph tells the
expertise. I thoroughly enjoyed working as part of a team,
company what you have done
writing up the final report and assisting with the presentation to
and how this relates to “what
management. I have also grown accustomed to team work
they need”. Mention what
through my involvement with sport and I am currently the
skills you have acquired and
captain of the UKZN rugby team. Over weekends I work as a bar
how you developed these
tender at Frankie Bananas, which is a busy night club. I learned
skills.
to handle pressure whilst working with difficult people and
stressful environments.
Please contact me should you require any further

documentation or information. I am available for an interview at End on a positive note whist
your convenience mentioning “interview”
Yours sincerely, “Sincerely”, because you used the

Recruiters name (in this case Dr. Frost)
use “Yours Faithfully” if you don’t have
the name of the recruiter.
Juju Binks
If you submitting electronically then you don’t
need to sign on the other hand if you deliver a
hard copy of your CV - remember to sign it.
Web references
1. http://www.careers.govt.nz/how-to-get-a-job/cvs-and-cover-letters/templates/
2. http://examples-of-resumes.net/modern/modern-resume-13.html
3. http://www.careers.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/image_tool/images/37/cover_letters.pdf
4. http://examples-of-resumes.net/all.html
5. http://www.goodletterwriting.com/cv-template-5.doc
6. http://www.goodletterwriting.com/cv-templates.html
7. http://www.cvcentre.co.za/Assets/CVExample6.doc
13. http://www.cvtips.com/docfiles/CV_example_11.doc
14. http://www.cvcentre.co.za/examplesofCV.htm
15. http://www.cvtips.com/docfiles/sample_CV_2.doc
16. http://www.cvtips.com/docfiles/CV_template_6.doc
19. http://www.cvtips.com/resumes-and-cvs/cv-example.html
20. http://curriculum-vitae.in/original/cv-original-23.html
21. http://curriculum-vitae.in/
22. http://www.dayjob.com/downloads/CV_examples/student_resume_template_2.pdf
23. http://www.dayjob.com/content/graduate-cv-template-270.htm
24. http://www.dayjob.com/content/cv-template-236.htm
25. http://www.dayjob.com/content/writing-your-cv:-the-basics-239.htm
26. http://www.quintcareers.com/career_doctor_cures/cover_letter.html
27. http://www.howtowriteacv.guru/cv-template-word.php
28. http://www.cvtemplates.net/
29. http://careers.theguardian.com/cv-templates
30. www.ResumeWorld.ca

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University of KwaZulu Natal Career Development. College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science.

Need help with your CV and Cover Letter?

A graduate CV template should:

 Introduce you as a promising potential candidate for the role

Your CV should NOT:

 Be a long list of your every achievement, regardless of relevance

Some General Rules:

Your CV comprises of the following details:

1. Personal Profile (optional)

1. Personal profile: (optional)

(Refer to the template examples provided at the end).

 Appear at the beginning of your CV

The essentials to include are:

 Qualifications (Degree, Diploma) in reverse-chronological order

Again, your work experience should be listed in reverse chronological order.

 Company or organisation, dates and job title

5. Interests and activities:

Examples worth including in this area are:

Let’s see if you ready to submit your CV?

G Is the layout well balanced, with effective use of space?

Part 2 – Your Cover letter….

Why is the cover letter so important?

Each cover letter must be tailored to each job, each employer.

 Whenever possible, address your cover letter to a named individual.

Check out the example below and take the plunge!

RE: Application for Engineer-in-Training Position

I am currently completing my Bachelor of Science degree in

Your presentation confirmed for me, that SAPREF is where I

During my last holiday I worked for three months on a research

Please contact me should you require any further

Yours sincerely, “Sincerely”, because you used the

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