Writing your CV - hints and tips

This CV writing guide, developed by an IET professional skills trainer, aims to give
you some useful hints and tips to create a CV that will get you noticed.

Getting your CV noticed amongst the hundreds of other applicants is vital to your success in being selected
for interview. Knowing what to include in and how to structure your CV, will help you stand out from the crowd.

What to include on your CV

n Your name: Your full name is essential – also if you are a full member of the IET you can place the
designatory letters after your name to let the recruiter know that you are a member of a professional body.
n Telephone number: Use your mobile number here if at all possible. If someone has your home
telephone number, this could increase identity theft.
n Where you are currently residing: You do not need to put your full address on your CV. If someone
has your home address, this could increase your risk of identity theft. For example, instead you could
put “Currently residing in Stevenage”.
n Email address: It is important to have a professional looking email address, rather than an address
that you may have had for years and is a bit quirky! As an IET member, you can create an IET
email address. Simply log on to your MyIET account and complete the request form.
n Personal profile: A personal profile is a must. It should be at the start of the CV and grab the reader’s
attention. In essence it is your sales pitch. Treat it like your personal ‘brand’ that is unique to you.
What do you want the reader to get from this? Reliable? Flexible? Professional? It should be about
three to four lines long.

Here is an acronym (SWAMP) that will help you structure your personal profile:

Skills An overview of the key skills that you have

Work History A brief synopsis of what you have done in the past

Achievements Key things that you have achieved i.e saved company money, implemented a new idea

Motivation Probably one of the most important things – why you are looking for a new job

Personality Do you like to work in teams or on your own? Are you outgoing?
n Employment dates and job roles: Although employment dates are important on your CV, you don’t
need to place exact employment dates down – just ‘September 2014’ would suffice. Alternatively, you
can let them know how long you were in this role for, by suggesting two years three months.
n Qualifications: Qualification should be included on your CV. If you are worried about your grades,
you can leave them off; the most important piece of information is the qualification.
n Achievements: Keep this succinct, and relevant to the job you are applying for.

n Education: Reference the name and the dates of your education; you do not need to detail the full address.

Different CV formats
There are three different CV types that you can utilise, depending on your own preference – there is no right
or wrong CV type:

n Chronological CV: A chronological CV lists your experience in reverse chronological order, starting
with your most recent job role. This is the most common type of CV.
n Targeted CV: Targeted CVs are specifically written with a job and company in mind.
This is a good CV style to use if you are a graduate.
n Functional CV: Functional CVs are usually two pages in length and cover your entire career history. Unlike
the most common chronological CV it focuses not on your career history, but on your skills, abilities and
expertise. It may not even refer to a specific industry, as the skills detailed are deemed transferable.

Remember to tailor your CV to the job you are applying for.

Cover letters
Including a cover letter with you CV is vital. It can be a great asset in your job hunt. Listed below are some top
tips on writing your cover letter:

n A cover letter is a way of showing your writing and reporting skills.

n Your cover letter should be customised per employer. However, if you are sending a lot of CVs, this
task could prove impossible. Try instead to have a cover letter per industry or per area.
n Do not mention salary in your cover letter. If the job advertisement requests your expected salary
then mention a range rather than a specific amount.
n Cover letters are generally not read during the first candidate selection, but usually they will be read
when the candidates have been shortlisted. Do not waste such an opportunity.
n Always include a cover letter even if the job ad does not specify that one is needed. Occasionally,
job ads also specify a handwritten cover letter.

If you would like more information on writing a CV, you may be interested in attending one of the IET’s Lifeskills
workshops or webinars on this subject. For more information please visit www.theiet.org/pd-courses.

www.theiet.org/careerzone

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