How to write a CV?

1.Personal Details:

The personal details section is located right at the top of your CV and it
is the first thing that a prospective employer will see.
This section must contain the following information in chronological
order:
 Your name: written in big bold letters and centred on the page
 Your contact details: address, mobile number and e-mail address

Notes:
 Do not write “Curriculum Vitae” at the top of your CV
 Avoid unprofessional e-mail addresses (e.g. darknight007@live.com)
 Do not include the prefix “address:” before the actual address
 Avoid including optional details such as your date of birth, gender,
marital status, nationality, etc. unless there is a benefit of including
such information

Example:

Jessica Murray
74 Summerfield Road, Dorset, DJ3 9XY
Mobile: 07976627294 E-mail: jessica.murray@gmail.co.uk

2.Personal Profile Statement:

A personal profile statement is the second part of your CV, and it is a

short statement that tells the prospective employer about the personal
 skills and qualities that you possess, the experiences that you have, and
your career goals and ambitions.
When writing your personal profile, ensure it is:
 Short (no more than 5 lines);
 Relevant to the job you are applying for, and;
 Contains some real-world examples.

Notes:

 Your personal statement needs to be punchy and should outline your

personal characteristics as they relate to the role you are applying for
 Don’t be humble, be confident and write only positive things about
yourself
 Do not mention any vague clichés such as “excellent communication
skills” or “I can work well in a team and on my own initiative”
WITHOUT giving real-world examples of these skills and abilities

Example:

I am a creative, imaginative and resilient Copywriter with a talent for

developing effective written materials including, but not limited to,
corporate web content, emails, press releases, newsletter articles, blog
posts and social-networking site posts. My 1st Class Hons Degree in
Advertising and my extensive experience in this field is a testament to the
passion and drive I have to succeed in this competitive industry.

3. Achievements:

Including a list of achievements on your CV is an excellent way of

making your CV stand out from the crowd. Research has shown that the
applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely
to be shortlisted for an interview compared to candidates with duties-
focused CVs!
What types of achievements should you include in this section? Well,
any accomplishments that portray you in a positive light are worth
considering, including:
 Awards won
 Promotions
 Trained or educated others
 Completed important projects on time and within budget
 Increased sales figures (by such-and-such %)
 Saved time by coming up with efficient methods and tools
 Qualifications gained
 Good results in examinations and tests
 Leader/captain/manager in some club or organisation
 Anticipated in the organisation of fun fairs, open days, etc.

Notes:
 Only include relevant accomplishments in this section

 Do not include more than three items under this section

 Only use bullet points and short sentences, not long paragraphs

 This section is optional; if you feel that you haven’t got something
useful to include here you can simply omit it and go straight to the
education and training section

4.Education:
This section should contain a summary of your educational background,
and it is one of the most important parts of your CV. It informs the
reader, in brief, the education you have received to date, starting with
the most recent.
Courses that you can list here:
 Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
 A-Levels, BTECs and other college-level courses
 GCSEs
It is also perfectly fine to list down any additional training/qualifications
that you have received. In our example, however, we have included a
separate “Qualifications” section below to separate the education from
the professional training.

Notes:
 Only include relevant and up-to-date information that will add
value to your CV. For example, if you have a PhD in Molecular
Biology, it won’t make any sense to dedicate a big chunk of your
CV to your primary, secondary and college education!
 Always accompany any entries of this section
by grades and dates (from – to)
 Expand on important education (e.g. degree) and list some of
the relevant modules that you have completed as part of the
course

5.Employment:
The employment and work experience section of a CV is
another crucial part of your CV which is dedicated to the work
experience that you have to date.
The following are some of the jobs that you can include under this
section:
 Permanent and temporary jobs
 Full-time and part-time jobs
 Weekend and summer jobs
 Voluntary positions
 Industrial placements and internships
Each entry should be accompanied by the following information:
 The name of the company you have worked in
 The start and end dates (from-to)
 Your job title
 Your primary duties and responsibilities

Notes:
 Do highlight your achievements in the roles (e.g. exceeded sales
targets, managed a project or a team, entrusted with higher
responsibilities, etc.)
 Do not include your previous employers’ contact information here
(you can mention that in the “References” section below)
 Do not mention any outdated, irrelevant or insignificant work
experiences
 Avoid excessively using jargon and technical terms which many
readers may not be familiar with

6.Qualification:
The qualifications section of a CV is usually combined with the
Education section, but on this occasion, we have separated the two for
readability and presentational purposes.
In this section, you can list down the names of the qualifications that
you have achieved accompanied by the following information:
 The issuer/training provider
 The level of the qualification (if applicable)
 The validity/expiry date of the certificate (if applicable)

Notes:

 Mention the most important qualification first

 Try to limit the number of your qualifications to a maximum of 5
 Including dates are optional so it is generally recommended to
leave it out

7.Skills:

The skills section of a CV is an optional part where you can mention

some of the skills and abilities that you possess which will assist you in
the job you are applying for.
There are a broad range of skills that you can mention, such as:
 IT Skills – being able to use the computer to accomplish tasks
 Communication – being able to listen/talk to people in a
constructive manner
 Interpersonal – The way you relate and interact with others
 Numerical – being able to handle numbers, maths, estimations, etc.
 Analytical – being able to give meaning to data, analyse
information
 Problem-solving – being able to offer solutions to problems
  Teamwork – being able to work with other people to achieve a
common goal
 Leadership – being able to take responsibility, lead/mentor others,
etc.
 Organisation – being able to meet deadlines, plan and schedule
tasks, etc.

Notes:

 Always try to include real-world examples with the skills that you
mention
 Only include relevant skills that will assist you in the job

8.Hobbies and Interests:

You can use the hobbies and interests section of your CV to
demonstrate that you’re well-rounded person who is engaged in
extracurricular activities and in the community.
The following are some of the benefits of this having hobbies on your
CV:
 It will give the recruiter a fuller and more complete picture of you
 Sporting interests indicate that you are fit and healthy
 Involvement in the community indicates good interpersonal skills
 Outside interests tell the employer that you can have a good time
as well
 They form a great basis for discussion at the interview stage

Notes:
  Mention one or two hobbies that are relevant to the job. In the
example above, the person is applying for a catering position and
mentions that they are passionate about food and enjoy going out
to restaurants.
 Do not include any hobbies that do not add value to your
application
 Always bear in mind that the priorities of your CV are some of the
other major sections of your CV such as the education and
employment sections. Do not fill up half a page with your hobbies
and neglect the most important sections!

9.References:
The references section on your CV is the final part which cannot be
entirely omitted. Your references should be two people who know you
well and have worked with you in one way or another and who can
vouch for you to the prospective employer.
One of your references should be your current or former employer, and
the second referee can be any person who knows you well.
For each of your referees include the following details:
 Full name
 Title/position
 (Work) Address
 Telephone number
 Email address

Notes:
 Always give the job title of the referees; otherwise, they can just
be your mates for all we know!
  Always ask permission of your references before you write them
on your CV
 If you decide not to include references on your CV you can simply
write “references available upon request.“

Final Tips:
 Use appropriate presentational techniques to make your CV easy to
scan and read
 Fit your CV’s content into 2 A4 pages (remove information when
necessary)
 Don’t forget to proofread your CV for spelling and grammar
mistakes
 Tailor your CV for each individual job that you are applying for