Tips to write an effective CV

EFFECTIVE WAY OF WRITING CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

The Latin phrase Curriculum Vitae (CV) translates into English as something like "the race of life". Today, in a competitive job market in which people are defined by what they do, this translation makes perfect sense: a good CV can give you an immensely valuable head start in the race that is your working life. Whether you are just setting out, looking to change tracks and career paths, or hoping to start again, a strong CV provides a base from which you can derive great confidence in the modern work place.

How to write an effective CV

Getting started 

Before you create your CV (Curriculum Vitae), ask yourself the following questions:

>>   What is my career aim in writing this CV.?

>>   What do I know about the employers or opportunity providers, I am writing this CV for?

>>   What are the requirements of the position, which I am applying for?

>>  How do my skills / experience match the ‘person specification’ as set out in the job description?

A CV is a great method of marketing yourself - think about it as an advertisement selling you! It is always worth, having an up to date CV as a promotional tool when:

>>  Responding to an advertised position

>>  Contacting employers to ask if they have any current unadvertised positions or work experience (speculative)

>>  Handing out to people you meet at networking events

>>  In applications to residencies and awards

>>  When approaching galleries

However, importantly you must tailor each CV to the employer you are sending it out to at that time.

Layout

A CV will be the basis of an employer's first impressions, and a good one may be the reason that you reach the interview round. On the other hand, a shoddy CV could mean that you don't get the chance of a face-to-face meeting. Don't let your CV do you down. If you were a book, your CV would be its cover. For this reason, it is important to take the utmost care in presenting it.

>>  Always go for a font that is both attractive and clear. It is best to choose a font that looks professional. Avoid anything over-elaborate, and make sure to stay consistent throughout. Use different sizes to emphasize headings rather than different fonts.

>>  It is better to use bold and italic for emphasis rather than underlining.

>>  Space should not be wasted for unnecessary headings. The title of the page should be your name, and you don't need a separate heading for the 'personal details sections'.

>>  Try to maximize the use of space. Avoid creating large areas of white space on the page, but don't cram things in too tightly either. The key is creating a balanced look. Leave enough space between each section.

>>  Make sure each section is clearly labeled with an appropriate heading. Separating lines can help to differentiate sections from one another whilst maintaining a professional look.

>>  Try not to split sections across two pages. If you need more room, move the whole section onto the next page.

>>  If you are printing your CV rather than emailing it, make sure you use good quality paper, and keep it away from being folded or crumpled.

>>  Make sure that all spellings are correct. Nothing appears more unprofessional than bad spelling.

CV content

  In the same way as an advertisement, you need to convey the benefits of employing you to the recruiter; not just what you can do, but what you can do which is relevant to their needs.

A nice layout will only get you so far. At some point, someone will actually read your CV. The content of your CV will depend on the type of job that you are applying for. In general, the following sections should be included. Remember, although you should portray yourself in the best possible way, you are by no means allowed to lie on your CV.  

>>  Start with your name as the page title.

>>  Underneath this, include your address and contact details – telephone number, mobile number and email address.

>>  You also need to supply your nationality and date of birth. You can include gender and marital status, but these are by no means necessary.

Education 

If you have recently finished school/college/university, then education should be your first section. Start with your most recent education – your degree or postgraduate qualification. University qualifications will be of more interest to an employer than what you did at school so devote more space to this. Include the dates, name of university/s, degree title e.g. BA (Hons) Philosophy, and the grade you are expecting or have achieved.  

Employment 

If you have been working for a long time, it is better to lead off with employment history.

>>  Here you should include details, again starting with the most recent ones, of the jobs you have held. If you have had many jobs, then include the most recent ones – remember, space is the most important thing. Try to include the jobs that you think are most appropriate to the position that you are applying for.

>>  Again, include dates of employment, as well as job titles and a brief description of your main tasks and responsibilities.

>>  This is the place to include any work experience, internships or placements, but make sure that it is clear exactly what you were doing.

Additional Achievements and Interests 

>>  It is a good idea to provide a section, which details your life outside of school and the workplace. Here, you can note down any achievements you may have accomplished and your interests.

>>  Try to display each one in a positive light, so that it is clear how much of an asset you are. Taking part in a local football league, for example can develop team skills, whilst travelling abroad can equip you with independence and confidence.

>>  You should make a note here of any computer skills, languages and your level of fluency.

Referees 

There is great debate as to whether references should be included in CV's prior to interviewing, therefore it is entirely up to you whether you include them or not. (Obviously if the employer states references must be included with your CV, then it would be advisable to add them).

If you do wish to include references, you should have two, one of whom should be an employer and the other, someone who can give you a more personal reference (this can also be a previous employer if suitable). Always check with your referees before giving their names. If you prefer, you could simply state that references can be supplied on request.

There are three main ways of styling a CV's content: Targeted, Functional and Chronological.

Targeted CV

This kind of CV is a way to focus your career towards a particular objective, within a specific industry or a specific company. A targeted CV is written in a way that highlights skills, qualifications and experience that match the requirements of the advertised position. Writing a targeted CV is effective when:

• You know the requirements of a particular position
• You know which company you will be sending your CV to
• You are sending your CV in reply to a specific job advertisement 
• You need to compose different CVs each corresponding to a different career objective

Functional CV

 In a functional CV (skill based), you highlight the skills and accomplishments developed through work, academic and community experiences. Your skills and potential can be stressed and lack of experience or possible gaps in work history de-emphasized

Remember that your functional CV must be targeted and scannable. The functional CV is advantageous when:

>>  You want to emphasize skills not used in recent work experience.

>>  You want to focus on skills and accomplishments rather than a lengthy employment history.

>>  You are changing careers/reentering the job market.

>>  You want to market skills and experience gained through course work and/or volunteer experience.

>>  Your career growth in the past has not been continuous and progressive.

>>  You have a variety of unrelated work experience.

>>  Your work has been freelance, consulting or temporary in nature

>>  You have little work experience or leadership experience

>>  You want to emphasize promotions and career growth.

>>  You should highlight employers, if you are working in highly traditional fields, such as teaching, accounting and politics.

Chronological CV

A Chronological CV lists your experience and education in order (starting at the latest) and contains details about each job you have done.

 

This type of CV is good if you have been in the same type of job throughout your working life and have no large gaps in your history. It can show how you have progressed through your career and how you have gained experience and responsibility.

If, however, you have had several totally different types of jobs (e.g. working in an office, then a shop, then as a receptionist) or you have gaps in your employment (e.g. bringing up children, sickness or unemployment) these stand out in this type of CV and another type of CV would be better (see functional or targeted CVs).