A well-constructed CV is your first chance to make a good impression and stand out from the crowd when you’re looking to obtain your dream job. Here are some top tips on how you can get an employer's attention and ensure you secure that interview!
What’s important about a CV?
Personal details: You don't need to put a lot in here just your name and contact details suffice. This can also be followed by a personal statement, something that is quite short but concise and captivates the employer!
Education/Work Experience: It is important to gauge this off the job you are applying for. If the job description states that the first essential criteria is 3 years experience, for example, put your work experience first and your education second. If you must have a degree in something specific then put your education first. It is essential to try and tailor your CV for each role. Keep skills and education short and bullet-pointed. Don’t forget to keep your skills relevant to the role you are applying for.
Layout: Let’s take ‘work experience’ as a layout example. You should have your most recent employment at the top, the job title, dates of employment, and employer/company name. There should be no gaps in employment, and all gaps should be covered. This is followed by job duties which should contain a short paragraph or bullet points.
Length: At the bottom of your CV it should state ‘references available on request’ and the length should be no more than 2 or 3 pages. The layout of the CV should be easy to read and tidy. It should all be in the same font and size and paragraphs all in the same alignment.
What not to include:
There are a variety of details that you shouldn’t include on your CV. Here are a few of the common ones:
A headshot: In many countries, it’s common practice to include a photo of yourself on your CV. But the UK is not one of them.
Age and date of birth: The only dates that should be on your CV are from employment and your qualifications. Your age doesn’t affect your ability to do the job, and it’s illegal for employers to ask about age under the Equality Act 2010.
Marital status: Like your age, your marital status and dependents don’t affect your ability to do your job. These details are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, and it’s against the law for employers to ask about them, so don’t include them on your CV.
Next Steps:
Get your CV right from the outset, and you may well find your dream job more quickly. Your CV is your chance to make a great first impression and secure yourself an interview. We run CV clinics so why not sign up today for some free advice to help you along the way.