What should I put in a CV?

A Curriculum Vitae is a written record of someone's education, qualifications and employment and should contain enough information to help secure you an 
interview. It must demonstrate that you have the skills and abilities for the role.

It is important to remember that an employer will scan your CV for about 30 seconds before deciding whether to read further. Therefore, when writing a CV make sure you use language that is clear, that you use a simple font that is easy to read and that you ensure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors. It is best practice to get your advisor to check it over for you.

Headings should be in bold and may be shaded and bordered for effect, but you should ensure that blocks of text are avoided. Ideally CV's should not be longer than two sides of A4. Always use bullet points rather than lengthy paragraphs to summarise the main information you want to express.

 

In this section:

Personal details

Profile

Employment History

Education Background

Interests and hobbies

References

 

 

Personal details

Always include:

• Your name;
• Address;
• Contact number; (where you can be easily contacted and there is a voicemail facility with an appropriate message.)
• E mail address (again, make sure this is appropriate!)

 

For example:

David Crockett 52 Acacia Road, Streatham, SW16 2KN 0208 721567/077896543

 

You do not need to include any information that is not directly relevant to the job, for example marital status, date of birth, health or ethnicity.

 

 

Profile

A profile or opening statement is a short paragraph that outlines what you have done before and the skills, abilities and personal attributes you may be able to bring to the role. It should be tailored to the specific role you are applying for. Essentially it gives a flavour of what is to come in the rest of the CV and the focus should be on identifying things that make you different from other applicants.

You should also list a summary of the key skills that you have gained in previous employment or extra-curricula activities. Ideally these should be listed as bullet-points. Where possible these should be related to the type of work you are looking for, for example you should include whether you have a driving license if you are going for a role in driving. However, some skills are general employability skills and may apply to all CV's (for example 'Good team worker')

 

An example of a profile for someone seeking catering work.

Profile I am passionate about catering and have over 10 years experience in the industry. I am a reliable and resourceful individual with a very strong work ethic. I have experience of managing a team of 7 and understand the importance of motivating others to maintain a successful, profitable business. I am also happy to get involved with practical day to day duties and promote the importance of adhering to procedures in order to create an orderly working environment.   Key Skills Extensive experience of managing a catering team of 7 Good leadership skills and ability to meet deadlines Providing a high standard of customer service to the public Flexible attitude towards working responsibilities and hours Ability to communicate effectively at all levels A positive, results-focused problem solver

 

 

Employment History

Employment history should be detailed starting with the most recent position first and where possible, this should be the one that is covered in most detail. If you cannot remember dates, put down the information you can remember and 
discuss it with your advisor, who may be able to help you narrow things down.

If you are a recent graduate or have a limited employment history, it is therefore best where possible to put education before your employment history. If you don't have qualifications you can put your employment history first. If you don't have either, then the CV should focus on relevant skills to the job you are applying for.

This section does not only need to include paid work. You could include information if you have spent time caring for a relative or friend, doing voluntary work or work experience. You could also include information such as being a Homemaker and outline the main duties that you undertake on a daily basis looking after your home, for example cleaning and managing a budget.

For each episode of employment history, you need to detail the following:

• Job Title
• The employer
• Dates of employment (including the month of starting and ending)
• Outline main responsibilities and achievements

When listing the main responsibilities, it is important to look at the job advert or description of the role you are applying for and highlight specific or transferrable skills or competencies gained in your previous jobs. You should be positive, emphasise your achievements, strengths, successes and how you have contributed to your employers making a profit (add figures to support facts whenever you can and use positive action words, for example: 'delivering', 'negotiating', 'managing' and so on).

For jobs that are less relevant to the role(s) being applied for, it may be worth simply listing the job title and employer. Please note it is not necessary to include the employer's full address. It is also important to note that you do not need to state your salary or the reasons for leaving previous employment.

 

For example:

Jan 2001 - Jun 2009 Delivery Driver (7.5 tonne) Fast Movers, Dagenham Jan 2001 - Jun 2009 Delivering goods to up to 14 London addresses per day Ensuring all deliveries were completed within set deadlines Packing and loading goods into vehicles safely Providing a polite and friendly service to all customers Planning delivery routes to improve efficiency and cost Flexibly covering shifts for colleagues when required, at short notice Liaising with suppliers and completing relevant paperwork Adhering to Health and Safety guidelines in all aspects of the role

 

For example:

1997 - 2008 Parenting During this time, I participated actively in the community at large, in addition to running my household and raising my 4 children. I carried out the following duties on a regular basis: Engaging in voluntary work in primary schools, helping with literacy, games, child minding and supervising activities. Implementing good time management and organisational skills on a day to day basis. Managing a budget effectively Carrying out a full range of domestic duties including cleaning and cooking

 

 

Education Background

You should list all schools, colleges and specialist courses attended, along with the relevant dates and grades, starting with the most recent first.

Include details of any courses that you have undertaken even if they were only short, for example a Food Hygiene course. You should also include information about courses that did not give you qualifications as they will demonstrate your knowledge to employers.

If you attended secondary school, but did not obtain any qualifications, you should still make reference to your education with a statement such as educated to GCSE standard or general secondary education.

 

For example:

The Virtual College - 2010 Food Hygiene Certificate Trimble College, Nottingham - 1998 - 2002 Hospitality in Catering NVQ Level 1 and 2 Newlands Secondary School - 1974 - 1977 General Secondary Education Completed

 

For example:

University of Westminster 1999 - 2002 BSc in Psychology Croydon College, Surrey 1996 - 1999 N.N.E.B Diploma in Nursery Nursing (Level 3) Certificate in Childcare & Education (Level 2) St Mark's Secondary School, London 1991 - 1996 10 G.C.S.E's achieved including English and Maths

 

 

Interests and hobbies

This section on a CV is not mandatory and is where you can list non-employment interests, particularly if you have a more skill-based CV and limited work experience or qualifications. This section is an opportunity for information on hobbies or volunteering work. It is also worth including any driving licenses and language ability you have.

 

For example:

I am a creative person who enjoys poetry, painting and music. I attend the gym regularly which helps me develop a sense of determination and dedication.

 

 

References

You will need at least two referees; a referee is someone who knows the quality of your work for example previous employers, teachers or voluntary work supervisors. A CV can indicate that references are available on request as few employers follow these up until the offer stage. Make sure you contact them beforehand to gain their consent to be contacted-this will also ensure that they are best prepared to provide a reference should they need to.

 

For example:

References Available on Request