CV Tips - the Do’s, the Don’ts, the Detail

Do you sometimes wonder why other job applicants get to interview, but you don’t? For a fantastic CV you need to start at the beginning, so we’ll start with some good advice. Invest in a help book about CVs or look for a course similar to ‘Go...Get That Job’ provided by Pitman Training, which takes you through the entire CV process. Or if you’re just after the essentials, we’ve given you these excellent tips for free.

We wish you every good fortune with your job search and future career.

Do...

• Keep it short. Sentences and paragraphs should be brief and to the point. Your CV should be no more than 2 pages of A4.
• Keep everything relevant. Think like the employer will, and don’t include things they don’t need to know.
• Tell the truth.
• Keep it positive. Present everything in a positive way, even things that could have gone better – show that you’re learning something new and moving on.
• Include your hobbies & interests – but only those that show your strengths and have some relevance for the position eg: team building, creativeness, etc.
• Use present tense active verb phrases, such as ‘working at’ (not worked at), ‘learning’ (not learned) etc.

Don’t...

• Use abbreviations, jargon or slang words and phrases.
• Include references, unless they are a particularly strong selling point.
• Leave gaps. Always account for all of the time since you left school, providing more detail for the last three to five years.
• Include salary history or salary expectations. That’s a negotiation point for later.
• Put in irrelevant information e.g. height, weight, marital status, etc.

Detail...

• Are you into Social Networking? If so, review your profile and comments – if you can, check carefully also for what others may have said about you! Employers do look.
• Start with a first draft and expect to edit it again and again, until it is perfect!
• Check your spelling and grammar. Then check it again.
• Proof-read it carefully. Print it out and don’t rely on screen proofed work
• Get someone else to look over your CV for any errors you might have missed.