How to write a great CV

How to write a great CV

A well written CV and focused cover letter are a great way to demonstrate to an organisation why you are the best candidate - one step closer to getting your dream role!

These are our hints and tips on how to write a great CV:  

1.    What to include 

• Your full name and contact details such as address, contact number and email – unless the recruiting organisation has asked that these are excluded due to ‘anonymous recruitment’
• Personal statement or profile section – this is a concise overview of your skills, experience, and achievements and how these complement the role you’re applying for
• Your work experience and employment history with the most recent at the top. Include your job title, name of the company, dates of employment, key responsibilities, skills demonstrated and achievements. Ensure that you provide evidence of your key skills, for example, instead of ‘good team player’ give an example of how you have demonstrated this 
• Your education history with the most recent at the top. Read the advert and person specification carefully to check the qualifications required for the role – if your qualification is key to your application you may wish to include grade / degree classification and information on specific modules. It is unlikely that you’ll need to include all your Level 2 & 3 qualification grades, but you may need to highlight achievements in English and Maths for example
• You may wish to add specific sections on skills and achievements if they are relevant to the role you’re applying for 

2.    Presentation & formatting 

• Keep it brief – two sides of A4 is usually ideal 
• Use simple professional fonts which are clear and easy to read such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri in size 12 
• Ensure it is easy to read – use section headings, bullet points (where appropriate) and avoid the temptation to squeeze in extra information 
• Keep the formatting and presentation consistent throughout 

3.    Tailor & personalise 

• It isn’t necessary to tailor your entire CV for each role you apply to, but it is a good idea to personalise your personal statement / profile and ensure that the skills, competencies & experience required by the employer are easily identified in your CV
• Some organisations do use software to complete the first sift of applications and this will be looking for specific keywords that match those in the advert and person specification

4.    Things to consider

• There’s no need to head up the document ‘CV’, ‘Résumé’ or ‘Curriculum Vitae’ – your full name will suffice 
• Check your spelling and punctuation – ideally ask someone else to also proof-read the document too 
• Ensure your email address is professional and appropriate 
• Save your document with a useful title e.g., ‘Joe Bloggs CV’ 
• Keep your CV up to date – once you’ve crafted a great CV, update it as you go to ensure it is always ready for your next application 

Hopefully these hints & tips will help you write a great CV and secure the next move in your career! Good luck from team WMJobs!