Your CV
Your CV is an essential career document needed to present yourself
effectively in the job market. A good CV will considerably boost your
chances of getting a face-to-face interview by highlighting relevant
skills, experience and value to a potential boss.
There are no rights and wrongs when it comes to writing and presenting
a CV, and each document will be as individual as the jobseeker it
belongs to. However, by following some basic principles you will be
able to present the information in a clear, concise and persuasive
way.
You may need to put together more than one CV if you intend to apply
for different types of job across different sectors. This will enable
you to emphasise the particular achievements, skills, experience and
personality qualities that a particular employer is looking for. It
is usually possible to tell what an employer is looking for from the
job advertisement or job description; alternatively you may need to
research the role and the company yourself to ensure that your CV
has the right focus.
Content
An employer will expect to find information covering the following
areas:
Personal details - include your name, address, phone numbers and
email address. You may wish to add details of your nationality,
birth date and driving licence, but this is not obligatory.
Work experience - list the most recent experience first, as it brings
to the fore the most recent and, often relevant and responsible
work. Describe your work experience in short sentences using straightforward,
positive language. As well as describing the job, point out any
general qualities that arose from the work such as ability to manage
staff or work to tight deadlines.
Education - list brief details of qualifications - GCSEs, A-levels,
degree - along with grades attained. Applicants looking for their
first job since school college or university can include their education
information before work experience.
Skills - include specific skills such as IT skills or languages.
References - it is usual to provide the names and contact details
of two referees, one of which should be your most recent employer.
Graduates and school leavers with limited work experience can nominate
college lecturers, teachers or managers during work experience.
Be sure to tell your referees in advance, so they will be prepared.
Hobbies - including details of your interests away from the workplace
is optional. By adding details of specific hobbies, you are giving
an employer a more rounded picture of your personal qualities, don’t
overdo it. Do not use a long list of hobbies to cover up a lack
of work experience.
Interview tips
While some interview questions are easy to answer, others can make
or break you. Here are some tips for getting through the more difficult
(and sometimes bizarre) ones.
Tell Me a Story.
Hmm! Before you launch into Alice in Wonderland, find out what kind
of story they want to hear. Asking for clarification shows you are
thoughtful and won't go on wild goose chases in the office if difficult
projects aren't spelled out for you in advance.
Once you learn the type of story requested, create your very short
tale around a time that you accomplished something great. Keep it
short and sweet, and remember: Always make yourself look good. Think
of this as them asking, "What don't I know about you that I
should?" or "What skills do you have that could make you
do this job well?"
What Is a Weakness of Yours?
It's not just the brainteasers that will stump you. Some of the
old classics can trip you up as well. The rule of thumb is to take
a negative trait and make it sound like an asset. For example, say
you are a stickler for meeting deadlines and will stay on top of
a project until it is done according to your specifications, which
may cause you to sometimes work late nights. Again -- just make
yourself sound good.
What Do You Think of Your Last Boss?
Be careful. Respond concisely in a way that indicates your respect
for authority and your ability to get along with superiors.
How Would You Deal with a High-Strung Personality?
If asked any question that relates to how you'd deal with a difficult
personality, answer, and then ask why the interviewer is asking.
It's best to find out early if you're interviewing for a job with
a lunatic so you can quit pursuing the job.
Tell Me a Little About Yourself.
Always be prepared for this question, or you'll end up droning on
and on. Make your answer short and sweet. Also, feel free to get
clarification from the interviewer: Any area you'd prefer to hear
about? My education? Experience?
Generally, you want to tie your answer into a professional attribute
or two, for example: "I work well with others," "My
strong organizational skills end up making me the leader in most
projects I'm on," or "I approach anything I do with gusto
and put in 150 percent." Or if you're a great communicator,
say so and state how that attribute has helped you in your career.
It doesn't have to be a difficult question if you think of it as,
"Tell me something great about yourself." But you should
be prepared.
How Do I Rate as an Interviewer?
Even if you think the interviewer belongs in the Clown Hall of Fame,
don't voice an ounce of criticism. You could say it's been a tough
interview (if it has), and that you hope you are providing enough
information for the person to make an informed decision. You could
toss this back at the interviewer and ask, "How well do you
think I would fit the job?" But be careful -- you might not
like what the person has to say.
At the interview
Do:
Turn up on time and be nice to everyone you meet from the receptionist
onwards - you never know who might have a say in your appointment.
Make the most of your research - mention some of the facts you have
gleaned from the media, etc
Make sure you talk to everyone if it is a panel interview rather
than directing your answers at one or two people only
Find out as much as you can about the job - how else will you be
able to decide if they make you an offer? For example, you should
want to know who the job reports to and why it has become vacant
If the first interview is with a recruitment consultant, pump him
or her for as much information as possible about the organisation
and the job
Don't:
Be late - in fact arrive ten minutes early
Criticise current or previous employers
Answer a question with another question
Interrupt the interviewers - although they may interrupt you
Leave without finding out when you will hear if you have made it
to the next round of the recruitment process, and what that entails
Ensuring your CV is well presented and easy to follow is as important
as including all the relevant information. Most employers see hundreds
of CVs and yours may get less than a minute of their time.
Most people follow a historical CV format, as this is familiar
to employers and is easy to write with employment history placed
in chronological order. It also gives a good idea of career progression.
However, if your career history is fragmented due to career breaks
or a period of unemployment, you may consider a skills-based CV
that highlights your abilities and aptitudes. It gives you the chance
to describe what you can do, rather than detailing a list of jobs.
Whatever your choice, your CV should look clear and tidy with all
the information easy to find. Although it is tempting to make your
CV stand out by using, for example, coloured paper or an arty layout,
it is best to stick to black print on good quality white paper.
Most employers will expect to find the information under clear headings
highlighted in bold or capitals, such as WORK EXPERIENCE or EDUCATION.
Put dates on the left-hand side and indent information to make it
easy for employers to find their way through your history.
Do:
Use a confident tone and positive language
Concentrate on your achievements not your responsibilities. This
means listing things you have done - such as products launched,
sales increase, awards won - not rewriting your job description.
Quote figures whenever possible
Make your most relevant experience and skills prominent to encourage
the employer to read on
Keep it to the point and concentrate on the quality of your achievements,
not the quantity
List other skills that could raise you above the competition such
as languages, driving licence, IT skills
Be ruthless with yourself and keep it to a maximum of two pages.
Only very senior, experienced, executives have more
Check thoroughly for correct spelling and grammar - spotting errors
is a quick and easy way of weeding out weaker candidates when faced
with a mountain of CVs to read
Get a second opinion from someone you trust
Include examples of your work, if appropriate
Use good quality paper - white is usually best
Don't:
Leave any gaps in your work record - employers may assume the worst,
for example that you were sacked
Lie - many employers use information service companies or sophisticated
new software to check CV details for accuracy, including educational
qualifications, places of study and the veracity of job references
List all the one-day training courses you have ever been on
Include a photo unless you know the employer wants one
Fax it without sending a copy in the post as well
Use elaborate fonts, or colours – keep it simple
Forget it's just a tool for getting you an interview. The CV will
not land you the job alone, the rest is up to you |