Preparing your CV can be a daunting task for many people, though you should view the time spent as a good investment, as a well written and presented CV will aid you in getting that all important interview!
CV’s should be classed as a summary document that can be easily read and understood by the recruiter. As a general overview our top tips for preparing a good CV are:
To be Honest
The document needs to reflect your career experience, skills and achievements as honestly and accurately as possible. Remember that recruitment agencies and employers will check the detail and misleading information can lead to embarrassment.
To follow a Standard Style
The content is more important and this will stand out from the crowd not the font type or size. Keep to two A4 pages, use a simple font i.e. Arial and an acceptable ‘reading size’ i.e. 10 or 12 and only use underlining or bold to highlight key words.
To use this running order
Your CV should include the following information and ideally in this order;
- personal details,
- objective,
- attributes and benefits,
- achievements,
- employment history (latest first) and
- education & training
Be spelt correctly
Before you send the CV out, it is highly recommended that you proof read it (or get a trusted friend to do it for you) and use a ‘spell checker’, a small error can totally destroy your credibility that a well prepared CV has created