CV Surgery
How to write a great CV
Your CV should offer a clear and factual outline of your skills and experience.
A standard CV includes the following sections:
Personal details
Name, address, contact details. If you don’t include the last one you’ll never know if you got the interview!
Career profile
This can be a couple of sentences outlining what you do and where you are going, eg ‘highly qualified architect with ten years’ industry experience hoping to make his next move in residential design’
Employment History
Start with the most recent employer and include job title and dates worked at this company. Mention any responsibilities, success or targets met, giving examples where possible so the recruiter really gets a flavour of what you have achieved.
Education and skills
Start with your most recent qualification and work backwards. Focus on the qualifications that are most relevant to the position you are applying for, including any extra training courses or voluntary work you have taken on.
Referees
Pick two referees, preferably the ones who were impressed with your work rather than the ones who sacked you for poor timekeeping! This could be your most recent employer or a tutor from university.
Remember, there’s no excuses for mistakes on CVs, so however good your spelling and grammar are, always get someone else to look through it. Don’t just rely on a computer spell-checker.
And one final word of warning – while you should aim to put a positive spin on everything you include in your CV, don’t lie. It will easily be picked up by potential employers and you’ll be put on the spot if you get an interview.
