CV Advice

Taking your time to put together your CV will be time well spent. This is likely to be the first thing that an employer sees from you and will be essential in ensuring that you progress to an interview. This section of our site provides you with some simple guidance to help you produce your CV.

1. Prepare everything you need

  • Collate together all the information you think you will need - for example exam results, names of previous employers together with the dates you worked for them etc
  • Contact people who you may wish to use as referees and if possible get them to supply you with a written reference for your files CV's should be typed and well presented.

2. Set out a suitable structure

  • First, type out in full your contact information
  • Then you have a choice, you can go straight into your skills and career summary or you can do an introductory paragraph outlining your key objectives - a little bit about who you are, what you are looking for, why you are applying for the position job etc
  • The employer obviously wants to know about your past experience and this will come under your skills and career section. List your most recent job first - remember to include all details: dates, location, position(s) held etc. Give details of your most important responsibilities and highlight the positive things that you achieved
  • Skills - Today' employer wants to know exactly what technical skills you will be bringing into the company, so list all your technical and computer skills and the computer programmes you are able to use. Also list any foreign languages that you may have and any additional skills
  • Education - Again list your most recent education first - degree\management diploma's down to your school day qualifications
  • Hobbies - This is optional and largely depends on whether they are relevant to the work that you are applying for
  • References - Mention the names of your referees - an employee will request further details if they want them

3. Make it relevant

  • Tailor your CV depending on the job that you are applying for - highlighting the relevant qualifications you have for that particular job
  • Keep everything concise; remember the employer will have had to read through quite a few! 

4. Work on your presentation

  • Presentation is all important and the first thing to land on your potential employer’s desk is your CV so it has to be good. 
  • Choose simple, easy to read fonts and print on clean reasonable quality paper - If posting your CV type the envelope, if at all possible. (Always take copies of your CV along to an interview as back up)

5. Check before you send

  • Read through your CV several times, edit it and ask a friend or family member to have a look at it for you.
  • Check and double check your spelling! Simple mistakes at this stage could mean your potential is overlooked.

Good luck!