CV Tips

A good CV can often make the difference between getting an interview and remaining at the bottom of the pile!  It is your opportunity to create that all important first impression and of selling yourself to a prospective employer.

When it comes to writing your CV, there are no hard and fast rules, but here are some general tips and advice that you may find useful:

  • CV purpose: The purpose of a CV is to persuade a potential employer that you can do the job on offer. Make sure that your skills and achievements are highlighted and tailored to the job you are applying for, in particular your multilingual abilities.
  • CV length: Ideally a CV should take up 2 pages of A4 paper, and never more than 3 pages!
  • CV presentation: Choose a clear typeface and never leave gaps in your CV: always mention if you spent a year abroad, went travelling etc.
  • CV sections: Try to split your CV into logical sections with separate headings such as personal details, education, work experience etc.  This way a potential employer can easily identify relevant information as they go along.
  • What information should be included on the CV?

These are general guidelines to assist you in writing your CV, in the order in which they might appear:

  • Personal information – name, address, contact details etc.
  • Education – start with the most recent first.  Include your degree classification (if appropriate) and your ‘A’ Level results (or equivalent).  It is not usually necessary to mention your GCSE grades (or equivalent).
  • Work experience – again, start with the most recent (current) job first and work backwards.
  • Additional skills – here is the ideal opportunity to list all of your language skills, don’t forget to include your mother tongue as well as the other languages you speak/understand and the level of fluency.  You can also include IT skills in this section.Interests – it is useful to mention two or three hobbies in this section – they could be a talking point at interview.
  • References – these can be listed on the CV (usually two names, addresses and contact details) or you can just write ‘References available on request’.

 

Don’t forget that your Consultant is always happy to offer advice or constructive comments about your CV or simply to discuss ideas with you.