In order to embark on a successful job search, your CV needs to stand out from the crowd. It is the first impression given to recruiters and employers and will determine whether you get the call to discuss the vacancy; make it count.
General Tips
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Keep the CV short at two to three pages, including clear, concise, relevant content.
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Tailor your CV to the specific job you are applying for, highlighting skills and achievements that are relevant to the position.
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Include a keys skills and key achievements section (see below for details)
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Gaps in career history should be explained.
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All details provided should be checked for accuracy.
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Use bullet points where possible.
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Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors must be avoided at all costs. Read through your CV thoroughly before sending. Don’t rely solely on spellcheck.
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Keep the formatting of your CV simple and ensure it will not be lost once emailed.
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Use a sensible black font.
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Avoid the use of tables, text boxes, pictures or logos.
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Do not write in the third person.
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Create your CV in Word where possible to ensure the recipient will not run into any issues when opening the document.
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You should keep your CV up to date whether you’re looking for a job or not.
Ensure your CV contains the following sections:
Personal Details
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Include full, accurate and up to date contact details at the top of the CV; name, address, mobile number, landline and email address. Ensure your personal email address is professionally appropriate.
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There is no need to put your DOB, Sex, Marital Status, or Religious Beliefs on your CV
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Your right or eligibility to work in the UK and Nationality should be clearly marked.
Profile
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This should be a brief paragraph or two outlining skills and attributes that make you a good candidate for the role.
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Briefly cover your background, relevant skills and an insight into you as an individual.
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Use words that are relevant to the job role you’re applying for.
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Include factual, accurate information that can be backed up at interview.
Key Skills
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List your main technical and/or personal skills. This will help recruiters to find you when searching on job boards using keywords.
Key Achievements
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List several key achievements that are relevant to the role you are applying for.
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It is preferable to use examples that happened recently.
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Include quantifiable achievements within your examples wherever possible.
Career History
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Start with your most recent job first and work back from there.
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Include dates of employment (months and years), employers name and your job title.
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List your relevant experience with descriptions of your duties at each position, including what you gained from this.
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Do not leave any gaps in your employment history. Acknowledge any career gaps accordingly.
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Do not disclose your salary.
Education
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Use the same format as your career history, listing you qualifications in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent.
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Do not include professional training and / or qualifications in this section.
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Recent graduates should provide adequate detail about their course, especially anything relevant to the job you are applying for.
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Include subjects, grades, institutions and course dates.
Professional Training/Skills
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As above, put in reverse chronological order.
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Include subjects, grades, institutions and course dates.
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Include any professional memberships along with dates.
Hobbies and Interests
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List any interests that are relevant to the job.
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Including some detail of your hobbies / interests can make you appear as a more rounded individual and may help build rapport at interview.
References
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References available on request are all that is required.