Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > CVs & Job Applications > Creating the perfect CV
Creating the perfect CV
The growth of online job hunting has increased the spotlight on CVs with many employers now searching CV databases for potential candidates. A great CV highlighting relevant skills and experience will considerably boost your chances of getting an interview, whereas a poor one could ruin your chances before you've even begun. When submitting individual job applications, you should tailor your CV to each role to emphasise the reasons why you're right for the job.
On average, a recruiter will spend just eight seconds reviewing a CV, so it's important to get it right. If you follow a basic structure, you can present the information in a clear, concise and persuasive way:
Personal details
Include your name, address, phone numbers and email address. You might also wish to include details about your nationality, age and driving licence, but these are not essential.
Work experience
List the most recent experience first, continuing in reverse chronological order. Describe your work experience in short sentences using straightforward, positive language and highlight your key achievements.
Education
List brief details of your academic and professional qualifications along with the grades attained. Applicants looking for their first job since leaving education should include this information above their work experience.
Skills
Include specific skills such as IT packages or languages and state whether you're at a basic, intermediate or advanced level.
References
It's not necessary to note the details of your referees on your CV, but you should state that details of references are available on request. If this is your first job, it is a good idea to nominate tutors or mentors. Do not forget to ask your referees first for permission to cite them.
Hobbies
Including these is optional, but keep them short if you do. If your skills haven't already persuaded recruiters to offer you an interview, the fact that you enjoy a round of golf won't change their mind. The idea is to give the interviewer a more rounded picture and, perhaps, something more personal to discuss with you.
Presentation
Keep your CV to two sides. It should look clean and tidy with no frills or fancy attachments, and all the information should be clearly signposted. If you are printing and posting your CV, stick to good quality white paper.
Useful links
Totaljobs.com > Career Advice > CVs & Job Applications > Creating the perfect CV
Search for a job with totaljobs.com.
