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Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Your CV should be a brief, factual account of your qualifications and employment history to date, communicating clearly what you have to offer an organisation. The purpose of the CV is not to get you a job, but to open doors and get you in front of a prospective employer for an interview, then hopefully eventually your ideal job.

When preparing your CV you should tailor it to the particular role and organisation you are applying for, otherwise a CV can become a rather dull chronological list of your working life so far.

Taking this approach will help you to decide what to put into your CV and in what order. It will also give the impression that you have really taken time to think about the job you are applying for.

What to include:

• Name, address and contact telephone number
• Profile
  This should be an eye-catching summary about yourself and your work experience that will help your CV stand out from others immediately.
• Skills
  A summary of the skills you have acquired during your working life.
• Employment history
  Included should be the name of your employer, the start and end dates and your job title, listing the most recent first and then working backwards. Try and quantify your achievements where possible and show what you accomplished in each position.
• Education
• Personal Interests
  List only those about which you are genuinely enthusiastic.

Presentation is everything, as a prospective employer's first impression will be based on your CV. Here are some simple rules:

• Use a good quality paper, white is best in case prospective employers wish to fax or photocopy your CV to the relevant people.
• Keep your CV concise.
• Check for spelling, grammatical and typographical errors and make sure the layout is organised.
• Keep the language simple and avoid using jargon and clichés.
• Don't ramble on. But on balance, make sure it is not too sparse either, giving only the essentials.
• Make it attractive, but not showy. Avoid it being 'gimmicky' unless the job you are applying for is a creative one and this may be more acceptable.
• Don't include referees or salary details at this stage, or enclose a photograph, unless requested to do so.
• Make sure there is plenty ink in your printer to ensure good quality prints or photocopies for easy reading.

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