Secrets of a Successful CV
I recently revised and typed up a CV for a customer and it served as a reminder of some important points to bear in mind when putting together this document. Nowadays, when competition for jobs is so fierce, your CV must catch the eye of the prospective employer and not end up as another reject. So, in no particular order, some pointers might be:
Name and contact details at the top of the page, including an email address or mobile phone number, so that the HR Department has no difficulty in contacting you with that all important letter or phone call.
Include, at the beginning, a 20 to 25-word strap line, which is a brief description of your experience and strengths tailored to the job.
Keep it brief. Two sides of A4 if possible although, obviously, this cannot always be achieved.
Choose a style and size of font that is easy to read – nothing fancy and not typed in upper case. Also use a good quality paper.
Chronology of employment and education/qualifications should be listed with the most recent at the beginning, as this is more relevant than what you were doing 30 years ago.
You don’t have to include your date of birth, but your age can be easily worked out by the dates you attended Secondary School, for example.
Inclusion of interests and hobbies is not compulsory, but it does give an idea of your personality.
Other information to include could be your state of health, possession of a driving licence, or some detail that is relevant to the job.
Finally, double-check for any mistakes – and good luck!
