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WRITING YOUR CV ( RESUME)

Those who have been most successful in getting jobs have written or re-written their standard CV to fit the particular vacancy for which they are applying. The idea of a standard CV that you can use for any vacancy will generally not get you very far.

Writing your CV should start with a detailed look at the vacancy, so firstly you need to look at the basics.

What is the employer's need and how will you satisfy that need?

Every vacancy represents a problem that the employer has to fix, so what makes you unique in bringing a solution to that problem?

Start by learning as much as you can about the company, the people, the products or services. Check out their website, look at their Public relations section and see what's coming up. What are they promoting? Also it is worth checking out the social media, as many now have Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter etc. Remember the more information you dig up, the more you have to convince the reader of your CV, that you warrant an interview. Remember, you're not applying for a job..you're applying for THAT job .and to quote that old cliché 'you don't get a second chance to make a first impression'.


Format

Employers are busy people, so you have to get their interest in a matter of seconds! However great you are, however much experience you've gained, remember you're not writing a novel. Employers want two or three pages at most and you'll catch their attention far better if they can see one or two highly relevant bits of information on the front page.


Personal Statement

Start your CV with your name, address and contact details at the top, followed by a personal statement. Your personal statement gives the employer some idea of what you are like as a person.

Set out your professional and personal skills to show how relevant and effective you will be in the job. Let the employer know what drives you., that you are a team player, looking to advance your career and have solid demonstrable management skills etc.


Presenting your job history.

Start with what you're doing Now and work your way backwards.

You should set out your responsibilities and achievements – in particular, were you in charge of staff? How many and what levels? What budgets did you manage? What promotions did you get? What were your prime directives and how did you achieve them?

How many previous jobs you describe in detail depends on circumstances. The general rule is to set out details of jobs in the last 5+ years and list others with brief description of what you did. The employer will be looking for some sense of consistency - a career plan, so don't go into great detail about jobs that are not entirely relevant to the vacancy you're applying for.


Remember that the employer is going to be interested in what you did yourself in the job rather that what department, team or the company achieved as a whole. It's you they'll be hiring (hopefully) and it will be you and your skills which will solve their problem.


Writing style

Keep the language simple and the sentences short. Confident, business like.and decisive.


Qualifications

List your professional qualifications, membership of any professional body, and any relevant courses you've been on. When you've done that list other academic qualifications


Other skills

List software packages you work with, spoken or written languages in fact other skills which whilst not directly demanded by the vacancy will show an employer that they are getting added value by employing you.


Interests and hobbies

This gives the employer some idea of “the whole person “ so if you do voluntary work at weekends, run Marathons, collect beermats or whatever, then put it down (maybe not the beermats)


Personal History

Remember that employers have no right to know your age, ethnicity, marital status or religious affiliation, so, if you don't want to give this information, leave it out .

Lastly, reread, reread, reread, before you submit your CV. Its a well know fact that ours eyes see what they expect to see and its very easy to miss that typo error on a first read through. Get someone else to read it as its better to be diligent, than to have a prospective employer toss an unread CV in the bin due to a simple spelling mistake. Good luck.


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