Press releases

September 2010
CV Guide

At some stage during the recruitment process you will be asked to provide a CV. This is the only document that an employer has to judge you on, so be positive. Your CV is your personal sales brochure and it is essential that it is clear, concise and contains up to date relevant information. More importantly, it needs to be an accurate and honest reflection of your education and work attainments to date.

Font
We suggest you use a single font, like Verdana or Arial, which are both very legible.
Italics are the most difficult type of font or character type to read.
Keep it simple.
Everything you can do to help the reader will be useful. Rather than use too many different sizes to highlight and make an impact, use the bold command instead.

Format
Keep your CV to a maximum of three pages – two pages would be better – and fill it with information that is relevant to the job.

Content and Structure
Make sure your CV has a clear structure – include career overview, skills overview, qualifications (education/professional) and employment history.
Make sure ALL your contact information is on there i.e. mob no, home no, full address with postcode and email address.
Employers often make up their mind from reading the initial summary and key skills. Create a compelling summary on the first page and include a list of your key skills and key applications in bold. Note the quantity of experience you have for each key skill.
This is a document that is supposed to be written by you, about you, so use the letter ‘I’. Employers look for people who can be accountable for their actions.
Bullet points break up a CV well. Employers want to get straight to the salient points so direct them there. Important information should stand out but avoid using just one or two words.

Each bullet point should give the reader a feel for:
When you instigated a particular idea or project
When you are or were responsible for a particular task
When you assisted on a particular task
If you have been personally responsible for substantial revenue growth; and/or cost reduction; team building etc
Give the reader a feel for the type of tasks and responsibilities that you can cope with and how proactive you have been.
Think about how you can break down projects you have worked on into specific tasks. Give examples of any ad hoc projects and the issues they tackled.
Your CV and interview are the only chances you've got to advertise yourself. Make sure you stand out.

Dos and Don’ts
Dos
Ideally your CV should be no more than two pages. Think quality, not quantity. Any pages after a third are generally a waste.
Communicate your strengths, your achievements, your initiative and your personality; in short, your credibility and suitability.
Put the greatest emphasis on your most recent positions. Summarise older roles. Include dates and months of employment for each.
Be positive – don’t be too modest and don’t lie about your experience.
Tailor your CV to each job application. Tailor the CV to the company/department and position whenever possible. Although this may be time-consuming, it could just make a difference!

Don’ts
Don’t make false or exaggerated claims; honesty is always the best policy.
Don’t provide personal information such as weight, height, and place of birth or hobbies.
Don’t enclose a picture.
Don’t include your required salary.
Don’t put the names of referee’s.

A badly prepared CV undermines the credibility of its contents. Always check spelling and keep font type and size consistent throughout. If you cannot produce a professional document about yourself, an employer may conclude that you are unlikely to have the competence to fill an important job.