CV help

Updating your CV

Every hiring manager has their own preferences – some like it brief, some like a comprehensive approach but in general the below tips and advice will help ensure you have everything covered.

• Tailor a CV to a specific job – it is vital to ensure the script is relevant to each job application, rather than sending the same generic CV.
• Keep it simple – it should be easy to read and use active language. Two or 3 pages of A4 is enough with a mini profile included in the first half page.
• Include key information – personal details, including name, address, phone number, email address and any professional social media presence should be clear.
• Showcase achievements – offer evidence of how targets were exceeded, improvements made and ideas created, but always be honest.
• Check and double check – avoid sloppy errors, take a fresh look the next day and ask for a second opinion from a trusted friend or colleague.

Basic information

Basic information on a CV should start with:

• Full name and title
• Address
• Phone number
• Email address
• Nationality, visa status and expiry date
• Education
• Professional qualifications
• Current salary
• Required salary (approx)
• Notice period
• Interview notice required
• Summary ( a paragraph )
• Key skills in years / months and when last used

Previous employment

Then for each job starting with your current or last employer and working back:

• Dates
• Company name and brief description of what they do if necessary
• Job Title
• Then bullet points of what you did there/ duties and achievements
• Reason for leaving the last 2 roles at least and current one certainly.

Checklist

• Check spelling and grammar.
• Don’t use a photo.
• Make it a word document not a pdf.
• Recent roles need more detail, 10 yrs ago just brief dates and titles.
• Don’t use fancy formatting / multiple colours.
• Keep it real.
• Ditch the thesaurus and jargon.
• If you wish to include hobbies and outside work interests that is fine, some do, some don’t.

Once you have a generic Word CV set up you can then tailor it for specific roles – good luck !