How do you write a CV?

How to Write a CV?

Figuring out how to write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) can be a difficult task, especially if you are starting from thin air.
There is no exact way of producing a CV, but there is specific information that you should include.
We recommend you should include:

• Personal Details
• Summary/Statement
• Work Experience
• Educational Background
• Interests/Hobbies

Personal Details

You would be amazed how many people forget to include their personal details within their CV.
The details that are usually included are as follows:

• Full name
• Email
• Contact phone number
• Address.

Summary

This section is usually the first section in a CV. Therefore it is essential that the summary/personal statement should:

• explain YOU
• Who you are
• What you are looking for
• and possibly why you would be suitable for the position you are applying for.

This section is usually kept brief and to the point (A paragraph is more than enough).

Work Experience

This section should include all of your relevant work experience. You should show your current or most recent role first.
The work experience section should include as follows:

• The job title
• The name of the organisation where you worked
• Dates you were in the role
• Your key responsibilities in the role

Educational Background

In this section your educational background and academic achievements should be listed. They should include:

• Dates
• Type of qualification
• Grade you achieved

Interests/Hobbies

This section isn't always required, but mentioning skills or hobbies that relate to the position you are applying for can back up your skills, give you credibility  and help you to stand out from the other applications.
I have actually found that this section in my cv has given more topics of conversation and interest in a interview than any other.
One big tip though - If it does not add value, leave it out.

Other information to add to a CV if required

Skills/ Competencies

This is something that recruiters may ask you to list as part of your interview preparation, even if not included in your CV
Key competencies are specific qualities that a company's recruiters have decided are desirable for employees to possess. These key competencies are used as benchmarks that assessors use to rate and evaluate candidates during the interview and assessment process.
A firm will usually isolate several key skills or core competencies to look for in candidates at interview. You will be graded in terms of each competency based upon your answers to competency based questions.
Some of the more popular Competencies employers like to use are as follows:

• Teamwork
• Responsibility
• Commitment to career
• Commercial awareness
• Career motivation
• Decision making
• Communication
• Leadership
• Trustworthiness & Ethics
• Results oriented
• Problem solving
• Organisation skills
• Top Technical Skills

It is a good idea to think about these competencies and relate them to you, your life and career. Think about ways in which you have demonstrated these competencies and give examples.
Take a look at our previous article giving top 5 interview tips for more information on preparing for that special interview.

Another tip is that every CV should be tailored to the role you’re applying for. Make sure you relate everything to the specific role that you apply for. Any other information on your CV is just not required.

The old adage that says, "the more work you put in to something, the more you get out of it" is not more true than with applying for jobs.
We hope you have learnt something useful in this blog, "How to write a CV?"
Good luck  to you all!!!


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