This is your first opportunity to make an impression and get noticed so you must ensure that your CV works for you. This is your sales tool and should emphasise your suitability for the role for which you are applying. Make sure, therefore, that you do not send off a standard CV for each job application but that you target your CV for the role and highlight appropriate qualities and experience pertaining to that particular job.
Make sure that you keep your CV short and to the point – more than two pages induces boredom. The bullet point style ensures easy reading. Most important of all is to check that you have no typing or grammatical errors in your CV so have someone proofread it for you once you have completed it.
A good, clear format is essential as demonstrated below:
Name :
Personal Profile/Objectives :
Nationality :
Ability to work in UK : (i.e. British passport, work permit, ancestry visa, etc.)
Driver/car owner : (including full, clean driving licence)
Education : Here you need only put brief details of your secondary and tertiary education listing most recent achievements first, i.e. Masters/Bachelors Degrees/A-Levels/GCSEs. It is not necessary to list all your GCSE subjects and grades, only list the number of passes but do give your degree title and grade. Also add any additional training/qualifications you may have received.
Employment details : Start with your most recent employer and work backwards giving the most comprehensive details of the two most recent jobs and brief details of previous jobs. Also ensure that you account for any gaps in your employment record. Also list any in-house training you may have received in any of your jobs.
Company Name:
Job Title/Position:
Dates of employment :
Duties/responsibilities/projects:
Reason for leaving:
Conclude with your personal interests such as music, theatre, gymnastics or whatever and finally, give details of two employment referees. These should be your two most recent employers.