CVs (Curriculum Vitae)

A CV is both:

• A document that contains your personal, educational and employment detailsand
• An advert to market yourself to an employer. It needs to make you look interesting enough to invite to an interview

Some CV Examples

What should a CV include?

A CV will usually include your:

• Name, address, email address and contact number
• Personal profile
• Education history and qualifications
• Skills and work experience – including paid work, work experience and voluntary placements
• Particular skills. For example a First Aid certificate or a driving licence
• Hobbies and interests – particularly if these include responsibilities and skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for
• Two References (or ‘References available on request’).

What should a CV look like?

Your CV should be:

• Word-processed
• Short, punchy, jargon-free and to the point – no more than 2 pages
• Neat and tidy
• Checked for spelling and grammar
• Clear with a simple font and size which is easy to read – for example, Arial 12
• Not ‘jazzed up’ with different fonts, bright colours, borders or clip art
• Up to date
• Not have any gaps in your education/employment history
• Tailored so that it is relevant for each job you apply for

CV Advice from real employers:

CV Speak

You may think you don’t have anything to put on your CV – you haven’t got good qualifications, you haven’t done any voluntary work, you don’t have any special responsibilities at school or college and you haven’t had a full-time job. You may believe that you haven’t got any skills to include – but that’s unlikely.

You will have ‘transferable skills’ that you probably use every day – at home, school, college. An example is ‘being a good communicator’ – someone who is sympathetic, a good listener and able to help others to sort out their problems. This skill is needed for a range of different jobs, for example, a doctor, shop assistant or a teacher.

Think about what you’re good at, how others would describe you, things that you are proud of and what your day to day life involves. Then think about the transferable skills that these demonstrate and turn these into ‘CV Speak’. Here are some ideas:

Use positive ‘buzz’ words:

Use sentences starting with:

Include phrases like:

Emphasise your good qualities:

Include experience:

Include any special skills:

Include accomplishments, achievements and skills you have developed in your social life or out of school activities: