CV Advice
Most jobseekers claim to be experts in CV writing but unfortunately many fail miserably. Misinformation about the CV and its purpose has resulted in many rejections in the job market. Three key elements dictate CV success and these are; a focused approach to writing the content, where the information is placed on the CV and how easy the CV is on the reader’s eye. A CV has one main function and that is to get you to interview. A well constructed CV can do much more. It can ensure that the employer is praying that you interview well and solve their problem.
This article will take a look at CV content under the key headings normally found on a CV. Personal Details – Your personal details should be clear and accurate. I have often received CV’s and not been able to contact the owner because of inaccurate contact details. Personal details will normally be found at the top of a CV and include name, address, phone numbers, and email address. Just a little tip on email addresses – have a professional email address on your CV. Value Statement – Quite a few CV’s I read include a personal profile. I think they are a waste of space because they are not tailored for each job and they normally focus on what the jobseekers want and not what they can offer. A value statement, on the other hand, is not about what you want BUT instead what you offer the employer. A value statement is a short statement which captures how you meet the requirements of the job. It is the appetizer and serves the purpose of making the employer read your CV for the main course. Education & Training - Education should always be listed in reverse chronological order with most recent read first. The only exception to this rule is if you want a particular qualification to be read first. If you have excessive training and courses try to focus on the important and relevant ones. The positioning of Education will depend on whether you meet the minimum requirements. If you don’t it would be crazy to have Education at the top of your CV. Work History – Again normally listed in reverse chronological order. There are exceptions to this for example you want to bring a particular work experience to the fore. Work History must include the date of employment, company title and job title. It will also list your duties, responsibilities while incorporating achievements. IMPORTANT: Focus your content on what the employer wants and not on what you want to write. Additional Information – This can act as a catch other information section. It can include information that could add weight to your application but does not warrant front page of the CV status. Hobbies & Interests - There is mixed opinion about Hobbies & Interests particularly for more senior CV’s. My views are as follows. They are potentially important for a number of reasons. You may have interests that are relevant to the job at hand. Also because most interviewers will start the interview talking about this stuff. Remember people like people like themselves. If you do have similar interests to the interviewer this is positive. References – By all means list these at the bottom of the CV but I fell it is enough to write “References available on request”. This Article was posted by Paul Mullan. Paul is a leading Career Coach in Ireland. His company Measurability offers a wide range of career service to jobseekers across Ireland including CV & Writing Services. Interested in more CV Writing Tips? Measurability www.measurability.ie 0871223308 |
