CV Preparation

Put simply, your CV represents your initial contact with a prospective employer, who will form their first impression of you from it. Consequently, it is vital that your CV ‘markets’ you effectively, which is best achieved by tailoring your CV to each role that you apply for, giving the employer the opportunity to see the experience and skills that you have which are relevant to that particular opportunity.

In general, a good CV should contain:

• Personal details – name, address, telephone numbers and email address;
• Summary/Profile – a paragraph that encapsulates your strengths and summarises your achievements;
• Education and qualifications – detail degrees, professional qualifications, ‘A’ Levels and other relevant qualifications, together with details of institutions or awarding bodies and grades/results. List the most recent and relevant first;
• Career history – this should be in reverse chronological order, with most emphasis on recent roles.

Your CV should be as short as reasonably possible. Standard advice is to keep a CV to 2 pages in length, however, that might be difficult where you have extensive experience. We believe that a CV of 3 pages in length is perfectly acceptable, but we would advise that it should be no longer than 3 pages, if possible.

A well laid out CV is important. Use bullet points, ensure that spacing is even and consistent and use an easy to read font, such as Arial. Photographs are not necessary.

Finally, write a good covering letter to accompany your CV. You can use this letter to bring to the employer’s attention relevant information in support of your application and to highlight the experience and skills that qualify you for the role.