We all know the importance of having your CV up-to-date and looking its best for potential employers. But what are the top Do’s and Don’ts when crafting the perfect CV?
CV Do’s
As well as using a spell checker, get someone else to proof read your CV for you just to double check over things.
Explain what you’ve been doing most recently whether it’s work related or training.
List your work experience from the most recent in your career first. These are the most relevant to any employer before going on to detail your education and training.
Explain any gaps in employment. An explained gap in employment is not likely to go against you but an unexplained gap in employment will.
Tailor your personal profile to suit the job you’re applying for. A CV mismatched to a job makes you appear lazy.
Give evidence. If you say you were the department’s top sales performer or strong problem solver you need to demonstrate this with some figures or examples.
CV Don’ts
Be too modest –Sell yourself. I don’t recommend that you start making ridiculous claims, but if you have achieved good things, make sure that they are on your CV
Make your CV too lengthy - 2 pages long maximum!
Instead of just listing the duties in each job you’ve had, describe them by including your responsibilities and duties. Keep it concise but make sure your include any key achievements.
Unless you’re applying for a job in the creative industries, keep your CV simple by using standard fonts like Arial (in black) Don’t over complicate things.
Starting each sentence with ‘I’ looks lazy! But do write in the first person.
Why you left your last company, if you get to the interview stage you will be asked then.
There’s no real reason to include the following:
- Date of Birth or age
- Nationality
- Race or Religion
- Your relationship or marital status
- Any health conditions or disabilities
Why? Because, while you may think to add to your CV but they are largely irrelevant. You may wish to disclose any of this information at a later date but you don’t have to include them on your CV.
If you want anymore information about CV writing or job hunting, our employment team are here to help. They can help you with your CV but they can also help you with finding training, qualifications, job interviews and more.
You can find out more here.
