The Graduate’s Guide To Writing The Perfect CV

Matt | November 3, 2015 | 0 Comments

If you’re working through your final stretch of university, or left earlier in the year, then you understand the importance of putting together the perfect CV to tempt those potential employers.

CV writing is a fine art, and here’s how to ensure yours reads like a pro:

Make it short and sweet

Employers aren’t like those tutors who ask for 3,000 words on a subject once a month – they want to get down to business, find out who you are, whether you’re sufficiently qualified for the job and then move on to the next stage. A CV that goes over two pages is not going to fly.

Cut out any unnecessary information, such as that paragraph about your first job working at the local pub and how great you are at clearing tables. That probably won’t be relevant to any role you’re searching for now on Jobstoday.

Have a basic layout you can tweak

It’s important now that your CV clearly conveys the correct message; this is why you need to tweak it depending on the role you’re applying for. No more mass sending to all and sundry, your job applications must be tailored and focused to ensure you get an interview.

This could mean simply amending the intro paragraph to let the reader know why you are applying for the role and leaving the rest of your basic information in a succinct bullet pointed list format that’s easy to scan, academichelp.net offer advice with this. Keep that introductory paragraph to the 200-word limit to ensure their attention doesn’t waver. Yes, 200 words. That must sound like a dream after your dissertation.

Back things up

If an application calls for a candidate who is great at working in a team, be sure to include examples that demonstrate this skill. Your job in the student bar is an excellent case study – after all, when it was busy you had to pull together to get everyone served quickly. Provide a quick confirming statement or a list beneath each job title about the three main skills involved and try to use words the employer has used in the advertisement.

Don’t leave any gaps

Many students don’t have jobs while studying, either because they have too much on their plate or they can’t find something after moving to a new city. Don’t leave a gap but share skills you’ve picked up while studying for your degree. Group work, for example, is a good example of teamwork. Problem solving and time management are both integral to completing a course at university.

Give it a good read

Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and poor use of space will stand out like a sore thumb to employers, so it’s imperative that you take some time to ensure your CV is error free and ready to go. And ask someone else to check it too. We all find it difficult to pick out our own mistakes in written work, especially if we’ve been working on it for a while.

Feature the relevant contact details

Employers will need a professional looking email address (sorry, that one you created at the age of 12 won’t cut it), a mobile number and your full name. Avoid including your full address and date of birth. These aren’t necessary for a modern day CV.

With all these aspects in mind, it’s time to crack open Word and put together that winning CV (while always remembering to never include the words Curriculum Vitae across the top or a cringe worthy headshot of yourself!)

Tags: perfect CV