A CV should create interest by being well presented, factual, concise and preferably not more than two pages long. Individual content may vary and can be tailored towards a particular vacancy, but generally a CV should contain the following sections:
Personal Details
- Full Name
- Address, including postcode
- Contact details, telephone and email address if checked regularly
- Date of birth
- Marital Status and dependants
- Driving license
Many people insert a Personal Profile, but our advice would be DON'T! Potential employers prefer to determine candidates' strengths and weaknesses for themselves. However, for new entrants to the employment market, people changing career direction or returning to work after a significant period of time, a statement of Objective can be very useful.
Work History
- Written in reverse chronological order, start with current role
- Cover the last 10 years in detail
- Dates of employment, from mm/yy to mm/yy
- Job title and reason for leaving
- Name and address of employer
- Brief overview of employer
- Purpose of Role
- Key responsibilities, include any relevant information that is measurable or can be quantified
When completing this area of your CV, it is important to specify the nature of the work, whether temporary or permanent. Any gaps should be highlighted and appropriate reasons given, for example working holiday abroad or career break for raising a family.
Education and Training
- Provide a summary of your educational and academic background
- Formatted in reverse chronological order
- Dates, mm/yy to mm/yy
- Name and summary address of Establishment
- Level of qualification
- Subjects taken and grades achieved
- Any other relevant qualifications including professional qualifications and training courses attended
Hobbies and Interests
Listing personal interests can be helpful, particularly if they detail your transferable skills to the position you are applying for. Include any sports that you take part in, whether individually or as part of a team, club memberships and evening courses.
When you are satisfied with the presentation, format and content of your CV always check and double check for spelling and grammatical errors.
