Creating an effective CV

An effective CV should create interest by being well presented, factual and concise; preferably not more than two pages long. Individual content may vary and can be tailored towards a particular vacancy, but generally speaking, your CV should contain the following sections:

Personal details

We recommend that you provide a prospective employer with as much information
as possible, including the following:

Full name
Address (including postcode)
Contact details (telephone and email – only include if you check regularly)
Date of birth
Marital status and dependants
Driving Licence

Work History

We suggest that you write this in reverse chronological order (i.e. start with your current or most recent position).

The level of detail you include should depend upon the length and relevance of previous positions, but in general terms the last 10 years should be covered in most detail. We recommend this should include the following:

Dates of employment (from mm/yy to mm/yy)
Job title and reason for leaving
Name and address of employer
Brief overview of the organisation
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 (e.g. temporary or permanent). Also any ‘gaps’ should be highlighted and appropriate reasons given (e.g. working holiday abroad/bringing up children etc).

Education and training

Provide a summary of your educational and academic background. Again, use reverse chronological order. We recommend the following information be included:

Dates (from mm/yy to mm/yy)
Establishment
Level/qualification
Subjects, including grades achieved
List any other relevant qualifications –e.g. professional qualifications, NVQ levels, training courses attended

Hobbies and interests

Listing personal interests can be helpful, particularly if they are relevant to the position you are applying for. Include team sports, club memberships, evening courses etc.

Always check and double check for spelling and grammatical errors.

Example CV

If you would like to see a good template for a typical CV please visit our Downloads page

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