CV Writing for the Modern Jobs Market
It is important to remember that a CV is essentially a marketing document for use in a very competitive field. It needs to be written in a format which will be pleasing to the eye and impart information in a very clear and concise way.
The trick in writing a CV is to identify your target market and then demonstrate that you have the skills and competencies that the prospective employer is looking for. This needs to be done in a clear, easy to understand format.
It is not a good idea to take up too much space at the top of page 1 with information having no bearing on the selection process. This space is very valuable in making an immediate impact. I would advise that you centre contact details under the name at the top of the page and that any personal information you wish to include can be relegated to the bottom of the last page.
The best thing to do is to lead with a profile which should be your introduction. It should explain who you are and what you have to offer, the rest of the CV then demonstrates the claims you make in the profile. This profile is usually followed by bulleted list showing either transferable skills and competencies, or achievements. This means that the reader is off to a flying start in identifying you as the ideal candidate for the job on offer.
Avoid the temptation to describe yourself in glowing terms with the use of superlatives, such as ‘excellent’. It is unlikely that a prospective employer will take your word for such claims. What you need to do is to ensure that the claims you make are demonstrable and focused upon your actual skills and achievements.
As you progress in your career so your educational qualifications will become less important and you should be careful how you prioritise this information. Certainly after you have been in employment for a while you don’t need to include a long list of GCSE passes. Frequently it is better to simply include vocational training and qualifications in a section after the career history.
Unless the Company is a household name, It is never a good idea to identify previous employers by name alone. The prospective employer will need to understand the environment you are working in so that they can assess your level of function. A short description of your employers giving some information about their business and position in the marketplace is ideal.
There is no doubt that bulleted lists are the very best way of organising information. However, you should try to remember that you are trying to get an important message across. Bullet points are not just there as paragraph dividers. Where possible each point should be on one line and there should never be more than seven points. This will ensure that you capture and retain the reader’s attention, otherwise they may well simply skim over the detail and not understand what you are trying to say.
Finally a word about references. All that is needed here is to say ‘available upon request’. It is considered to be very bad form to give details of names and addresses. This is also a good way of monitoring progress, if you receive a request to furnish details of your references then you know you are at least being considered for the position on offer.
© This article is copyright CV Writing Services 2007. You have permission to reproduce this article or forward it to others, provided that all links and the resource box at the bottom remain intact.
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Gwyneth Holland is a specialist in
professional CV Writing
You can read more of her articles and get excellent advice on CV writing at:
http://www.cv-writingservices.co.uk
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