How to Write a Great CV in 7 Steps
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You’ve just graduated and are looking for your first job. Or you’re looking to begin an entirely new career that you’ve been interested in for a while.
Either way, you’re going to need a CV. It’s the first thing your employers will see about you. So you need to STAND OUT.
*Stares at blank sheet*
Ok, but how do I start?
Here’s a helpful guide to get you going.
- Length Is Important:
Don’t write more than two sheets of A4 paper.
On a survey done by Reed, results showed that 91% of recruiters consider two pages to be the perfect CV length.
It makes sense. Employers get hundreds of CVs a day. The last thing you want to do is put them to sleep with a lengthy CV…or make them not even want to look at it.
Of course, if you are just leaving university or college, you may not have enough experience to fill up two sheets of paper. That’s fine.
Keep it short and sweet.
2. Layout:
Your CV layout can make or break your job chances. You could have the best CV in the world but if the presentation isn’t right, it will let you down.
Employers spend only around 60–90 seconds reading (scanning) a CV. You have to make a good first impression.
First things first: Use bullet points.
This improves the readability of a CV. Use bullet points when listing your work experience, your skills, and interests.
Next, make sure to use a professional font (avoid Comic Sans), and keep the font black. You can’t go wrong with a black font.
Proofread your work before sending it off. Really scrutinize it. One tiny little error could ruin your chances.
Reading your CV out loud will help you pinpoint any awkward phrases.
3. Structure:
Start your CV with your personal and contact details. At the top of the CV, you should have your full name, your email, telephone number, and address.
You can then insert a small personal profile. Try to mention your strongest and most relevant skills here, as this is one of…
