Developing my Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Prepare a successful CV
One of the most challenging aspects when you’ve decided to move to another role or even to change your career is producing an effective CV.
With an up-to-date, well thought out, well presented CV that reflects your skills, experience and achievements, you can successfully target the jobs you are aiming for.
The purpose of the CV is to get you an interview. Short-listed and successful candidates are invariably the people who provide employers with the best CVs, best covering letters and who have made contacts.
Your CV must sell you and must be tailored to what the employer is looking for.
CV writing is a form of marketing or advertising, when the product is you!
CV tips
- Provide an opening statement that summarises your main areas of experience, expertise and enthusiasm
- Use the covering letter and the CV to relate your experience to the job requirements - give examples!
- The CV needs to be logical, concise, accurate, interesting and professionally presented
- Presentation and the sequence of information on your CV are very important - use clear headings
- Information could be arranged chronologically or according to your knowledge and skills - or both as appropriate.
- Highlight your transferable skills
- Describe your key achievements, including skills and knowledge acquired
- Include your aspirational goals
- For on line CVs follow advice offered by the employer and website
- Keep your CV electronically (with a back up!)
- Try to do a monthly update and yearly overhaul
- Think about evidence/range
- Ask a friend to read and comment on the covering letter and CV.
- Remember, sometimes “Less is more”!
How to write a CV - curriculum vitae templates, cv samples and examples.
Document downloads
- Preparing a successful CV handout
Adobe PDF document, 31 KB