How To Write A Killer Cv/resume
March 21, 2010 by arfasairaFirst impressions count, and this is especially true of CV"s/resumes. A CV is a snapshot of who you are and what your main strengths and skills are. It tells employers about your previous academic and work history and key achievements in your life and career. If your CV isn"t top notch, then you may as well kiss your next job application goodbye. Unless your CV stands out from the crowd, most prospective employers will just bin it.
A friend of mine once asked me when I left university ๒˜how many interviews have you got?" and was astounded when I replied that I had nine. He had none. Why? Because if your CV isn"t up to scratch, you will not even get a foot in the door. And it just so happened that his CV was terrible.
Your CV should be broken down into sections which are separated by white space or actual boxes. If you have a lot of information, boxes may work best. The idea is to create a CV that has distinguished and easy to locate sections. Here are some general tips on how to write a killer CV:
*start with your personal details ๒ name, address, email and phone only
*next write your profile ๒ this is an overview of your main skills and should be a bullet point list
*the next section depends on whether you have work experience or not. If not, then this next section should be your qualifications ๒ most recent first going backwards, and then go on to work experience
*if you have lots of work experience, you need to start with your employment history, most recent first and working your way backwards, and then your academic background
*use bullet points to list all roles and duties in your workplace
*always use power words where possible ๒ so you ๒˜actively managed and led a small team to success" rather than just ๒˜led a small team"
*always say what you did and what the outcome was using power words where necessary e.g. ๒˜your sales technique accelerated the profits for your company" rather than ๒˜I have a good sales technique"
*next list additional skills that you may have such as extra training or certificates etc
*finally have a personal profile about things you like doing and your interests
*your profile should include a brief mention of particulars such as whether you drive and your marital status
*keep these brief and to the point. Don"t put divorced down on your CV ๒ it is better not to mention your marital status than saying things like ๒˜engaged" or ๒˜living with partner" etc
*always proofread and spell check everything
*always check dates on everything ๒ employers will catch you out if you have dates that don"t add up
*avoid verbal diarrhea! In other words, keep your writing tight and focused and don"t waffle or volunteer information that is unnecessary
*use clear headings and subheadings ๒ your CV should be easy to read and easy on the eye
The above tips will hopefully give you an overview of what is needed to turn a good CV into a great one. If you are struggling to get started, it is always recommended that you have one done professionally ๒ after all, a CV sells who you are and if it isn"t any good, employers will never give you a chance at an interview, regardless of how good you are.
An agency can be expensive, but I recommend that you approach a freelancer to do this for you ๒ it is a cheaper and more personal service (usually!)