Your CV essentially markets a product (you) to a prospective buyer (employer). You should view your CV as a ‘living document’, ideally reviewing and updating your CV every three months with details of your latest work achievements, training course attended, etc.
There are two types of CV:
- Chronological CV – promotes experience rather than skills. The most basic would simply be a list of employers and job titles. It is essential that in your CV text you give brief details of your previous employers’ business and of the tasks and functions that you performed. A chronological CV is most suited to application for promotion or for a job with in the same sector or industry
- Functional CV – concentrates on selling what you can do rather than where you have worked. Here, you are showing that you have the transferable skills to do the job your applying for. This type of CV has advantages when attempting to move to a new profession or sector
Some people aim to combine the two approaches to writing a CV, summarising their career to date, their transferable skills followed by a section outlining their employment history.
Your CV should promote you by describing your qualities, abilities, experience and achievements. It should demonstrate your skills (what you can do) and experience (where and how you used these skills) in the most favourable light.
Basic CV principles
- Impact – your CV should have impact
- Quality not quantity – give the maximum and best quality information possible using the minimum number of words. In general, a CV should be two pages long
- Communicate – it is essential that all dates and information logically fit together
- Selling points – ensure that your strongest and most relevant selling points are clearly displayed on the first page of your CV
- A core CV – create a basic CV that can then be tailored to individual posts by the addition of specific and relevant achievements.
- Update it! – no CV is ever truly completed – it should grow with your experience
Next update - find out about the types of interview you may have to attend.
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