How to write a CV

We understand that whilst our candidates are experts in their specialist areas, most are not experts in writing a CV. It is a different skill and many of our candidates have not had to produce one for anywhere from 5-20 years. We are, of course, always happy to help our candidates with their CV’s, but the following information should hopefully help our candidates prepare them. Some of it may sound obvious but our attitude is, it’s best to have all bases covered when your dream job is at stake.

Format – this is probably the part of the CV that provokes the most questions. There isn’t a particularly right or wrong way to format your CV. However, typically the following rules exist:

• Avoid unprofessional/hard to read fonts.

• Resist using colours other than black.

• Make sure font sizing and spacing is consistent. With regard to font size, either size 10 or 11 are recommended.

• Try to keep it as concise and easy to read as possible. Realistically, a director of a company may only have time to skim read your CV; make sure the relevant information can be obtained easily.

• With the above in mind, try to keep your CV to a maximum of two sides of A4. For more experienced hires (Senior Manager and above) three is fine.

Personal Details – this may sound obvious but make sure to include all your details and, in particular, re-check your phone number and email address; a mistake that could prove fatal to your job search. Another tip is to include a professional email address and, if you don’t have one, create one! The one you had for MSN as a teenager or one that includes a nickname looks unprofessional and could even deter an employer.

Personal Statement – this can add a nice introduction to your CV, explaining briefly your experiences and what you’re looking for next. Although, some fall into the trap of making it too lengthy and use generic, buzzwords to describe themselves such as punctual, hard-working, adaptable etc. These are basic attributes a prospective employer seeks in an employee and unfortunately do not separate you from the crowd.

Work Experience- list your experiences in reverse chronological order and the general rule is only include jobs in the past 10 years and those that are relevant! If you’re 40 and going for a managerial role in financial services then your job in a supermarket at 18 isn’t going to be of too much interest.

Education – if this is more relevant to your application than your work experience then it’s better to include this first. E.g. if you’re applying for a graduate role or if you have a masters/PhD which is a requirement for the role. Again, keep it short and simple; listing University electives is OK but avoid going into too much detail about the intricate details.

Achievements – here you can list all of your relevant skills and achievements and back them up with examples. This is a good opportunity to showcase yourself but, avoid listing things that are simply part of your job description. Instead mention things like foreign language skills, additional IT skills or any awards you may have won or records you may have broken whilst in your role.

Hobbies & Interests – listing hobbies & interests isn’t essential but can add a nice personal touch that gives you something to chat about at interview (especially if they’re relevant to the role). It’s important to be mindful about any potentially divisive hobbies.

Additional Tips:

• Have a look at the employers’ website and the specific role to try and tailor your CV to match the job as best as possible.

• Check, double-check and triple-check for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes! Don’t just rely on spell check, using a second pair of eyes or printing your CV and reviewing a hard copy is a much better bet.

• Avoid jargon, hyperbole and superlatives and remember, self-praise is no praise. Employers want to hire people so make sure the language on your CV isn’t off-putting.

• Never embellish or fabricate information, whether it’s qualifications or previous job roles. The world, now more than ever, is a very small place and nobody will tolerate lies (no matter how small and white a lie may be).

• Review your social media platforms, to ensure that there is nothing inappropriate publicly available, whether it is a picture, comment or tweet.

Happy Writing!