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CV TIPS

The most important aspect of a CV is its presentation.

Appearance…

An employer may receive hundreds of CVs for a position, and one with poor presentation would easily find its way to the bin.

Purpose of a CV…

The aim of a CV is to get you a seat in the interview room. It’s your first communication with the organization and an opportunity to convey to them what you have to offer. Your CV should convey that you:

• Can do the job,
• Have a good attitude to work, and
• Can fit in with the company culture.

The do’s and don’ts:

Do:

• Keep it short and precise – your CV should be a maximum of two pages.
• Check thoroughly for spelling and grammatical mistakes – spotting errors is a quick and easy way for employers to weed out weaker candidates.
• Use positive and confident language. Avoid jargon.
• Be honest and factual.
• Keep to the point. Be relevant. It is the quality of your achievements that count, not the quantity.
• Give a brief list of the most relevant courses and skills you have attended or acquired, exclude short courses not relevant to the job applied for.
• Be clear and concise and always refer back to the job in question.
• Sell yourself – tailor your CV to suit the requirements of the job you are applying for.
• Make your CV look neat, smart and professional, and easy to read- keep it well spaced out.
• To make you CV look visually pleasing and easy to comprehend, use bullet points for certain sections of your CV.
• Get someone to proof read your final version.

Don’t:

• Use coloured paper – it’s more advisable to stick to good quality white paper.
• Be boring and ramble on monotonously.
• Be repetitive.
• Have a disorganised layout.
• Be tempted to ‘jazz it up a little bit’. Stick to basic fonts and formats – make certain your CV looks clean, tidy and clutter free.
• Use unnecessary colours, photos or illustrations.
• Tell little white lies on your CV. Some employers use information service companies to check the accuracy of CV details.
• List all one-day training courses undertaken or every qualification gained.
• Pack the page with reams of writing.
• Fold your CV if you are sending it by post.