CV and resume Information
The provision of CV(curriculum vitae) or resume information should be as complete as possible.
This stage forms the basis for the ongoing task.
Contact – ensure that you include 24/7 contact information, permanent address (use your parent’s address if newly qualified &/or about to move), landline telephone number, mobile telephone number, email address
Competencies and Skills – list all competencies and skills.
- competence is that which you do well
- skill is a measure of that competence (a credential might take the form of a degree, certificate etc.)
- Example:
- Competence – that which you know, from education, training or experience e.g. electrical engineering, litigation
For example, skill is the ability to perform the identified competence – by experience, qualification and so on.
Application – where/how you use your skill e.g. development engineer, commercial litigator.
Summary - review and summarise the above information by writing an introductory paragraph for your CV, using third person, describing yourself in terms of your life-skills and areas of specific competence. This area should contain as many keywords as possible; it is the first paragraph that any reader will see and needs to excite them as much as possible, to ensure that the rest of your CV is read with interest rather than simply skimmed over or even discarded. It is this area that you should consider personalising for each and every application, emphasizing those areas of your experience or knowledge directly applicable to them.
Your summary must, immediately, convince the reader to keep on reading; it must gather the best elements of your experience, accomplishments and personal characteristics, as relevant to the employer, and provided the best reasons for hiring you, rather than someone else.
It is important to communicate the strongest reasons for wanting to meet with you at the very top of your CV.
The summary does not need to include all your accomplishments and experience, just those that really matter for this particular opportunity, those that will be the most impressive to your potential employer.
Education - list all qualifications, training etc. giving dates, establishment, subjects, and highest attainment first, i.e. the most advanced first.
Work Experience – list all work experience in reverse chronological order. Note specific achievements, giving £value where possible.
The name and location of each employer should be given, along with titles of positions held. Include also details of duties performed and results achieved.
When describing your duties, emphasize the results rather than responsibilities, performance rather than qualities. Be sure to clearly identify any promotions or increases in responsibility received.
Note specific accomplishments, improvements for time or money saved. Quantify wherever possible e.g. 15% reduction in production cost, 23% increase in sales, 17% less filing time required, 36% increase in gross margin. Equally, put £ values to these accomplishments if possible.
Interests – include if at all unusual, these may well form a talking point at any subsequent interview, allowing you to build a relationship. For example, do include mountaineering, trekking etc. I know of one young commercial litigator who is a sports motorcycle fan, owning a 150mph Honda machine – it transpired that the senior partner conducting the interview was a born-again biker. She got the job!
Newly qualified graduates, with little work experience, should list all relevant extra-curricular activities – employers look for these sorts of things as they show initiative. If you have been Hall Representative at Uni, say so!
Other – dependent upon individual circumstances there may be other areas that need to be addressed. A new graduate may refer to coursework, research undertaken, community work, publications, anything else you may consider worthy of comment.