Writing the killer CV

The killer CV needs to show how you meet the requirements for a job exactly. It should be concise, and omit irrelevant experience. Some careers (performing arts, creative industries) have different formats, but for the majority of job applications the advice below will be applicable.

 

What is a CV and what can it do for you?

A CV is your personal specification, it documents your abilities, and shows the reader what you are capable of. It is important to realise that a CV is an exercise in selling yourself in a highly constrained and abbreviated format. Write one that is too long, or in the wrong format, and you run a serious risk of it being binned without a reading. It is not a document for the verbose or for the essay writer. Rather like poetry and script writing, condensation is all-important. Include only what is relevant and positive. A resumé (which is shorter) is not generally used in the UK for job applications.

An employer may have a pile of one hundred CVs on his/her desk and from those applicants only ten will be chosen for interview. A well written CV will help get you that interview. This will be the only source of information the employer has about you, along with your covering letter. Many of the questions that will be posed will be based upon aspects of those documents - so make sure you know what you've put before them.

Afterwards the interviewer may once again refer back to your CV to remind themselves of your abilities, and depending upon how you performed at the interview you will be offered the job.

Finally the CV can be influential during salary negotiations as it details your skills and experience; your salary will be partially based upon these factors.

Always adapt a CV for each individual job. There is no such thing as a ‘finished’ CV.

 

What to put in your CV?

An employer needs facts about your skills, experience, qualifications, and some personal insight. If they like what they read then they will require contact information to get in touch with you. The order in which these facts are documented is important. Convention states that contact details should be at the top underneath your name, then employment history, followed by qualifications. Some careers advisors tell you to write an introductory paragraph and section of your interests. Unless your hobbies are particularly relevant, this is unlikely to add to your application. If you are short of space, this should be the first thing to be removed. Introductory paragraphs can work if you are applying for a job in a very specific field, and it is clear that this job will help towards your future aims. However, if it is very clear that this is not the case, highlighting the fact that a job does not lead to where you really want to be is unlikely to get you far.

 

 

Contact details

Often CVs are kept on file for long periods so any contact details you give have to remain accurate in the long term. A daytime phone number is most important, include your mobile number if you have one. Include an e-mail address, a gmail address is good because you will have it for life.  A TUT4life e-mail address is also for life.

 

Previous employment

Write in reverse chronological order, including starting and leaving dates for each position. Include concise details of what the job entailed, your responsibilities and what you achieved in the role. If there are any time gaps between employment explain what you were doing in that time, for example travelling, at college, carrying out charity fund raising work. Use active verbs to describe your achievements, for example "has experience in” “trained in” “managed a project involving” “developed”, “co-ordinated the development of” etc. Bullet point these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact. Try to avoid using “I” at the start of sentences.

 

Qualifications

There is no need to list all of your Matric subjects, simply write something like, Matriculated in 2009 with subjects including Mathematics and English. A Diploma and degree qualifications can be listed, the grades do not have to be included. List only the academic centres where a qualification was earned in reverse chronological order with dates. The more qualifications and experience you have, the less the older qualifications matter, and if you run out of room they can be omitted.

 

Hobbies and interests

If you do choose to include this section, it can be used to give an insight into your personality. Consider carefully what you are putting down and its implications. Team events indicate that you are a team player, other activities such as Dean of Engineering Award for best student in 2012 show commitment and the fact you are not adverse to a challenge. Be specific, and show what you learnt or gained from the activity (such as perseverance, teamwork, communication skills), and if you were on the society or helped organise anything emphasise this. Keep this section very brief, do not list ALL of your interests and hobbies. You do not want to give the employer the impression you would rather be doing your hobbies, or travelling around the world than doing the job you are being considered for.

 

References

Unless you have a reference that you are particularly proud of, for example a letter written by Jacob Zuma saying that you are the 'bees knees', then it is advisable not to include references in the CV. Instead simply write "References available on request".

Don't over play or under play your achievements

 

Format

• Use a computer to write your CV, sometimes a company may specify that they want a hand written covering letter but the CV should always be typed - remember quality of presentation should never be ignored.
• No longer than two sides of A4 and put the most important information on page one. For the majority of recent graduates, everything should fit concisely on one page. Do not print on both sides of the paper.
• It is crucial to keep things concise because you will probably find that one page does not provide a lot of space, and therefore requires clever layouts. Make the layout clear logical and not cluttered, and use sensible margin spacing.
• Use the best quality paper you can get hold of, but use common sense, do not send paper that is too thick.
• Bulleted paragraphs are a good way to save space and add impact to statements. They are also easy for an employer to read, and can be simply tailored to the job requirements.
• Titles are required so that an employer can instantly see just what he/she wants to read.
• Flashy design can be off putting to employers. Information needs to be laid out simply, in a clear and easy to read manor. Your CV will be looked at for a matter of seconds, so it is vital that all the essential information is instantly visible.
• Tailor your CV to each separate position when possible by carrying out some research into the company. The easiest way to do this is to look at their website.
• Do not quote previous salaries (unless it is requested) or state why you left previous jobs.

 

Points for those new to the rat race

If you are fresh out of University, it is possible that filling two sides of A4 with details of experience could prove tricky. Describe what skills you have learnt and put into practice during your studies, for example working in-groups, presentation skills, perhaps you have carried out some unpaid work experience. If you took part in university societies, use this to show commitment and teamwork. Do not worry about your CV being thin to begin with, everybody has to start somewhere.

 

Language

• Try to slip in some relevant industry buzzwords, because it is a fact that employers scan read CVs and you want them to think that you know what you are talking about.
• Use simple language, you are not trying to impress anyone with your verbosity. · Back up your statements with evidence, for example 'Excellent organisational skills, single handedly transferred all the company records onto Server Back-up’s.' Similarly, try to quantify every statement, for example 'launched new marketing initiative which resulted in additional revenue of R45 000'.
• Some things just don't need to be said, for example if the employer has read your covering letter and CV, then it should be evident to them that you are a good communicator. There is no need to state it separately; you don't want to come across as being naive.
• Try to avoid using 'I' too much. A page of I did this and that is a big turn-off - it says to the employer you haven't thought about them, only about yourself.
• An employer is not going to be interested in someone who has apparently drifted from job to job, perhaps across sectors, unless you can justify how this range of experience will benefit them. There should be some consistency and progression so that your career seems planned. Employers want candidates who are targeted and focused, ambitious types who know what they want and where they are heading. Your CV should reflect this considered progression.
• Always be honest, do not write anything in your CV that you would not feel comfortable talking about at an interview.
• Get someone else to read your CV for a second opinion, you may have missed some grammatical or spelling errors.
• It should be noted that there are no universal rules, this document is only a guide, the key is to incorporate all of the necessary elements, follow the conventions, and then incorporate your own individuality.

 

Things to not include

• The words or heading curriculum vitae – it is obvious what the document is, so don’t waste the space
• Your address at the top of the page – it is not necessary, and is a distraction if you place it there. It is unlikely employers will need to contact you by post.
• Any mention of references – they are not needed at this stage and the employer will ask for them when they are required.
• Anything more than a line or two about your interests and hobbies, unless you know that it will be especially relevant. If you are short of space this should be the first information to be taken out entirely.
• Repetition of any information – this is both unnecessary and irritating to the reader.
• Headers, footers and page numbers (or any other extraneous information such as document names or version numbers)
• Page borders, title pages, binders, covers
• Reasons for leaving previous jobs
• Salary information
• Irrelevant information
• Negative information. There is no need to put yourself at a disadvantage from the beginning.
• You should not be judged on appearance, and frankly it just looks a bit weird to send one in if its not asked for.

 

Targeting your CV

Ideally your CV should be configured specifically to the reader. To achieve this construct a core CV using the How to write a killer CV guide then configure that to the recipient each time you send it out.

 

Applying for an advertised job vacancy

When applying for a specific vacancy, it is vital to target your CV and Cover Letter to the job description. There is normally one supplied with the advert, but if there isn’t most companies will be happy to supply you with one. The important thing is to make sure that your CV is configured specifically to the role you are applying for. To achieve this construct a core CV using the How to write a killer CV guide then configure that to the recipient each time you send it out.

 

Sending out a CV cold to a company who has not advertised a vacancy

It is especially important to carry out research into the company. Between your CV and covering letter you need to get across that you know exactly what it is that they do, and that you know where they are heading. If you can tailor your experience to what you think that particular company needs then you are in with a chance (do not fabricate experience).

In your positive objective statement, correlate your ambition and perceived career path with the direction in which you think that this particular company should be heading. You have to convince them that their business needs you.

 

Applying for work experience

If you are not sure which direction your career should take then work experience is a good way of helping you to narrow down your choices. It is also a good idea if you have decided on your career and want to experience some time in the job, perhaps with a large, prestigious company.

Demand for work experience within a lot of organisations (particularly in law and the media) and therefore you must ensure you have a quality CV to stand out from the pack. Unless you have serial work experience tendencies, you probably don't have much employment history to write about in your CV. If this is the case do not worry; instead you need to convey your passion for the industry sector, and get across your enthusiasm and desire to get a foot in the door. As part of your introduction, state how you would like your career to develop in the area to which you are applying for experience, but do not be vague; focus on a specific area you are interested in.

If you have taken part in extra curricular activities while at school or university, use these to show your transferable skills, like teamwork and communication skills. You can also show how your degree choices reflect your commitment to the sector. Describe the relevant skills you have learnt as part of your course; for example, computer skills, teamwork, and public speaking.

 

Configuring your CV depending upon the medium in which it is being sent Sending your CV via e-mail

The best way to send your CV is in PDF format, attached to an email, along with a cover letter and any other requested documentation. This is the most presentable and easy to read format. Ensure that margins are even, and all headings match. Remember to keep the format as simple as possible. If a new version of Microsoft Office has been released, use the most standard one, just in case the employer does not have the most recent version.

With e-mail you can use hyper links within your CV to guide the reader. For example if you have a smart WebPage, then put the URL down and the reader will be able to visit at the click of a button. If you worked for a little known company, you can link to their website. There is a greater chance of the potential employer looking at what you did if it takes them minimal effort.

Do not over do it, simply because it is e-mail format this is no reason to have elaborate backgrounds of automatically playing midi files. Write a formal e-mail: Dear Sir/Madam, please find attached my covering letter and CV. You may also want to paste your covering letter into the body of the e-mail.

This method of distributing a CV is now standard, and many industries, especially the I.T., publishing and Internet sectors, often actually prefer receiving a CV this way. You can also possibly expect a more rapid response. If you are worried about knowing whether it has been received, ask for a read receipt. This will set your mind at rest and you will know when it has been seen.

 

Sending your CV in the post

If it is not possible to email in your application, ensure that the envelope is clearly addressed to the correct person and specific department. If possible, print a label for the envelope, and use an A4 one, to avoid folding your application.

 

Sending your CV by fax

Its pretty rare to have to do this now, and its preferable to email it if at all possible. Make sure you use a cover sheet with the name and department of the CV's recipient in bold writing. Keep margins in and state whether you are expecting a response by fax - if you are using the library's fax machine, you don't want to have to wait by it all day for a possible reply.

 

Don't spread yourself too thinly

Targeting your CV also means being selective as to whom you send it. There is no point in distributing your CV far and wide if 80% of the jobs to which you are applying are not relevant to your qualifications. Take your time to tailor it to each applicant, and keep a record of the date on which it was sent off so that you can follow it up with a phone call or e-mail if you don't hear back after a week or so.