Candidates - How to write a CV

At Red Recruitment we will be happy to work with you on producing your Curriculum Vitae, one of our expert consultants will be on hand to talk you through the vital elements of producing the perfect CV, in the meantime we have detailed below some handy tips for your perusal.

Along with your cover letter, your CV is an introduction to yourself, your skills and the qualities you can bring to the role you are applying for. It should always be presented in a clear, easy to read format. The purpose of your CV is to make the reader interested in you and make them want to invite you for an interview. It should be a brief overview of your education and employment history and should not be an autobiography. Sometimes providing too much information can be as damaging as providing too little. Here are some helpful tips on how to write your CV:

Try not to make your CV longer than 2 pages, remember that you want it to gain you an interview, not give everything away.

• Display your CV in a logical order.
• Always be honest as information is easily checked.
• Include information about relevant training courses and certificates gained.
• State your current employment first and work backwards.
• Only provide relevant information and keep it to the point.
• Provide details of a few hobbies.
• Provide referee information.

CV Do’s and Don’ts

• Do make sure your CV is well presented in an easy to follow format.
• Do ensure your CV is grammatically correct with no spelling or typing errors.
• Do be honest.
• Do highlight your skills and achievements.
• Do put your contact details on your CV as well as your cover letter.
• Don’t make your CV too long, as it will discourage the reader. Too much information can sometimes be as bad as too little.
• Don’t omit vital information such as your contact details.
• Don’t provide false information, you will probably be caught out.
• Don’t send your CV out without double checking it first.
  

Remember that the purpose of sending a covering letter and CV is to get you an interview. You want to meet with the interviewer to discuss your CV in more detail so it has to be interesting. You have to highlight your skills and sell yourself to your prospective employer. When applying for a job sometimes hundreds of CV’s will land on a desk and have to be looked at. To ensure you have the best possible chance of getting to interview stage make sure you have done everything you possibly can in the preparation of your covering letter and CV. If you get invited for an interview, you’re halfway there! Good luck …..