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CV Writing Tips

Imagine a desk full of papers. These papers are all CVs on your potential employer’s desk. Can you guess how much time you have to catch their attention? Only a matter of seconds decides whether you go on the ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ pile. So it makes sense to spend a bit of time making sure that your CV looks good and holds information to keep them reading . But remember your CV will not get you the job. Only you can do that. However, a well-written CV is your first step to getting that interview.

At Mass Resourcing, we cannot emphasise enough that you double-check your spelling and grammar. If possible, ask somebody else to proof read it. They may find mistakes that you did not know existed. They may also be able to help to to add a few items that could be the deciding factor as to whether you get that much-wanted job or not.

Content

It is easy to compose a generic CV when posting to online job sites but a generic CV will probably not do you any justice. It is much more effective for you to tailor your CV to the position that you are applying for. Researching the company and the role (looking at the job description will help you to do this) will help you to do this. For example if you are applying for a job in facilities management, try to relate your previous experience to this area and demonstrate how you used your organisational skills working in each position.

Be sure to put the most impressive and inspiring information first as a recruiter spends approximately 2 minutes reading a CV. So use this to your advantage and give them a reason to read on.

We suggest that candidates try to highlight achievements rather than duties, as they will be more highly regarded. For example, if you have increased company turnover, implemented a new system or improved company policy. Power words will attract more attention to your CV too; candidates should use words such as ‘designed’, ‘developed’ and ‘managed’. It may be an idea to bullet-point your achievements applying each achievement to a particular situation, and using precise figures where possible, for example: ‘I implemented a management information system which saved the company £1.8 million a year.’

Try to be as honest as possible, as your CV is likely to be the basis of your interview and any information you cannot properly explain could potentially become embarrassing once you are in the interview.

You can list computer packages you are familiar with and any languages you have experience with at the end of the CV,if relevant, but ensure this doesn't take up a page of your CV in itself.

As for hobbies, it may be an idea for candidates to discuss these at the interview rather than listing them on a CV. If you do want to put your interests down, try to relate them to the skills required for the job. Team sports show you are fit and healthy and work well in a team, being a parish council secretary shows organisational skills, and so on.

Style and Layout of a Candidate's CV

Any candidate's CV should be organised, interesting and easy to read. It should be a CV of no more than 2 pages long, typed onto clean A4 paper. The language in your CV should be concise but well written. Bullet points are useful for highlighting key points and relevant issues such as skills and experience. This will help to break the page up, making it easier to read.

Try to use a ‘sans serif’ font such as Arial. This is a clean font and is easily legible. The use of headings and making titles bold will also break the page up and add visual interest when reading your CV.

Always list previous employment and qualifications in reverse chronological order and remember to write more about what you have accomplished recently rather than in your earlier life. It is wise to put down any reasons for periods of continuous unemployment as employers will usually think the worst.

Try to avoid listing referees on your CV as there is the possibility of them being pestered without your consent which may jeopardise a reference when you actually need it.

It is also an idea to put your name as the title instead of Curriculum Vitae as this will help the employer to remember your name. If you should decide to put down Curriculum Vitae, please for the love of success, make sure it is spelt correctly!

If you would like any further help or advice with writing your CV, please feel free to give us a ring on 0118 977 8560.