Write a winning CV and covering letter
How to make your CV stand out from the crowd
If you only do one thing...
Keep your CV and covering letter brief and focused. Employers need to be able to quickly see that you've got the skills they're looking for.
Your CV has two functions: you can use it to
apply directly for jobs that have been advertised online. Or you can
upload it onto the CV database of recruitment websites so recruiters can search it when they're looking for the right candidates for a particular opportunity.
It helps to think of your CV as a personal sales tool designed to show employers that you've got the skills and abilities they want. To do this, your CV must:
- be well-presented and uncluttered
- include all the relevant information
- avoid gaps in your work history
- be tailored to each vacancy
"Format your CV in a way that makes it easy to read and put in headings to break up the text. Do a personal profile to highlight exactly why you are sending that employer your CV, making it clear that you have got what they want. Never repeat yourself in a CV ??? every line should say something different about you, but should always be in line with what the employer is looking for."
Rebecca Black, career consultant at Stirling-based Work Life Progress Career Guidance Service
The way your CV looks is important. A good look and feel will encourage employers to read it carefully.
- Keep your CV short and sweet - two sides of A4 is the absolute maximum. Put the most relevant information at the top.
- Avoid fancy fonts and colours - they are hard to read on screen. Use bold to signpost different sections.
- Check how the recruiter wants your CV presented. Some recruiters only accept CVs as Word documents or PDFs.
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What to include
Personal details
Put in your name, address, telephone numbers and email address. Keep these at the top to make it easy for recruiters to find your CV and contact you.
Education history
Only put this before your employment history if you're in your first or second job. List all your qualifications from GCSE onwards and include professional or vocational qualifications.
Employment history
List your work history in reverse order with your current or most recent job first. Recruiters want to know what you can do for them, so highlight what you achieved in each job rather than your responsibilities. Achievements could include increasing sales, delivering a new product or service, or improving internal processes.
Transferable skills
If you want to move to a new sector, highlight your transferable skills. Employers are always looking for skills like good team-working and communication.
Read more about how to make the most of your skills.
Key skills
Recruiters use keywords to search CVs for candidates. These are words or phrases that encapsulate the skills and experience the employer needs. Keywords vary from industry to industry and from job to job. A look at the detailed job description will give you an idea of the keywords you'll need to include in your application. Looking at the corporate website might also be helpful.
Extra skills
Skills that aren't essential for the job, such as having a second language, could be a deciding factor if there are two excellent candidates, so always include them on your CV.
Hobbies
Never make up hobbies. Recruiters often use them as ice breakers and it would be easy to get caught out if you claim, for example, that you're an avid reader of Russian literature when you're not really.
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Avoiding gaps in your CV
Be up front about any time you've spent out of work, whatever the reason. Recruiters will always pick up on gaps in your CV so turn a career break into a career advantage. For example, time spent travelling could demonstrate your ability to be highly organised and self-reliant, while time bringing up children will have improved your time-management skills. Make this clear on your CV.
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Tailoring your CV
To maximise your chances of getting an interview, you'll need to tailor your CV to each job application. This will probably require a bit of reworking rather than a complete rewrite each time. When you tailor your CV:
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research the organisation - the Internet is a great source of information
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refer to the job description so that you're clear what sort of person the employer is looking for
-
reorder the education and employment information in your CV so that you highlight relevant skills and experience
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Covering letters
When you apply for a job online you may be asked to include a covering letter or note with your CV or application form. The aim of your letter is to get the recruiter to read your CV so:
- keep your letter short and to the point - a few paragraphs only
- make clear what job you are applying for - include the reference number if it was quoted in the advert
- emphasise one or two points that illustrate why the employer should take your application further
- avoid any statements that aren't backed up by your CV
"Don't repeat your profile in the covering letter. Use it to say something about how the company would benefit if they took you on and also highlight your additional skills,"
says Rebecca Black, career consultant at Stirling-based Work Life Progress Career Guidance Service
