Important tips to follow when drafting a CV
I am amazed on a weekly if not a daily bases how candidates don’t understand the importance of a good CV in increasing their chances of obtaining a new job in today’s competitive market.
Through my lengthy experience as a Recruitment Consultant the best CV’s are a precise summary of education qualifications and employment history. CV’s need to be eye catching as Recruiters and potential employers take an average of 20 seconds to scan through your CV and decide in this time whether you are going to be short listed for an interview or not.
The purpose of your CV is to open doors; it will put you ahead of other candidates and secure you the interview, where you can show your suitability for the job.
The layout of your CV is critical; many people use different fonts, size of text, colours and boxes to add uniqueness to their CV and help it stand out however what it ends up doing is frustrating Recruiters and Hiring Managers. It becomes very difficult to pin point career highlights and important information can be over looked as it is lost in a sea of colour, text and changed font.
Your CV must be
• Eye catching with your career highlights easily visible.
• Grabs Attention
• Use Job Description to Find key requirements
• Keep it simple but provide enough information
• Don’t use Pictures, Boxes, Difficult to read fonts or include unnecessary information
• Ensure it is easy to find key information
• Remember 2-3 page rule, Hiring Managers time is valuable
Some Recruiters recommend that you tailor your CV for each position you are applying for using the job description to highlight how your skills match what the Hiring Manager is looking for. It is important though that you send the correct CV for the correct position. The most common pitfall in CV writing is to include too much detail. Most CV’s are so packed with information making it almost a mammoth task to determine what type of position the job seeker would be suitable for.
CV Layout.
Personal Details
• Name
• Full address
• Contact number (mobile & home number – don’t forget the area code)
• Email address
• Date of birth
Education and Qualifications
• Name of Secondary school(s) you attended and the dates you attended.
• Primary degree / diploma ( dates & name of education institute)
• Post graduate courses, degree / diploma / certificate ( dates & name of education institute)
Work Experience
• Job title & dates of employment
• Company name
• Company address
• Short description of the company
• Description of the tasks you undertook
• List of responsibilities held
• Contributions, achievements and promotions
Computer Skills
• List of computer packages you can use e.g. Word, Excel, Access, etc.
• Level of competency (basic, intermediate, advanced)
Personal Information
• This section should give the employer a good insight into your personality and character.
• Main achievements
• Hobbies/Interests (don’t just list them – give a brief account of your role in them and your achievements)
• Membership of clubs and professional bodies
• Particular skills that may enhance your job prospects
• Driving licence (full or provisional)
Writing a CV can be a daunting task but if you follow the above lay out advice and remember the two page rule you will be able to develop an excellent CV which should enable you to get to the next stage which is securing an interview.
My next blog will be covering the ever important subject of the dos and don’ts and how to sell yourself in the most effective way possible
If you want to discuss opportunities in Ireland or the UK feel free to contact me on 086-7826427 (IRL) / 0203-3686820 (UK) / keelin.moore@cplhealthcare.com
