The CV Writing Workshop

Get into the science of CVs and craft a winner

Unfortunately there’s no such thing as the perfect CV. Every individual is different and no two jobs are the same. An impressive CV is one that clearly shows an employer how well suited you are to them. Make sure yours:

• Does justice to your skills, abilities and qualifications
• Is easy to follow
• Clearly shows you meet the requirements of the job
• Uses language you’re comfortable with when talking about yourself
• Shows you have researched the employer thoroughly.

Start by thinking about the format, content and presentation.

Getting the format right

There are two main types of CV – chronological and functional/skills-based. The one that you choose depends on your background, and your judgment of what the employer you’re targeting will find acceptable. Combining the two formats can work well. A chronological CV is more interesting if you highlight the skills you have gained. Many employers are suspicious that other forms of CV are being used to hide gaps. Reassure them by placing a brief work and education history at the end.

A chronological CV is the one most people are familiar with. This historical account of work experience and qualifications is easy to write, a familiar format for employers and a good way to show career development. Because it places emphasis on career progression it doesn’t work as well if you have had career breaks or a patchy employment history.

A functional CV highlights your skills and aptitudes. This gives you the chance to describe yourself through what you can do, rather than jobs you have had. It’s an effective way of showing what you have to offer if you’re going for your first job, returning to work after a break or have had lots of different jobs.

Content is king!

One of the great advantages of a CV is that you choose what to put in. Use it to show yourself off to best advantage.

• Keep it short and to the point
• Look critically at every item you include. If you can’t immediately see why it’s there, take it out
• Don’t include things that happened more than ten years ago unless they still have relevance to this application

Essential items

• Name and full contact details
• A short career objective or career profile
• Education and qualifications
• Relevant work experience
• Interests, activities and achievements that clearly show desirable skills for this application
• Details of referees if they have been specifically asked for – otherwise write ‘References on request’

Don’t include the following unless they’re requested

• Marital status
• Details of children
• Your photograph
• Health details
• Nationality

Presentation tips

How your CV looks is important, as this is what creates the first impression a potential employer will have of you. Go for clean, crisp and clear by doing the following:

• Type or word processing your CV as black text on a white background
• Print each page on a separate sheet
• Keep it plain. Fancy fonts are more of a distraction than a help
• Make it easy to follow by being consistent with headings, fonts and use of emboldening
• Leave lots of white space so it doesn’t look cluttered

Once you’ve finished, get someone else to look it over and comment on it. If they know something about the occupation you’re targeting that’s a real bonus.

Get that interview with a gutsy CV that uses the right language.

The way to make a strong first impression is to use power words to show that you are a proactive individual who achieves results. Then, use carefully chosen action words to describe the jobs you’ve undertaken, your duties, and back up every statement with a concise example.

There are no hard and fast rules, but here are a few guidelines on writing a winning CV.

Power words

For the greatest impact, use power words in the opening few lines of your CV, especially when giving an overview of your career. This demonstrates that you have transferable and interpersonal skills, which are key things that recruiters will look for.

Employers are usually looking for particular qualities, such as good communication skills, organisational skills, language skills, initiative, flexibility, teamwork and the ability to cope with pressure. When applying for positions, pick out the skills required and demonstrate that you have them.

For example, ‘Managed a team of five and supervised the launch of a new sales initiative’.

Some other good power words are:

• achieved
• co-ordinated
• developed
• established
• initiated
• introduced
• managed
• motivated
• obtained
• organised
• performed
• supervised

Action words

Use action words to describe the jobs you have undertaken and your key duties. Don’t list every task or go into too much detail. Give the recruiter a taster to make them want to meet you to find out more.

For example, ‘Targeted small businesses and sold advertising space.’

• analysed
• completed
• contributed
• created
• demonstrated
• designed
• evaluated
• set-up
• sold
• targeted
• worked

More top tips

• Use direct language and always write in the past tense, unless you are talking about your present job. Never start a sentence with ‘I’.
• Start every sentence with either an action or a power word.
• Back words up with examples. For example, write, ‘Implemented new sales techniques and achieved consistently high results.’ This clearly explains your role to the reader.
• Emphasise characteristics that are relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Pay attention to layout. Avoid solid blocks of text and use space to emphasise points and make sections stand out.
• Have a clear, easy-to-read sequence of sections.
• Make sure that the reader has a sense of a living breathing person behind the words and format.
• Make sure your CV is snappy and clear by rereading it and eliminating any unnecessary words like ‘was’, ‘were’ and ‘there’.
• Check your CV carefully for spelling, grammar and layout, before sending it to prospective employers and use an envelope large enough to take your CV unfolded.

Still Need More Help/Advice?

WoWMyCV(UK)  are a successful CV Writing and Careers Coaching business which operates across the UK and Europe.

Our team of Recruitment and HR Professionals has written in excess of 1000 CV’s for our customers since 2005 with a 94% Customer Satisfaction rating (based on our feedback surveys), we know exactly what employers are looking for in a CV.

Send us your CV for a FREE CV Review via email to office@wowmycv.co.uk and we’ll give you our honest and frank opinion of your CV.

Visit our website at www.wowmycv.co.uk for more information on our full range of CV Writing and Careers Coaching Services, or call us on 01603 490-102 where a member of our team will be on hand to answer any questions for you.

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