What is a CV (Curriculum Vitae)? (Experienced Job Seeker)

The words ‘curriculum vitae’ are Latin for ‘course of life’. Your CV is a short summary of your life. You show it to employers when you are applying for a job.

It should describe your experience, qualifications, other achievements, skills and personal qualities. It shows a potential employer what you have to offer.

Why have a CV?

• some job vacancy advertisements especially ask you to send a CV with your application
• if you send a letter “on spec” to possible employers, enclose a copy of your CV
• if an employer asks you to come for an interview, take a copy of your CV along
• when you are filling up job application forms, keep your CV nearby for you to refer to.

Your CV must make a good impression. It may persuade the employer to ask you to come for interview.

Employers get many CVs. They have little time to read them. They may not read through every one to the end. Your most valuable skills should be near the top of the first page.

If your CV stands out from the others in some way, the employer is more likely to read all of it and then to remember it – and you.

Make your CV suit the particular job you are applying for at the time. This might mean changing your CV slightly for every job you apply for. Keep it on a file on a computer or on a disk. You will then find it easier to change or update.

What should go into your CV?

Personal contact details

Name, address and postcode, telephone number and e-mail address if you have one. You do not have to put your date of birth, nationality or whether you are married on your CV.

Personal profile or career goal (optional)

If you wish, you can write a short summary of your main skill, or your main ambition for your future career.

Example of a personal profile:

Skilled electrician with sound practical experience in domestic and commercial installation and commissioning. Team leadership and negotiation skills proven over a number of building contracts.

Example of a career goal:

To develop a career in Human Resources Management, based on my professional studies and practical experience of helping people to adapt to changed circumstances.

Key skills

This section is your chance to catch the employer’s eye and get him or her interested enough to read the rest of your CV.

Your key skills should stress most:

• your transferable skills, that is, the skills you have which can be used in different jobs
• any experience you have had which has to do with what the employer wants
• those of your personal qualities which have to do with what the employer wants; you can find what the employer wants by looking at the job advertisement or job description

The key skills section should be near the start of your CV.

Employment history

Start with your present or last employer. State the start and end date, and work backwards in time. Name each of your employers. Name your job titles. Briefly describe your duties in each job. Include voluntary work, part time and seasonal work.

Don’t leave gaps in the dates. Employers may ask you about these. They might turn down a CV with gaps. If you were out of work for a while, or caring for relatives, say so.

Education (or qualifications)

Name your secondary school and any college you have been to. List any qualifications you got at school and any since leaving school.

Personal interests (or hobbies)

List your spare time interests and any voluntary work you do. Mention activities which have to do with the job you are applying for. Some hobbies show your ability to work in a team.

References

If you wish, name two people who will give you a reference. Put down their job titles, addresses and phone numbers. It’s best if the referees are past or present employers.

Perhaps you don’t want your present employer to know yet that you are trying for other jobs. In this case, you can state on your CV that names and addresses of referees will be supplied on request.

If you do put the names of referees on your CV, check with your referees that they agree to this.

Sample Curriculum Vitae

Moira Bain

Rowan Drive

Anytown AT14 1LT

Telephone: 01234 123456

E-mail: m.bain@abc.co.uk

 Checklist for CV: 

• Type it neatly and clearly, on one side of the paper only.
• List your key skills near the start, to catch the employer’s eye.
• Print it on good, A4 size, cream or white paper.
• Check spelling, grammar and punctuation before and after you print it.
• Don’t make changes; if you make a mistake, fix it and print the CV out again.
• Try to get it on one side of A4. Don’t use more than two sides.
• Update your CV regularly.

• Always keep a copy of your current up-to-date CV, and keep it on disc as well as a hard copy.

Now – do a draft CV for yourself and check it against the checklist. Use Easy CV (in the Portfolio section of this website) if you would like to do this online.

If you were an employer, would you give yourself an interview, or a job, based on your CV? If not, what could you do to improve it?

 

Draft Curriculum Vitae

Name:

Address:     

Telephone:  

E-mail:

Key skills:  

Employment history:

Education/qualifications:                

Interests:  

Additional information:

References: