Guide to writing a CV
Why you need a well-written CV:
A CV is an all-important first impression and selling tool. It is essentially a document that has to convince a prospective future employer that you have the necessary educational background and skill set and that you are worth interviewing for a particular role. It must be more than a chronological history of your life; it needs to be corporate, concise and relevant, conveying your skills and experience in the most effective way possible.
Key points to creating an effective CV:
Experience tells us that there are several key points that make a successful CV. With all of these, bear in mind that accuracy is essential - do not be tempted to over-elaborate on your career.
Length
Keep your CV as brief and as relevant as you can. The optimum length for a CV should be two sides of A4, allowing explanation of the roles and duties performed in one's career, yet being concise enough to be perused quickly.
Neatness/Style
Make sure that everything on your CV is spelt correctly, that the grammar is precise and that the CV does not look too cluttered or too spaced out. Bullet points are often an excellent way of breaking up a long piece of text and catching the eye.
Content
You can use language to create a good impression by using positive action words such as 'implemented', 'launched', 'developed', 'reorganised', etc. whilst avoiding tenuous words like 'liased' that make an employer question what your role was in the process. Show where you added value and how your career skill set advanced as a result. These are general guidelines on what should be included in all CV's but bear in mind that if you are replying to a specific advert or role, your CV should be adjusted to bring out the strengths that relate to that role and organisation in particular. In other words, tailor your CV appropriately.
Format
The way that you structure your CV is vital to presenting yourself in an effective manner. At Best Recruitment, we have found that there is a standard form that employers like to see (please see attached).
Personal Details
The following all need to be included in this section: name, address, contact telephone numbers, nationality, e-mail address and date of birth.
Qualifications
These should be written chronologically with the most recent first, including professional qualifications. Educational achievements such as degree and A-level results should then follow, along with where they were obtained. Dates should be included at all times. For the temporary and contract market the importance of including qualifications is less so than for the permanent market. You should not include all the courses you have covered, however you should ensure that all the relevant dates are included and that there are no gaps within the CV.
Employment History
Again, this should be organised chronologically with your most recent work experiences first. The content of this area is the chance for you to make an impact on the employer by conveying a positive image of your duties and responsibilities, showing you to have transferable skills or that you are strong in a particular area. Also ensure that all your time is accounted for - do not leave off any employment periods - the employer will only ask you about it if you get to interview stage.
Personal Interests
This can be an important area for some employers and less so for others. However, you should explain concisely what you have achieved outside of the work/educational environments and what your interests are. Do not list usual social activities as hobbies unless you are particularly committed and achieved something as a result.
Computer skills
All computer packages you have used in the past or are familiar with should be included. This is one of the key areas for temporary and contract employees as your knowledge of certain systems could be the difference between you and another candidate getting that role.
Salary Details
It is useful for both consultants and employers to know what your current or last remuneration package is in terms of the structure of package and the value of each part; it forms the basis of any salary negotiations with clients and also helps consultants know where you are looking to pitch yourself in the marketplace. If your current expectations are markedly different to the current total, you should explain what you are looking for and why in any covering letter.
Common Mistakes
- No nationality
- No Visa status
- Positions in reverse chronological order (i.e., latest experience not listed first)
- Personal Characteristics - a CV should infer what kind of person you are through what you have done rather than using a section to tell the employer what an ambitious, successful, dynamic individual you are. This is a common problem with CVs.
- Use of graphics/artwork to 'jazz up' a CV. A CV is a tool to portray you as a professional individual and a CV needs to reflect that, so try and make it look corporate. Pictures, though common in the US and the Continent, are considered unnecessary amongst most employers in the UK unless specifically requested.
- Not enough information on the companies worked on such as turnover, headcount, products, etc. Be concise but provide details.
What Now?
The most important thing to do once you have collated all the information and arranged it into the format that you are happy with is to check it thoroughly. An employer can sometimes be looking for reasons to whittle down the pile and spelling mistakes, poor grammar, glaring omissions, etc are the perfect excuses. Once you've checked it, talk it through with your consultant, who will advise with regards to the rest of your job-hunting strategy.
If you are unsure about any aspect of writing or updating your CV, please ask for advice from your consultant.
Interview Guide
You've received a call. One of our clients would like to interview you for that ideal role. You've got through the CV stage so now its time to think about how you are going to impress your interviewer...
The first key point to an interview is preparation. So how do you prepare for an interview? Knowledge is power at the interview stage and the more that you can demonstrate your understanding of the company, it's history, it's market, it's future plans, it's competitors, the role you will be doing, etc then the better. Excellent sources for this are:
- The organisation's website
- Industry websites
- Annual reports and statements
- Other publications produced by the organisation
- Relevant newspapers: FT, Times, Guardian, etc and other more specialised publications relevant to that sector
- Your recruitment consultant. They will have developed a relationship with the employer and understand what they look for, what your interviewer is like, as well as understanding the business.
Once you have the information you need to be able to turn that into the basis of an effective interview. Think of some pertinent questions that will highlight your research and also show that you are aware of the key issues surrounding the company and it's market.
Now you have thought of possible questions to ask the interviewer and also prepared for some of the answers you will give to the type of questions they will ask, you need to practice your interview technique. This can be done either with your recruitment consultant or with someone else that you trust. Your recruitment consultant will be able to tell you the kind of questions you will get, whether they are designed to test your technical knowledge or your personality, and also interview you in the style of your interviewer.
The old adage of "first impressions count" is never more applicable than in an interview situation. There numerous statistics on how long it takes for an interviewer to decide whether you are the right person for the role. Whatever the true amount of time, if you make a poor impression from the outset, you will struggle to reach the next round.
So what constitutes a good first impression?
- Arrive for the interview on time - if you are going to be unavoidably late, call your consultant
- Dress smartly and professionally
- Be polite to everyone you meet, you never know who they might be
- Shake the interviewer's hand firmly
- Smile and thank them for meeting you - smiling is what most people forget to do due to nerves
Your initial conversation could start off with an icebreaker such as an inquiry about your journey there or the interviewer could apply pressure straight away. Be prepared for both and don't get caught off-guard.
The interview itself:
- Look at your interviewer, not to his side or at your feet
- Remember to listen carefully to what is said and make your answers considered and relevant
- Speak clearly at all times
The interviewer will probably want to set the pace of the interview, so let them. The line of questioning in an interview will depend upon whether they want to test your character or your technical knowledge.
Here, we will examine the personality questions they could ask:
- Describe yourself
- What motivated the decisions you have made so far in your education / career history?
- What are your main weaknesses and describe a time that you overcame them?
- When have you shown tenacity in a business environment?
- What has been the most difficult decision you have made in your career?
- Why do you want to join us?
- If we hired you, what long-term benefits would we see?
These are all fairly standard questions that interviewers can ask. To prepare for them you must have done your research about the company and you must also understand what makes you tick. Try and identify what your key skills and strengths are and play up to them throughout the interview. If asked what your weaknesses are, try and limit them to one or maybe two but then show how you've tried to address them and the progress you have made.
One way of appearing enthusiastic and also redirecting the pressure from you to the interviewer is to ask probing and intelligent questions.
Typical areas that you can ask questions on include:
- Your career path within the firm. Perhaps ask for an example of someone who has done the role before.
- The training that you would receive there.
- Cultural issues - both within and outside of work.
- Recent news within the media - where do they see the organisation heading?
- The personal reasons for your interviewer joining the organisation.
- The support structure within the company - will they sponsor you for an MBA, professional qualifications, etc?
Whatever the questions you ask, make sure that they are pertinent. There are, of course, some things that you do not discuss during the interview process. If you are using a recruitment consultant then they will negotiate your salary and benefits for you under your instructions. There can be messy and unnecessary confrontations if you do this directly with your potential employer.
Whilst first impressions count, so do the last ones. As you leave the interview room, ensure that you leave on an upbeat note. You should try and gauge whether you will be invited back by asking when you should expect a decision. Do not express any misgivings you may have about the role to the interviewer - talk them through with your recruitment consultant. Above all, you must appear positive when you leave the interview.
Further information about the interview process and effective interview technique can be obtained from your recruitment consultant.
BEST RECRUITMENT
121a Old Christchurch Road
Bournemouth
Dorset
BH1 1EP
Telephone: 01202 780099
Fax: 01202 589661
FORTE
15 Moor Road
Broadstone
Dorset
BH18 8AZ
Telephone: 01202 659230
Fax: 01202 658795
We will contact you personally to arrange an interview.
- 24 Hour Contact
- 07842 901625 - Forte
- 07866 362702 - Best
