There are plenty of resources on the internet regarding writing an effective CV so we will not repeat that advice here. However we do see many CV’s on a daily basis and there are some key points we would recommend you keep in mind:
Format
You don’t want the format to detract from the content and the message you are trying to send:
- Stick to a widely used font such as Arial or Times New Roman
- Keep the format clean and concise, using paragraph formatting and bullet points to separate the different roles and areas of experience you wish to highlight
- Don’t use backgrounds or irrelevant graphics
- Use black as your font colour
- Attaching a photo to your CV? We have seen CV’s where a photo really fits and adds to the document and we have also seen CV’s where the photo should really have been left out – it is your call.
Contact details
We are amazed at the number of CV’s that are sent to us without contact details. Covering emails can easily become detached from your CV, so it is vital that all of your contact details are included on your CV.
Keep it interesting
This is the story of your career and you need to ensure the reader sticks with it all the way through. Keep your descriptions concise, factual and easy to read, allowing recruiters and employers to get a feel for your experience quickly before they spend time studying your CV in more detail.
Number of Pages
The one page CV is NOT a necessity in this part of the world. CV’s that are well written, well formatted and make an interesting 4 or 5 page read are much preferred to a 20 year career history crammed onto one page.
