Your CV, or curriculum vitae, is the first impression potential employers have of you, so it’s important to make it stand out from the crowd. In this article, we’ll go through the steps to writing a CV and how to make potential employers give your CV a second glance.
How to write a CV
A CV is a document that summarises your education, work experience, skills, and achievements throughout your life, to date. It’s important to tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for, so make sure you read the job description carefully before you start writing.
How do you write a CV for the first time?
If you’re writing a CV for the first time, start by brainstorming all your skills, experience, education, and achievements. Make sure to include any volunteering or extracurricular activities you’ve been involved in. Depending on your age and previous experience will set the tone for your CV. Some will be very technical, while others will be more competency-based, which will typically highlight your strengths and weaknesses of intangible skills such as communication and time management.
Once you’ve gathered all your information, follow the steps below.
What are the 7 basic steps to writing a good CV?
Choose the format: Decide which format you want for your CV. You can use a chronological, functional, or hybrid format.
Chronological CV:
A chronological CV is the most common type of CV format. It lists your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job or experience and working backwards. This format is best suited for people with a strong and consistent work history in the same field or industry.
Functional CV:
A functional CV, also known as a skills-based CV, focuses on your skills and abilities rather than your work experience. This format is best suited for people who are changing careers, have gaps in their work history, or have limited work experience.
Hybrid CV:
A hybrid CV, is also known as a combination CV, which combines elements of both the chronological and functional formats. It includes a summary of your skills and abilities, followed by a chronological listing of your work experience. This format is best suited for people with a strong work history in the same field or industry, who also want to highlight their skills and abilities.
When choosing a CV format, it’s important to consider your individual circumstances and the job you are applying for. If you have a strong work history in the same field, a chronological CV may be the best choice. If you are changing careers or have limited work experience, a functional or hybrid CV may be more appropriate.
What else to include in a CV?
- Personal Information: Include your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the page. Top tip: make sure you have a professional-looking email address, even if that requires creating a new one. It’s a big red flag to email addresses such as “princess_xoxox’ or ‘theman69’.
- Education: List your education chronologically, starting with your most recent degree, course or certificate.
- Work Experience: List your work experience chronologically, starting with your most recent job and also list the dates that you worked at each location.
- Skills: List your skills, making sure to include any relevant technical or soft skills.
- Achievements: List any achievements or awards you’ve received that are relevant to the job.
- References: Include at least two references, making sure to ask their permission first.
How to make my CV stand out?
To make your CV stand out, follow these tips:
Be sure to customise your CV for each job application. While you can have a ‘master copy’ of your CV, before submitting it to a new role job, always tailor your CV to match the job requirements and highlight your relevant skills. Some job application processes now use AI to help screen CVs. This means your CV might not even be seen by a human until later stages. With this in mind, you need to ensure that you’re using relevant keywords in the CV that an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) could look for when approving your CV for the next stage or not.
The terminology and length of the CV are crucial for its success.
You always need to ensure that your CV is written to the correct length. Two pages are the typical length to get across all of your information, without it being too short or long. Anything over two pages might not be read as it can be an information overload. Using action verbs for example, “managed” and “created” will help make your achievements stand out, these can also be picked up on any kind of AI system.
Is a competency CV or a skills-based CV best?
A competency CV and a skills-based CV both have their advantages, so it’s important to choose the best format for your skills, experience and the job that you are applying for. A competency CV focuses on the skills and functions you have developed throughout your career, while a skills-based CV emphasises your skills and abilities in a particular field. If you have a wide range of skills and experiences, a skills-based CV may be more appropriate. Ultimately, it’s important to tailor your CV to the specific job you are applying for and highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the role.
What is a Competency CV?
A competency CV, is also known as a functional CV and is a type of CV that focuses on your skills and competencies. It is often used in industries where specific skills and abilities are required, such as healthcare, education or engineering. In a competency CV, you will highlight your skills and competencies that are relevant to the job you are applying for and provide examples of how you have demonstrated those skills in your previous work experience.
If you are applying for a customer-facing role and have a lot of experience dealing with clients from a wealth of backgrounds, a competent CV will tailor perfectly to your needs.
What is a skills-based CV?
A skills-based CV, is also known as a chronological CV and is a type of CV that emphasises your skills and abilities in a particular field. It is often used by people who are changing careers or who have limited work experience. In a skills-based CV, you will highlight your skills and abilities that are relevant to the job you are applying for and provide examples of how you have developed those skills in your education or other experiences. Skills-based CVs work great when an employer is looking for a certain ‘type’ of person, instead of a lot of technical knowledge or training.
In conclusion, having a well-crafted CV is essential to standing out in a crowded job market. By tailoring your CV to the job you are applying for and using a clear and concise format you will stand out from the hundreds of other submitted CVs. Be sure to highlight your skills and experiences, and by choosing the right format for your circumstances, you can increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters and landing your dream job.
