How To Write A Good CV.
You are probably not aware of how important a great CV is.
Ever wonder? How do I write a CV and not just a CV but the one that gets the right attention!
Your CV is the first point of contact with a hiring managers, and this is the first chance you get and in some cases the only chance you may get.
Your CV needs to be realistic, factual and most of all, it needs to make them want to engage with you, so how do you get your CV across? well that is where is get tricky, you need to tell a life long story into a few paragraphs, so let’s work on that!
How should a CV be composed:
The layout should be a simple but professional fitting on to average of 2 pages and for a professional resume a 3rd page maybe needed.
Choosing the font and size is very important and stick with the same font, size and theme for the entire resume. The font should be clear and readable so choosing the font like (Aptos Body, Times New Roman, DengXian)
Heading:
Heading will contain the following:
Your Name
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Location
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Phone Number
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E-mail
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Licence type
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D.O.B (month and Year only)
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Social media Link
Professional summary / Cover letter:
This area should contain a brief description of you and your history, but nothing that gives everything about you away, include your background of sectors / roles you have taken up, what experience you have and finish with a small note of why you are a good fit for the role.
Example:
I am a driven and hard-working individual with extensive experience in Merchandising, Sales, Business Development. With a strong background in managing FMCG accounts, I excel at building relationships with key decision makers and executing sales strategies that drive business growth. I bring a proactive approach, a "can-do" attitude, and the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
Next, we move on to the most important part of the CV the Employment History.
This area is where most hiring managers lose interest or pinpoint the right candidate.
Where to start, well that’s easy always start at your most recent employment including,
Name of employer (The Daily Star)
Your role (Journalist)
Location (metropolis)
Date of employment (January 2024 to end date / present)
Using Bullet points give a small detail summary (2/3 sentences per bullet point)
Job Description: an example of your job role or roles you have undertaken (Sales / Business Developer)
Qualifications or Training: it does not matter now small any qualification or training is, it's a great addition to have on you CV
Achievements: what you have gained in your time at that company, Key wins, new business, profits and promotions especially if you didn’t start in that role when you started.
Listing your last 4/5 employments is enough or a time frame of the last 15 years.
Include any gaps in between your employment (personal time, caring for family, traveling)
Education and Qualifications
This section should be mainly to promote your Qualifications that will have an impact on the job or job you are applying for.
Weather it’s an advance driving licence, manual handling, software application programme, a trade skill or a management course, every skill achieved is a bonus for an employer to see some extra skill sets,
Also including School and colleges, name and years that you attended (if the college course is ongoing include the end date)
Hobbies and Interests
Keep this area to a minimum, 3 sentences which include your involvement in sport if any and hobbies you may be involved in
Key sports you like (remember dangerous sports can look bad)
Finishing off with References
No need to include information here other than (Available on Request) unless the job advert specifies references required.