In today's world, it's hard to underestimate the need for such a document as a resume (CV). It is your presentation, expressed in text, what exactly you will be met by a potential employer. There are several important points to keep in mind when writing your CV.
Don't try to satisfy everyone
The first thing you need to realize for yourself - it is impossible to make a resume that will meet the requirements of all employers or employees of hr departments. They do not have a formula for an ideal CV: they like a logical one, but at the same time they are "killed" by a stream of identical resumes created according to the same template. So it's worth making one basic version, which will be your starting point for further small changes for a particular job. After all, employers expect you to have such a well-focused resume.
Keep it short
The second important thing to consider when writing your resume is brevity. Your CV should not carry a single extra word and should fit on one page, as you want to receive paystubs and how much. It should have the facts and only the facts. If there are too many of them in your busy life, try to highlight the most important ones, the rest you will tell already at the interview.
Don't try to deceive your employer, the truth will come out anyway
Write only the truth. Any lie, no matter how small, is easily detected. So, if you list theater or literature among your hobbies, for example, be prepared to talk about your favorite play or read an excerpt from your favorite work. Once, during a job interview, I spent several minutes discussing the intricacies of handball, which was listed on my CV and also happened to be one of my potential employer's favorite sports.
Don't forget and always use cover letters when the opportunity arises. This is what will make your resume and you among others stand out among many other applicants.
CV basics
And now, having talked about the most important general points when drafting, we will comment on the main sections of the resume:
Purpose: here you should briefly and clearly describe the job for which you are applying.
Education: it is recommended to specify the full names of schools with the name of the faculty and the specialty obtained, and do not forget about the dates. It's worth noting your honors degree, academic distinction, or, in some cases, the topic of your thesis or dissertation.
Work experience: you should list from 3 to 5 previous jobs in reverse chronological order (unless required otherwise), indicating positions, number of subordinates, a detailed description of roles, responsibilities. We recommend indicating the field of activity next to the name of the company. Moreover, if you have held several positions within the same company, it is better to list all of them with a description of functions and responsibilities.
Successes and achievements: here you need to show the employer what you have already achieved professionally. It is better to operate with numbers, this allows you to present your achievements more clearly, as well as to present the result perfectly (Compare: "In 1 year of work I developed and drafted 2 business plans, which received investments of $2 million" and "developed and drafted business plans").
Personal qualities: this section often seems the easiest. However, most of the qualities that go into this section are constantly repeated in every resume, so the employer simply stops noticing them. Tip: Don't write standard qualities, rather specify what you can do well.
Additional information: include here the information that has not yet been included in any of the previous sections, which will help you achieve the main goal - to get to the interview.
References: an important section that shows professional connections. Here you should list a few people who can give you references or simply state "references possible upon request."
Once you've written your CV, don't send it to the employer straight away. It is better to read it again carefully, check for mistakes, or make small changes to make it more relevant to the specific job.
CV TEMPLATE EXAMPLES
If you are still finding it hard to write an effective CV, you can view our CV templates for your career:
- Accounting CV template
- Agriculture CV template
- Arts CV template
- Automotive CV template
- Banking CV template
- Charity CV template
- Construction CV template
- Customer Services CV template
- Education CV template
- Engineering CV template
- Environmental CV template
- Facilities Management CV template
- Finance CV template
- Healthcare CV template
- Hospitality and Leisure CV template
- Human Resources (HR) CV template
- Information Technology (IT) CV template
- Leadership CV template
- Legal CV template
- Manufacturing CV template
- Marketing CV template
- Media CV template
- Office Administration CV template
- Personal Care CV template
- Professional Services CV template
- Public Sector CV template
- Retail CV template
- Sales CV template
- Science CV template
- Social Care CV template
- Telecommunications CV template
- Transportation and Logistics CV template