Graduate Advice - Real World CV Masterclass - Part One
Stand out from the crowd with a well crafted CV
In today's fiercely competitive job market, a well written CV will make employers take notice of
you, and get you that all important interview.
Content
The most traditional CV is a historical one, which includes past achievements and qualifications.
The key point is not to prepare an exhaustive list, but to include qualifications (most recent
first) that are well regarded and most relevant to the job. Including positions of responsibility
demonstrate that a person can multi-task, be a group leader and co-ordinate activities. Other
details such as education, work history, interests and references should be included in any type of
CV.
Also, there is the option of a skills-based CV, which is divided by your different skills like
communication, problem solving and project management. The crucial point is to show the
employer that you have transferable skills that will benefit their company, and that in the future
you will be responsible for your work and meet deadlines. This type of CV will benefit those
who are applying for a job, which is not directly related to their degree.
Once you are satisfied with the content, you may wish to take it one step further by making
a multimedia CV. This is indeed something different and may appeal to employers in more
creative fields or modern companies. It is important to focus on the content and also take note
that the graphics and special effects of this CV could detract from the key messages that you
wish to highlight. Still, nowadays when more applications are being accepted on-line, this may
be a worthwhile approach to consider.
Length
A CV should not be reams of paper, but only 1 or 2 pages, which include relevant information.
Only the key facts should be included, and these can be elaborated upon during an interview. It
may be worth including the most important information (such as qualifications) on the first page,
since this will catch the reader's eye easily.
Tone
In today's world where people spend more time texting or online messaging, it is sometimes
difficult to slip out of the habit of slang and shorthand. However, it is crucial that the language
used in a CV is professional, i.e. it uses good grammar, and it should be tailored to the specific
job. Proof reading is important to spot any spelling errors and also as a sense check. It may be
worth asking someone else to read the CV to see if they spot anything unusual!
Format
Using sub-headings helps the CV to be instantly and easily understood. Also, bullet points can
be used to list achievements. However, beware of making the CV look too fancy, since the text
needs to be well spaced out and easy to read.
The end result
A well written CV will help in differentiating you from other candidates and secure an interview.
Then the rest is up to you, but if you can elaborate well on the key points and be confident, there
is no reason why you can't get a job to be proud of.
- Arnab Datta
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