Your curriculum vitae (CV) is the key that opens the door to an interview. It must contain the information required to achieve that goal, and nothing more! It is not an autobiography.
Employers will quickly decide whether or not to interview you, based on the appearance of the CV and the content.
While in rare circumstances it may be appropriate to express your amazing personality by producing a very different looking CV (to “stand out from the crowd”), the vast majority of employers are looking for a clear and succinct record of your skills and experience. .
Rules
- Always write your CV (use a word processor if possible) on good quality paper.
- Never use more than two pages – employers get bored easily!
- Don’t write the words Curriculum Vitae at the top: it’s perfectly obvious what it is.
- Do not start the CV with a descriptive statement (“A well-educated enthusiast who will certainly make his mark in international trade”). Let the facts speak for themselves and let the employer be the judge of your abilities.
- Use this format:
- Name (bold)
- Personal data including date of birth, address and telephone number, marital status, nationality
- Ratings
- Race history (in reverse order, most recent position first)
- leisure interests
- referees
- Make sure all dates link up; leave no suspicious gaps. If you were out of work for a period, or traveling, include it as a stage in your history.
- Write the name and location of the employer in bold. Employers often select for the interview by identifying themselves with companies they know.
- Use your last title in each position, also in bold.
- Briefly describe the business and the size of the company, in italics.
- Do not write more than a few lines about the content and responsibilities of the job. If applicable, show how you progressed from one position to the next. Please mention specific numbers if possible (‘In charge of 3 employees, ‘sold 30 machines, worth £100,000 each’). Highlight one or two accomplishments after each job.
- At leisure, show breadth of character by mentioning varied interests, energy with sporting interests. Don’t make up interests, as you may be asked about them, especially if the interviewer shares those interests. Don’t worry the employer by listing contentious interests (hunting, fox hunting). Keep the list short: an artistic interest, a sporty one, and an unusual one. Do not put ‘socialize’ that is taken as drinking!
- Only list referees if they have said they would speak for you. With their permission, provide their phone numbers so employers are encouraged to contact them.
- Make sure all spelling is correct. Don’t trust computer spell checkers.
- Distribute your CV to the best recruiters in your industry. If you are in the science or clinical research market, all you have to do is send your CV to Seltek (register here).