Hints & Advice

CVs

When you find yourself in the unenviable position of having to put together your own CV, consider getting a professional to do it. So many people put themselves through the nightmare of attempting to do it themselves. But wait a minute! If my car needs fixing I take it to a garage. If I don’t feel well I go to the doctor. When dealing with anything I don’t know about, I seek advice from an expert. So why should I be expected to do my own CV? Many attempt it – most, unfortunately, fall far short of the mark.

However, a CV is only the first step along the road to new employment. A lot of people make the mistake of thinking a good CV will get them a job. Wrong! A CV won’t get you a job – but it may get you an interview. After that it’s up to you!

When considering how much to spend on your CV, consider the cost as an investment. If the CV helps to get you the right job, then it will be worth far more to you in the long run.

Most word processing packages come complete with a CV or Resume Wizard these days. If you are one of those who are quite competent, especially considering how widespread and popular Microsoft Word® is, then you may feel you can put it together yourself. If so, here are a few pointers:

Tips for CVs

• As a rule, try to keep it to 2 pages. 1 may be too brief, any more than 2 and you could risk losing the reader’s interest
• Try and get the most important information on the first page – i.e. your personal details, skills and attributes, relevant qualifications and your current/most recent position
• If your education was a while ago, consider putting in on the second page. Remember, no one is going to be looking at your education if you have a good solid work history – they are more likely to employ you on the basis of your experience
• Use bullet points rather than solid paragraphs of text, as these are easier on the eye, better to read and more attractive
• No need to staple or pin the pages of your CV together as this may hinder the reader. People may prefer to handle loose sheets
• Don’t include reasons for leaving previous jobs – remember to focus only on the positive and avoid anything negative
• Don’t be tempted to go in for fancy borders, jazzy fonts or luminous paper as this can look frivolous. Try to keep it sober and professional. Use a good quality paper such as Conqueror®
• Try to include a section on your interests and activities – this can give the reader a lot more insight about you. Remember, a potential employer wants to know what you are like as a person
• Try not to leave any gaps and account for all periods of unemployment. Time not accounted for on the CV will raise suspicions and look sloppy
• Put in job titles as sub headings for each entry in your employment history, not the employers name/company. What you were doing is more likely to be of interest than who you were doing it for
• You may not need references on your CV. The CV is only designed to get you to the interview and references are not likely to be required until you get to the interview/selection stage. Nowadays it is customary to put ‘available on request’, but you need to have referees in mind if requested to produce them.

COVER LETTERS

When it comes to cover letters, this is another major point of confusion. In truth there is no great secret. You will have seen the job ads requesting you to send in a CV with a cover letter – so what’s it all about?

One of the most difficult aspects of writing a really good cover letter is to say why you are interested in the job and in some cases what skills/abilities you think you will bring to the position. If you need help with this, consider getting it done professionally. The same rules apply as with your CV.

Tips for cover letters

• Never handwrite a cover letter unless specifically requested. Always get your cover letters typed
• Don’t photocopy and the same letter and fill in the details later – it looks sloppy and obviously mass produced, which tells a potential employer that you couldn’t be bothered writing to them individually
• If possible, print your cover letter on paper that matches your CV
• Don’t be tempted to put too much detail in your cover letters – they are only an introduction for your CV. Important information, such as your skills, should be in your CV already. Avoid repetition!
• There is no point going to the trouble of typing your cover letter if you’re going to handwrite the envelope. Get the envelope typed as well, or better still use a window envelope.
• When answering ads requesting a cover letter, make sure you include ALL the information they have asked for, such as salary expectations, preferred location, etc.