CV Advice

Your CV is the first stage within the recruitment process, it won't get you the job, but it could get you the interview! Take time in planning what you want to say and how you want to say it. Do not waffle, be precise and remember this is your initial chance to really sell yourself!

What information needs to be on your CV?

Every CV must contain a basic set of information -

• Name
• Home Address
• Contact numbers in Mobile, Day and Evening
• Email Address
• Date of birth
• Profile - An overview of your skills, experience and attributes. Remember, be specific, anyone can write that they are committed and hardworking!
• Career History - Start with most recent, include Dates, Company, Job Title, Technologies and a Job Description. Try to keep this to bullet points or 4 - 5 sentences.
• Education - Start with most recent first, include Dates, Places of Study, Qualification and Grade.

Do's and Don'ts

• Be precise and to the point. Don't waffle and try to keep the CV to between 2 - 3 pages.
• Always make sure your account for any gaps in your career or educational history, if you don't potential employers could question this.
• List all your technologies under each specific job, stating platforms, databases, languages, applications, test tools. Don't use slang or abbreviations. Go back to basics.
• Your profile is your opportunity to sell yourself. What are your specialist skills? What do you have most experience in? Why should you have that job?
• Make sure you read your CV numerous times, ask someone else to proof read it. There is nothing worse than a CV with lots of spelling or grammatical mistakes.
• Always try to send your CV in a Word document electronically. If you do send it by post keep it on bright white paper. CV's get faxed and photocopied many times so fancy artwork or coloured paper can be pointless.
• Do state that you can provide references on request and remember to have them to hand when asked.