Creating a CV that Works for You

​For over two decades we have supported individuals in their careers by sharing with them the best of our specialist insight and knowledge.

When employers are faced with a mountain of CVs, it’s vital to ensure yours stands out; that’s why we’ve provided some simple guidelines below for how to get ‘you’ on paper in a way that catches the eye and connects with the job.

Creating your CV

When you first make a start, don’t overthink it, just get the information below on paper:

Personal details:

Name | Phone Number | Email | LinkedIn profile (if you have one that is up to date and will reflect your CV)

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Personal profile:

We will look at this below as this is your personal, unique statement to the job you are applying for.

Employment experience:

This CV will be your master, so be thorough and detailed. Think about every duty you performed and every skill you used in your work experience to date.

Starting with the most recent, list each role according to the example below:

Company name, Job Title (Dates i.e. August 2021 – May 2022)

• Provided administrative support for a team of twenty

• Effectively managed their diaries

• Prepared and collated meeting agendas

• Created meeting minutes and action plans

• Supported with typing and letter creation

• Redirected calls and took messages

• Dealt with queries professionally and politely

Education:

Starting with the most recent, list the following for each:

Year taken: Institution/Qualification/Certification, Grade if applicable

Making it stand out

You now have a ‘master’ CV which will become the starting point for every application.

Before you start tailoring your CV, ensure you have the job advert or specification to hand and look at the company website, as often this will inform you on what they look for in an employee. Then follow the below steps:

1. Mirror the job details by moving relevant experience to the top of the bullet points and removing anything that would have no relevance to the job.

2. Create your profile; this is where you highlight your suitability for the role. A profile must be positive, engaging and on point, containing who you are, what you know and what you will bring to the company. It’s important to get this right, as often a covering letter or email will be separated from your CV.

Below is an example:

A conscientious administrator with excellent timekeeping skills and organisation, having successfully balanced study, part-time work and caring responsibilities. I am committed to starting my career and delivering resourceful administration support to your team.

The profile can be broken down into three key questions an employer will want to know:

1. Who are you? A conscientious administrator with excellent timekeeping skills and organisation.

2. What have you achieved? Having successfully balanced study, part-time work and caring responsibilities.

3. What will you bring to the company? I am committed to starting my career and delivering resourceful administration support to your team.

A good profile will be concise, unique to the job you are applying for and filled with strong adjectives and verbs.

Final checks

Spelling and grammar mistakes leave a negative impact on the reader as they reflect a lack of care and attention. Before you send off your final draft, double and triple check everything you’ve written.

To ensure nothing is missed, it may be helpful to read through your CV aloud and/or ask a friend to look through it, as they will pick up on areas that you haven’t noticed.

If you would like further support in your job search, click here to contact us and we will be there to guide you every step of the way.