5 simple steps to a successful CV

3. The Basics
What should I include?
Contact Details
Make sure that you include a
list of up to date contact
details to make it easy for
employers to get in touch!
Personal
Statement
This is your opportunity to
shine, a chance to really sell
yourself. A short but sweet
sentence to grab the
potential employer’s
attention and make them
want to find out more
about you.
Education and
Training
Include relevant
qualifications you have
achieved to date in reverse
chronological order.
Work
Experience
Next comes your work
experience beginning with
your most recent role. If
you have any gaps, ensure
you portray your proactivity
by displaying what you
were doing in that time and
what skills you managed to
obtain.
Hobbies and
Interest
Now is not the time to go off
on a tangent but do think
outside the box!
Additional Skills
We can attain many different
skills outside of work and
education – you might have
a full driving license or picked
up a language.
References
You don’t have to include
your reference details here
but do state that they are
available on request.
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4. Make sure you keep your CV relevant
and adapt your CV depending on the
job you are applying for to give yourself
the best chance.
Include information that is significant,
do you really need to include that
essay about your GCSE’s from 1991?
Only include the necessities and try to
keep it brief – remember that age and
date of birth is no longer a
requirement.
Keep it at a two page maximum!

5. Keep you CV up to date – utilise any
opportunities where you can attain
additional skills and use them.
Ensure that there are no gaps and if
there are use them to outline what
you were doing and what skills and
experiences you achieved!

6. Order your experience in reverse chronological order
to ensure that your most relevant and up to date
experiences are seen first.
What’s relevant to the role that you’re applying for?
Make sure this stands out.

7. Make your CV clear and concise by focusing on both content and
arrangement – does it flow?
Remember, your CV layout doesn’t always have to be conventional –
think about the role that you’re applying for and consider different ways
to present.
For example, more creative roles might consider uploading a video or
relying on website and online portfolios.

8. Find the error of your ways! Make
sure you proof read thoroughly as
employer’s will look for errors and
if they find them it will make you
look very bad.
Bad grammar could lose you that
dream job.