How to write a curriculum vitae?

A curriculum vitae or CV is often an important part of a job application. It is a resume of your career to date, and is often the first thing that a potential employer looks at. So, how do you write a good CV? Here are some hints and tips.

Getting started with your CV

Good resumes are planned carefully. Make a note of every job you've ever had, with dates when you were doing it. Then, write down all your schools and colleges, and make a list of your qualifications. Finally, write down anything else important in your life such as hobbies, interests and other achievements.

How to write your CV

Writing a CV is a bit of an art and there are many ways to do it and a lot of advice given. I would suggest that you don't do anything fancy, like start off by listing your achievements. These tend to sound the same for everyone, and in my experience employers tend to ignore them. Personal information Start off by giving all your personal information like name, address, phone number and such. Follow this with a list of your educational establishments and qualifications. Job history After that, the important elements come into play, your career history with your most recent job and work being placed in descending order. If it is very long, don't be afraid to leave out temporary jobs but don't leave any big gaps in the dates. Conversely, if you've had few or no jobs, try to put in everything you've done, like voluntary work, looking after children and traveling. Briefly explain what you learned when doing these things as it's all relevant. Other information Finally, add a little extra information about your interests and hobbies, especially if they prove that you've achieved something in your life. Don't make too long a list though as an employer may think you won't have time to do any work. You can add two referees at this stage if you want, but it's not compulsory on a CV.

Important points

Remember the following points: - Make sure your CV is spelled and punctuated correctly, and that it looks neat and tidy. Get help if necessary. - Make a lot of copies. You never want to run short if someone asks you for your CV. - You may want to have separate CVs for different types of work, slanting each towards the career in question. - If you're really struggling, get help with your CV. There are professional CV writers, and a web search will bring up a number of CV writing services. Finally, good luck and have successful job hunting!