Career Centre - Preparing Your CV

Your CV acts as a catalyst towards securing an interview.  It should be regarded as a marketing tool to create interest from potential employers and should accurately and concisely highlight your strengths.  Our suggestions for preparing an effective CV:

Keep your CV simple.  You should be able to sell yourself in a maximum of 2-3 pages. It should be concise and accurately describe your previous jobs, education and personal details. Remember that the majority of potential employers will only be interested in your recent work experience so do not over-elaborate on every aspect of your career to date. To ensure that your CV follows a logical structure you may want to utilise the templates available in most versions of Microsoft Word.

Be specific. Take some time to consider what type of role you are interested in and tailor your CV accordingly. Ensure that your CV focuses specifically on your suitability to the role rather than being a generalist document.

Be honest. Highlight your experience as much as possible but ensure that it is an honest reflection of your skills and capabilities. The content of your CV will undoubtedly form the basis of any subsequent interview, at which point any exaggeration or false statements will be exposed. Focus on what you are best at and you will give yourself the best possible opportunity of securing the position.

Proof read your CV. It is common for candidates to forward a CV without first having actually read it. Most potential employers will pick up on any mistakes and form a negative view from the outset that may hinder your chances of securing an interview. Check spelling and ensure that your dates are correct - any ambiguity will either raise suspicion or highlight a lack of attention to detail. If possible ask someone else to check your CV for accuracy.

Covering letter. When submitting a CV you should compile an email which highlights clearly the position you are applying for, current salary and availability. We suggest that 4 or 5 bullet points highlighting your most relevant skills are included.

Sending your CV. With the growth in access to email it is now commonplace for CV's to be sent electronically unless otherwise stated. Therefore you should ensure that your CV is saved in a format that is easy to open. We would suggest Microsoft Word format.