Tips on how to write a perfect resume | curriculum vitae (CV)

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a brief written description of your abilities, accomplishments, and experience as they pertain to the desired position. It is used in the initial stages of the employment application. Employers frequently want a CV rather than an application form; however, both are required on occasion.

It is your first opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer. A well-written CV will earn you an interview. Use it to apply for jobs that have been posted or to introduce yourself to employers you'd want to work for. They might have unadvertised job openings.

How to Start Your CV

You can start with the job advert for the role you’ve applied for. So, you can refer to the:

★      Job Description

★      Personal Specification

★      Company Details

Consider how your abilities and experience fit what the company is seeking for, and acquire the necessary information, such as:

★      Your Qualification

★      Your past jobs and volunteering experience

★      Your previous employers’ details

★      Evidence of any training courses you’ve mentioned

You should modify your CV to meet the job description and the employer. If the job you're looking for does not offer a job description, you may look at comparable job descriptions from other organizations to grasp the abilities you’ll need and the typical activities you’ll perform in that position.

The layout of a CV

There are several CV styles, so choose the one that best fits the job and stage of your life or career.

★ Conventional CV or chronological CV - presents your career and education background in chronological order, beginning with the most recent.

★      Skills-based or targeted CV – focuses on your job- linked talents and personal attributes.

★    A technical CV is used in industries like IT and engineering to emphasize the talents you possess that are relevant to your business.

★  Creative CVs are utilized in the creative and digital arts and might include a link to an online portfolio, video or infographics, or digital tools that set you out from the crowd.

★    Academic CVs are often longer than standard or skills-based CVs and are frequently utilized for teaching and research positions.

Length of an Ideal CV

In the United Kingdom, a normal CV should be no more than two sides of A4. That being said, one size does not fit all. A school leaver or recent graduate, for example, might only need to use one side of A4. Although it is not commonly utilized, a three-page CV may be required for individuals in high-level positions or for those who have earned a lot of experience or worked in many companies in the previous five to ten years. Some medical or academic CVs, for example, maybe longer depend on your experience. While it is critical to keep your CV brief, you should also avoid selling your experience short.

To conserve space, please provide the most important aspects of your education and experience. Stick to pertinent material and avoid repeating what you mentioned in your cover letter. If you're having trouble editing your CV, consider if particular material sells you. If it doesn't, remove it. If it isn't relevant to the position you're going for, eliminate it, and if it's outdated information from 10 years ago, sum it up.

Things to Include in a CV

1. Contact Details: If companies wish to offer you an interview, you'll need to supply information about how they may contact you. You need to include your:

★     Name at the top of the page. However, you don’t need to add a CV or Curriculum Vitae at the top of the page.

★      Share your phone number which employers can reach you on during the office hours

★      Share your email address too. Also, make your email address sound professional.

Things You Should Not Include in Your CV

★      Age

★      Date of Birth (DOB)

★      Marital Status

★      Nationality     

2. Personal Profile: These are a few lines that summarize who you are and what you aspire to accomplish. It should appear directly underneath your name and contact information. Consider the job you desire and the qualifications required by the business. Make your profile sound as though you're the best candidate for the position.
3. Academic Background: If you're just starting out in your job or don't have much work experience, you may add this part after your personal profile. Whatever order you pick, you must include the following:

★      Name of your qualification

★      School, college, or universities you have studied

★      Dates you attended

            If you're older and have a long work history, you might want to reverse the order and highlight your work history and talents first.            

4. Work Experience: List your professional experience in reverse chronological order, making sure that everything you discuss is relevant to the job you're applying for. Include your work title, the name of the firm, how long you've been with the organization, and import duties. If you have a lot of relevant job experience, this part should appear before education.
5. Skills and Achievements: This is where you talk about the languages you know and the IT programs you know how to utilize. The primary abilities you describe should be applicable to the job. Don't overestimate your talents because you'll be required to back up your assertions during the interview. If you have a lot of job-specific talents, create a skills-based CV.
6. Interests and Hobbies: 'Socializing,' 'going to the movies,' and reading' are hardly going to pique a recruiter's interest. Relevant interests, on the other hand, may present a more complete picture of who you are while also providing you something to talk about during the interview. Examples include producing your own blog or community bulletins if you want to be a journalist, being a member of a theater club if you want to work in sales, and your engagement in climate change action if you want to work in the environment. If you don't have any relevant hobbies or interests, skip this area.

Fill up the Covid-19 Gap (if applicable)

The first thing you should know is that COVID-19 has thrown thousands of students' career goals off course, and you are not alone. Career-enhancing activities such as work experience, internships, and volunteering have been postponed or canceled as a result of the epidemic. Let us set your mind at ease if you're concerned about the corona-shaped gap on your CV.

Employers are fully aware of the difficulties posed by lockdowns, and they will not expect you to have completed a length of work experience during this time. Having said that, you might still show potential employers how you spent this time properly, demonstrating yourself to be a proactive, diligent, and resilient applicant. You could mention:

★      Information about online courses or Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) you've taken, as well as webinars or online events you've attended.

★      the acquisition of new abilities, such as learning a language or coding.

★      Volunteering tasks include checking in on and shopping for senior neighbors, as well as caring for young siblings or elderly relatives.

In the end, if you are a student or recent graduate and need assistance constructing a CV, you can seek expert assistance from your university's careers office.