Having a well-structured, comprehensive CV (Curriculum Vitae CV) that is well-written is very important to have throughout one’s life. While you are at school it should list your membership organisations and can help you to find part-time work and apply for tertiary education places. Once you are at university it should be updated with your new qualifications and skills to help you find employment.
Before we address how to create a CV, a common question is what is the best CV format? There is no one best CV format, but when drafting a CV bear in mind that it is a living document that will need to be frequently updated. Knowing this can help to structure it in a way that will make it easy to do so. After all, did you know that ‘Curriculum Vitae’ is Latin for the ‘course of one’s life.’
A CV is also often called by the French term résumé which means summary. It can also be spelt the English way which is ‘resume’ and pronounced (reh-zuhm-ay).
A comprehensive CV is an outline of your personal history, educational and professional life. When drafting a CV, keep in mind that its purpose is to give the recipient an idea of what you have achieved and what you are capable of doing.
If you are searching how to write a CV for job application, bear in mind that you can adapt it to emphasise certain points pertaining to the position. So, when drafting a CV in the first place, remember that it is a flexible document.
Also, the best CV format is one that markets you against the competition. Bear in mind that when you apply for a job, there could be hundreds of others who have submitted their CVs too. So in drafting a CV, you should ‘sell’ yourself and present the salient facts in a succinct way that is easy to also update.
Oh, having said you should ‘sell’ yourself – make sure that you are not big-headed.
Annoyingly, you could have the best CV format in the world but there are some recruiters who will insist that you use their own application form.
Either way, if you have been searching how to write a CV for job application, keep reading as this article is for you.
Drafting a CV: What to Include
When it comes to the best CV format, bear in mind that your reader will be pressed for time. By providing some of the information in bullet points, you will help them to gain facts quickly. Having said this, don’t only use bullet points. Each section should be introduced with a full sentence or two.
In drafting a CV, the idea should be to write short, convincing sentences and paragraphs.
- Summary: Include a short section about where you currently are in life, who you are and what you are looking for in terms of career prospects. Do not waffle and be specific.
- Personal information: In creating your comprehensive CV be sure to introduce the document with all of your personal details, but in a footer on every page, include your name, email and contact number.
When it comes to how to create a CV, remember that the best CV format is consistent, so make sure that your sections are clearly separated and follow the same style.
- Education: Include all the education that you have gone through to date. Mention the schools that you have attended as well as the years that you were there. List the subjects that you studied as well as your grades.
If you are still young and your CV is only in the beginning stages of development, you could expand with a sentence on why you chose the subjects that you did. You can also list any accolades or awards received. As you mature, always strive to stick to the facts when it comes to your education information. This could be schools, dates, academic achievement and any other notable awards.
- Positions held (paid): Regardless of what stage of life you may be in, still list any paid positions that you had no matter how menial they may seem. If you have worked in a restaurant or handed out brochures, include it all. Once you are older and have gained experience related to your career field you can drop this information and stick to the most recent and relevant positions that you have held.
- More about you: You can tell a lot about someone who volunteers outside of their day-to-day activities. For example, if you belong to Brownies or Girl Scouts, list it. If you volunteer at a soup kitchen or children’s home, list it. Part of how to create a CV is building an image of yourself that tells the potential employer about who you are and what makes you tick. In addition to your volunteer work, in drafting your CV, list your hobbies and interests.
How to Create a CV: Things to Avoid
- Don’t allow errors and typos: Proofread your document until you are sure there are no typographical (typo) errors. Use your spell check, Grammarly and also ask someone else to read it for you. Errors and typos are the cardinal sins when it comes to how to write a CV for a job application. Mistakes are off-putting and are the fastest way for your document to land on the ‘no’ pile.
Remember that when you adapt your CV later for particular positions, you will unwittingly allow room for errors to creep in, so take extra care to proofread your changes.
- The long and short of it: The saying that less is more is true. If your CV is crowded with unnecessary information, it will be harder for the person reading it to pick up the important facts. On the other hand, a CV that is ‘focused’ will quickly land you a place on the shortlist if you meet the criteria for the position. Creating a comprehensive CV should be your goal, do not be tempted to tell your life story.
- Never exaggerate: Stick to the facts, for example, do not call yourself a ‘retail display engineer’ if you were stocking shelves in a supermarket. Rather, tell the reader exactly what you did and focus on why you took pride in the role. Short anecdotes like how you were voted ‘assistant of the week’ will go a long way to building your reputation.
Never be tempted to lie as these always catch up and can destroy careers and lives.
- Don’t make it difficult to read. Remember that recruiting managers who are reading CVs often have to do so in their own time once the regular workday is complete. Do not make it more difficult for them by making your CV difficult to read. Don’t use fancy fonts or font sizes that are too small. Use a font that is between 10 and 12 in size. If you are submitting a hard copy, use black ink on white or cream paper. Use standard margins, line spacing and left align your text. All of this will it easier to read.
If you are sending your CV by email, save it as a PDF so that it cannot be corrupted at any point of the journey.
- Maintain Respect: Never disrespect anyone or anything on your CV. In other words, do not try to state a position on something or argue a point. In your reference section, never make personal references to past employers. If the interviewer would like to know, they can ask you when you next meet.
Drafting a CV for the first time may be the hardest, however, once you have the bones of it down, it will be easy to adapt as you progress through your career. Keep a hard copy and a digital copy in an editable format.
All the best. Hopefully, these tips on how to create a CV have been helpful because it is one of the most important documents you will ever prepare.
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