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So the time has come…you have summer holidays coming up or you are about to graduate with honours. The real world beckons and the days of earning a living, your career is about to begin in earnest. So how do you get that summer job or ever-elusive first “real” job?
One of the first steps on this road will be to put together a Curriculum Vitae or “CV” as it is more commonly known. You may also have to compile a cover letter to accompany the CV and often tougher still fill out some of the dreaded job application forms!!
No matter which format you choose, there is a definite art of knowing what to put in your CV and cover letter. The main goal is to grab the interest of your reader. You do not want to overwhelm them, yet you want to avoid being screened out in the initial stages.
Your CV and cover letter are the most important pieces of marketing material you will ever create. They are sales documents with the single purpose of getting you an interview. Employers spend on average 30 seconds looking at your CV so you only have seconds to make an impression.
A CV is a document intended to give a short but full account of your life to date in relation to your educational background, work experience, achievements, abilities and interests. Your CV is a reflection of you and therefore it should be as individual and unique as you are! Whatever job you apply for and whatever company you approach, your CV and letter of application should be tailored for that company’s particular requirement - research is required so be prepared!
An effective CV will contain all or most of the following information - not necessarily in this order.
Personal Details
Name, Address, Telephone Number home and mobile, email address.
Date of birth, gender and marital status or disability need not be listed.
It is imperative to offer information that may be to your advantage.
Profile (Optional)
This should always be given prime position, following your name and contact
details, and is used to highlight your personal attributes and qualities.
List your education and work experience in reverse chronological order.
Education and Qualifications
Third Level Dates, university attended, courses undertaken, subjects
studied each year, and known results, projects, dissertations, relevant
training and work placement.
Secondary Dates, school attended, level reached, final results.
Work Experience/Employment History
Dates of work experience, name of employer, job title and experience
gained. Use action verbs to describe how you did the job e.g. planned, developed,
designed, analysed, supervised, etc. Use the past tense and be concise and
comprehensive.
Interests and Activities
List interests, hobbies, membership of clubs/societies, professional
associations, or voluntary organisations, and positions of responsibility
held. Refrain from listing political, religious and potentially controversial
groups, because they don't belong on a CV.
Additional Information
Skills acquired - ability with foreign languages, computing familiarity,
systems and languages known, keyboard and typing skills. Training courses
outside of college. Driving ability. Membership of relevant clubs or societies.
Referees
Never put forward a person as a referee if you have not obtained
their permission.
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