CV Tips

We want to offer you a few tried and tested techniques to ensure your CV helps you stand out from the competition and gets you the job you want.

The Purpose

There is one simple objective for any CV – to get your foot in the door and meet a potential new employer.

Who Is Reading It?

Different people will scan your CV for suitability for a role. 

• It could be a Recruiter – they will want to consider your experience for any number of roles they are sourcing. 
• It could be your next Manager – they are looking to see if you might suit their vacancy. 
• It could be HR – they are looking to see if you will fit their company culture. 

Trying to ensure that your CV is attractive to all these people is no mean feat!

The Structure

Your CV needs to summarise your experience – both technical and interpersonal. It needs to look professional. It needs to clearly show when and where you have worked. It also needs to show what you were responsible for and what you achieved. All this in just 2-3 pages! 

So, start with the basics and follow a simple structure:

• Name, address, contact details
• Brief overview of what you have to offer
• Summary of what you are looking for
• Employment history
• Training courses
• Education
• Interests

The Content

Having built the structure, you now need to add the detail. It needs to be laid out with bold heading, indents for different content, plenty of clear space and an easily readable typeface – no colours, words in capitals or unusual fonts! Make it as easily readable as possible.

Name, Address, Contact Details

• Who you are?
• Where you are based and therefore will travel from?
• How to get in touch with you?

Brief Overview Of What You Have To Offer

• Technically and personally
• A list of succinct words, skills or short sentences is ideal

Summary Of What You Are Looking For

• Content of this section may vary for different positions you apply for
• Keep your wants fairly broad so that you don't close off potential opportunities simply because you are too specific

Employment History

• Start with your most recent company and work back
• Include name of the company and a brief description of what they do
• Dates you worked there
• Job title (ensure this is a title that reflects your role in the external market - avoid using internal company specific titles)
• Responsibilities - ensure you pick out the key points only and most importantly what you achieved or contributed in each position

If you have held numerous positions over many years, just include the last 10 years and summarise anything prior to this.

Use bullet points for responsibilities and achievements rather than paragraphs of text.

Quantify and qualify everything e.g. worked on project X for 6 months in a team of 12, overseeing the work of 2 junior staff.

Training Courses

Include any relevant technical, interpersonal and management training courses you have completed

Education

• Details of your degree – subject, grade, university and start and end date (if you have one)
• Just a headline summary of A levels and O levels (if you have them)
• Any other education you completed

Interests

• Show what you are interested in outside of work
• Include any positions of responsibility - e.g. coach/manager for the local U14 girls football team for the last 10 years

The Application

When you send your CV for a position, always accompany it with a short explanation or cover letter. Include why you are looking and your availability to start including any notice period. Offer an explanation for any anomalies in your CV such as gaps or any question that your CV might raise. For example, you might want to explain why you might be looking for a role 200 miles away from where you currently live!

Let It Sell You

Your CV must be factually accurate. It doesn't have to be dull! Capture the attention of your future employer. Give them an immediate impression that you're the right person for the job. Engage with the reader and install confidence in your capabilities.

If you would like advice on creating your CV, job opportunities in the market or to hear more about our latest roles, speak to the specialist Technical Recruitment experts.