How To Write A CV

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• Publisher: How2become
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781909229280
• eBook ISBN: 9781909229419

How to write a CV is fantastic step-by-step workbook that will teach you how to write a CV that is guaranteed to get you to interview stage of any selection process. As you are fully aware, the current jobs market is extremely fierce and it is your task to make sure your CV stands out from the crowd. The author of the how to write a CV workbook, Richard McMunn, will teach you the most effective way to create a CV that will get the employers attention. In addition to providing powerful, step-by-step guidance on how to write a CV you will also get free access to an online training video and CV templates.

CHAPTER 1

HOW TO
WRITE A CV

WHAT IS A CV?

The word Curriculum Vitae translated means the ‘course of life’. CV’s are used to demonstrate to an employer that you have the potential, the skills and the experience to carry out the role you are applying for. Your CV is a very important document and you should spend sufficient time designing it so that it matches the job that you are applying as closely as possible.

Why do people fail to get shortlisted?

The submission of a CV is usually the initial stage of any selection process. Most employers will place a job advert either in a newspaper or online with brief details of the job attached inviting people to apply for the post by way of submitting their CV. The vast majority of people will send off their ‘generic’ CV by email and then wonder why they never receive a reply.

I have heard many people complain that they never hear back from a potential employer, despite submitting what they believe to be a fantastic CV and covering letter. Whilst I agree it is rude for an employer not to respond to every CV that they receive, I can understand why they don’t. I have been fortunate enough to work in both the public and private sectors. In the public sector we always acknowledged every CV that was submitted and I genuinely believe this was good practice. However, in the public sector most managers do not understand how a business runs, nor do they understand how valuable time is as a resource. When you own a business you have to make sure that every minute of your working day is used to promote growth and profitability for your company; sending out acknowledgment emails and letters to submitted CV’s does not fall into either of these categories!

So, as a job applicant you have to understand how your average business owner or head of department operates – in a nutshell, they are very busy people and as such you need to make your CV as appealing and as effective as possible. If you do this, then they will notice your CV and you will get shortlisted; it’s as simple as that!

What makes an effective CV?

In simple terms, an effective CV is one that matches the person specification and the requirements of the job you are applying for. Your CV should be used as a tool to assist you during the selection process and it should be centred on the following areas:

• Creating the right impression of yourself;
• Indicating that you possess the right qualities and attributes to perform the role of the job you are applying for;
• Grabbing the assessor’s attention;
• Being concise, succinct and clear;
• Providing evidence of your relevant skills and qualifications. The most effective CV’s are the ones that make the assessor’s job easy. They are simple to read, to the point, relevant and they also focus on the job/role that you are applying for. CV’s should not be overly long unless an employer specifically asks for this. Effective CV writing is an acquired skill that can be obtained relatively quickly with a little bit of time, effort and focus.

Most people are guilty of creating one CV and submitting it for many different jobs; this is a big mistake. Although it involves additional work, your CV should be tweaked, amended and updated for EVERY job you apply for.

Before you begin to start work on your CV it is a good idea to have a basic idea of how a job/person specification is constructed. A job description/ person specification is basically a blueprint for the role you are applying for; it sets out what the employer expects from potential applicants. One of your main focus points during the construction of your CV will be to match the job/person specification using keywords and phrases. Most job/person specifications will include the following areas:

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: previous jobs, unpaid work experience, life experience, skills, knowledge and abilities: for example, languages, driving, knowledge of specialist fields, ability to use equipment, plus some indication of the level of competence required, and whether the person must have the skills or knowledge beforehand or can learn them on the job.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: exams, certificates, degrees, diplomas (some jobs require specific qualifications, but most do not and it can be fairer to ask for the skills or knowledge represented by the qualification rather than asking for the qualification itself).

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED: such as strength, ability to lift, willingness to work in a hectic busy environment or on one’s own.

PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES: such as being able to work weekends or evenings or even to travel.

Most job/person specifications will be based around a task analysis of the vacancy, so there should be nothing within the job description/person specification that is irrelevant or that does not concern the particular role you are applying for. Whatever requirements you are asked to meet, you should try hard to match them as closely as possible, providing evidence if possible of your previous experience.

Matching the job description

This short section is very important, so please read it carefully and try to understand how to match the job description when creating your CV.

As already stated a job description is the blueprint for the role you’re applying for. Whenever I advertise a job vacancy with my company I will sit down and think about the skills, qualities and attributes that I want the successful candidate to possess. Once I know what these are I will write the job description and person specification.

Here is a sample person specification and job description for a retail customer services assistant:

Retail Customer Service Assistant

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

We are looking for someone who is:

• Passionate about retail.
• Focusing on the customer and striving to understand them better than anyone.
• Driven to achieve results through determination and commitment.
• Committed to treating people in a fair and consistent way.
• Willing to roll their sleeves up to get things done.
• Determined to respond energetically to customer feedback.
• Motivated to work in partnership with others to achieve individual and team objectives.
• Adaptable and flexible to thrive in a 24/7 business.
• Devoted to seeking feedback on their performance and investing time in their own development.

Within your job you will need to perform the following tasks:

• Maintain excellent store standards
• Achieve customer service target levels
• Deal with customers in a friendly and positive manner
• Ensure compliance with food saf...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1 - How to Write a CV
• Chapter 2 - CV Samples
• Chapter 3 - A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing a CV
• Chapter 4 - Further Tips for Creating Your CV
• Final Words