3 minute read
Crafting your CV
Document used when applying for jobs. It is for you to summarise your education, skills and past experiences so you can impress your future bosses by selling your abilities. You might hear it referred to as a resume or CV. A resume is a one page summary of your work experience and background relevant to the application. A CV is a longer academic diary that includes all your experience, certificates, and publications. Honestly, these terms are interchangeable. CV writing is daunting but here are some tips to help you get your dream volunteer role, internship, clerkship or graduate job. The average employer/recruiter looks at each CV for 6 seconds before deciding whether to read more or not. How can you both make sure your CV stands out, looks professional, and avoids doing anything to put off a future boss?
top tips
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The basics
Keep your CV to two pages Highlight specific skills and qualifications relevant to the firm’s application criteria Proofread your CV. Errors can detract from the quality of your application, so ask someone to review it with a fine-tooth comb There is no single correct structure to use. Pick a professional format you like and be consistent Use clear headings to divide the sections Use short sentences and bullet points Avoid using large paragraphs for descriptions
Personal Details
Include your full name, number, email and LinkedIn if you have one There is no need for your street address or a photo. Do not list your date of birth, religion or marital status
Education
Outline your education history chronologically, starting with your most recent course Each entry needs the name of the qualification, the institution and study duration. For tertiary study, you could include your GPA or WAM Feel free to include your secondary study, but only list your ATAR if it is appropriate Experience
Outline your relevant work experience, beginning with your most recent employment Each entry needs your job title, employment duration (use months and years), company name and a list of responsibilities Be sure to include the skills you developed and achievements or accomplishments if you believe they are relevant
Extra-Curricular
Outline your involvement at school and university outside academics and community engagement. Examples include university societies, participating in competitions, sporting team or volunteering experiences. Highlight the skills you developed in these positions, such as teamwork or leadership. You can include other headings such as: Interests, Achievements, Leadership or Completed Courses such as first aid or computer proficiency
Referees
Referees are professional contacts who comment on your work and skills. Avoid including personal references, such as family or friends If you wish to include referees, two is appropriate. No referees or ‘references available upon request’ is also acceptable Ensure you include the person’s name, position, company name, and contact number. Ask their permission and inform them of the position with the skills they should vouch for
content
Contact information is easy to find Skills are clearly highlighted Organised so most recent and relevant information easy to find Older or less relevant jobs have fewer bullet points Transferable experiences included and explained Relevant education included Keywords from job description incorporated Bullet points begin with an action verb Bullet points not just about your duties - they share your accomplishments Work is quantified as much as possible and numbers are accurate and honest If space, volunteering and hobbies added for personality ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________
finishing touches
Edited closely for spelling errors, repetition, inconsistent formatting Had a friend or mentor read over and give feedback and edits Saved as PDF Named document “Firstname Lastname –
Month Year.pdf” __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
final checks
Easy to understand and clearly outlines your background Resume sells you as the perfect candidate for the job based on what is in the job description __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________
formatting
Margins are reasonable, 2.54cm Font is a simple size, 11or 12pt Resume is no more than 2 pages Headers and bullet points formatted consistently Dates right aligned Position titles clearly distinguished Resume is easy to read (and skim!) ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________
