BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CV

At Connect Appointments the fi rst information we get about you is from your CV. Our top CV tips will ensure you impress our consultant fi rst, then prospective employers

MASTER THE COVER LETTER

Cover lett ers are an incredible tool when applying for a job: this is a direct reply to the job advert. Study the job advert and look for buzzwords they use. A cover lett er is your chance to explain what skills, qualifi cati ons and experience make you perfect for the job. This is diff erent to the personal statement at the top of your CV which should summarise who you are, what you do and your career objecti ves.

POWER OF THE PERSONAL STATEMENT

Your cover lett er is crucial, but keep in mind that recruiters may lose track of your lett er and focus enti rely on your CV, this is why a small blurb – or personal statement – at the top of your CV is important. It’s a great method of summarising your enti re CV into a couple of sentences, and gives you the opportunity to really sell yourself. Ensure you tailor your personal statement for each role you apply for, this shows att enti on to detail.

HIGHLIGHT YOUR SKILLS

No matt er if you have glowing grades from school or wish you had done bett er, it’s important to include each qualifi cati on on your CV. This lets a recruiter get to understand your base knowledge or a subject and see how you’ve taken it forward into your working life, building on those skills. However, if there’s a parti cular grade you would rather not shout about, you could list the topics you studied and highlight the ones where you achieved good grades.

When you progress further in your career, and have a wealth of experience and roles to reference back to, the onus on your grades from secondary school or college aren’t as integral. Briefl y menti on them, but give more focus to the skills and experience you’ve gained through various jobs and work placements you’ve held.

ROBERT BLACK

123 Leith Road, Edinburgh EH01 6HU

Tel: 0131 987 5432 Mobile: 07812 345 123 Email: robertblack@gmail.co.uk Driving licence: Full, clean

EDUCATION

Bell College

Sep 1997 – June 2001

HND in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Edinburgh College

Sep 1995 – May 1997

OND in Engineering Edinburgh High School

Aug 1990 – June 1995

O Levels: English, Maths, Geography and Physics Highers: Maths and Physics

SKILLS

Profi cient in use of:

• PowerPoint • Microsoft Word • Excel • First Aid • Antron • S/Step card

INTERESTS

I am an avid reader, and enjoy reading new authors. Referee for local children’s football club and volunteering.

REFERENCES

Available on request

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Skilled electronic and test technician seeking new opportunities.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Test Technician

Advantage Resourcing, Edinburgh Aug 2017 – present • Fault fi nding and testing of PDM systems prior to customer visits or shipment. • Assembling racks for the Electrical and Power Distribution Industry to customer specifi cations. • Working from schematic diagrams to cable up DIN rails and PDM systems.

System Failure Analysis Technician Sco ish Microsystems, Perth Dec 2010 – Aug 2017 • Responsible for the verifi cation and correct failure analysis to FRU level of High End Network Servers. • The assembly to customer specifi cations of High End Network Servers. • Quality Process Owner with responsibility for any quality issue with products on the line. Achieved six consecutive quarters without any fails being reported at customer’s premises.

Diagnostic Technician Atalian Servest, Midlothian Jan 2006 – Dec 2010 • Diagnosed HP, Compaq and 3 Com network cards to component level. • Skilled and trained in the use of various de-bug tools i.e. Antron and S/Step card. • Conducted root cause analysis to support in the resolving of production line issues.

Electronic Technician

Easy PC Centre, Edinburgh July 2001 – Jan 2006 • De-bugging IBM motherboards and Compaq boards to component level. • Worked towards continuous improvement of manufacturing techniques. • Successfully analysed fails and ensured timely returns to contractor.

KEEP IT CONCISE

Ensure your CV only includes the relevant information and use your editing skills to get your CV to two A4 pages at most, making use of bullet points where necessary.

KEEP IT STRUCTURED

Every employer assess CVs diff erently, but each CV should be chronological and showcase your skills and personal att ributes. Always include your name and contact details at the top followed by your personal statement. Include your work experience and qualifi cati ons. When it comes to work positi ons, only feature roles you think are relevant for the industry you are apply for.

REFLECTION

Always include roles that are relevant to your chosen career to highlight your former experience but, make sure to go beyond the job role – many positi ons will have similar responsibiliti es. Consider what those roles taught you and refl ect on what you’ve learned, any awards or qualifi cati ons you achieved and how you went above and beyond the call of duty. From being nominated as employee of the month, training new team members, or even holding a clean, full drivers’ licence will instantly appeal to our recruitment consultants and any potenti al employers.

IN THE PICTURE

Recruiters spend on average just six seconds scanning a CV so grabbing their att enti on is vital, and images are a great way to do that. Using the logos of your past employers will make your CV more visual and a recruitment consultant will recognise what companies you’ve worked for in an instant. This works far bett er if you’ve had a role with an instantly recognisable brand – a grainy photo of a small business logo won’t make the cut.

CHECK IT TWICE

Mistakes happen, but try to avoid errors on your CV. The best way to do this is to check it over for any spelling or grammati cal errors, or ask someone you trust to proof read it for you. A rogue comma could land your CV at the bott om of the pile, even if you have all the relevant skills.