When it comes to landing your dream job, your CV is vital to achieving this goal. Writing the perfect CV can determine whether you would face rejection from time to time or you land a new job in no time. A CV is a personal document that informs prospective employers about your professional experience, achievements, and skills. While the content of every CV is different, the structure is mostly the same. However, there are sections that some employers want to see no matter what format is being used.
A typical CV has the following sections;
The contact section which comes first and includes include your professional title and contact details.
The Professional title is your official name and the contact details should include your mail, phone number, and address. Nowadays, some employers just prefer that you add the town and the country you are living in currently for the address. You can also add your LinkedIn profile but only do that if it’s up to date. Next is your profile which underlines your key attributes while highlighting your career aims and objectives.
The next sections to be considered is the education and work experience section. This education section is where you list your education history placing the recent one first. It should contain the graduation year (if you’re still studying, enter your expected graduation date), your degree, institution name, and honors (if applicable).
Your employment history should outline all your work experiences including internships with your recent role coming first. Use bullet points to highlight your key responsibilities, support each point with action verbs and figures to show the employer the impact you made while working for that particular employer.
Another relevant section is the skill section. You don’t have to list all the skills you have here but the ones that are relevant to the job you are applying for. They should contain both your soft skills and hard skills. A hard skill (or a professional skill) is an ability acquired through practice, education, and repetition that is job-specific. Hard skills include Data analysis, programming, Microsoft excel, writing, and so on. Soft skill is an intangible ability or personal trait that isn’t tied to a single job and generally helps you thrive in the workplace, such as being well-organized or a team player. They include communication skills, problem-solving skills, adaptability, and leadership skills.
Additional sections you can add are Volunteer experience, Projects, Freelance work, Academic achievements, Professional certifications, and publications.
After considering all these sections, there are some rules you should keep in mind while creating your CV. These rules apply to text format, style, and length. They include;
Font style: Go for clear and legible fonts like Arial, Times new roman, and Tahoma. Use 11 or 12 for your body font size and 14 to 16 for the name and title size.
No headshots or photos: Unless you are expressly asked to do so, there is no need to include your picture in a CV.
Your CV should be brief and concise: A typical CV is usually one page long and it should highlight experiences that are relevant to the job.
Make sure the titles and sections are written in the same format: The date format, font style, and size should be the same.
After drafting your CV, give someone close to you or a professional to help proofread it, point out mistakes that you did not notice and give you additional tips. It is advisable to accompany your CV with a Cover letter when applying for a job. Some websites such as Zety, Resume worded, and more offer CV templates and can help you grade or point out mistakes in it. Note that your CV should always be in a in a PDF format but in cases where it is not allowed, a word format is better
Your CV is the first chance to impress an employer, so make sure to follow these guides, take your time to write one, and apply for that job!!!