Hi Guys without going into major details,
I’ve been in employment for many years, but have only ever worked for 2 companies, therefore I’ve never actually had or written a CV for myself.
I’m now on the look out for a new job and want to draft a pleasing/to the point CV for future use.
Please can anyone give abit of advice on how to draft a good quality CV in terms of getting the correct balance between its layout (how it should look) vs content?
I’d like to know the following….
1. I’ve used Google and there appears to be many CV templates/layouts - they all vary in terms of some are just 1 A4 sheet with a very basic summary of the individual , it might include personal details and a nice photograph - whereas other CVs are more Microsoft Word documents and may be more detailed and could be 5 pages long. I’d like to know how do people think an ideal CV should look and how much content should you aim to pack in.
2. Please could anyone kindly attach (in the comments) any links to a good website or page that has various CV templates where you could save the CV layout and then add in your own text, work and personal history etc.
Any help or advice is much appreciated. (As always please be positive in your responses).
I’ve been in employment for many years, but have only ever worked for 2 companies, therefore I’ve never actually had or written a CV for myself.
I’m now on the look out for a new job and want to draft a pleasing/to the point CV for future use.
Please can anyone give abit of advice on how to draft a good quality CV in terms of getting the correct balance between its layout (how it should look) vs content?
I’d like to know the following….
1. I’ve used Google and there appears to be many CV templates/layouts - they all vary in terms of some are just 1 A4 sheet with a very basic summary of the individual , it might include personal details and a nice photograph - whereas other CVs are more Microsoft Word documents and may be more detailed and could be 5 pages long. I’d like to know how do people think an ideal CV should look and how much content should you aim to pack in.
2. Please could anyone kindly attach (in the comments) any links to a good website or page that has various CV templates where you could save the CV layout and then add in your own text, work and personal history etc.
Any help or advice is much appreciated. (As always please be positive in your responses).
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11 Comments
sorted byThis website has some great and free templates.
cv-template.com/en/…ate
I think it's always a good idea to sell things about yourself that aren't necessarily the norm on a CV. Such as if you're a non smoker (don't mention it if you are), if you drive and have a car, if you've rarely taken sick days. etc... These are the little things a lot of employers will look for (I know it's controversial and technically illegal but I've never employed a smoker in my life and never will, they cause too many petty arguments with regards breaks and it's not pleasant sitting next to someone in the office after they've been outside for a cig).
I would also advise to write 2 or 3 really good paragraphs selling yourself, make yourself sound human and interesting. If you like running tell them, if your a stamp collector tell them. I remember once I had a young girl apply and her CV was really not what we were looking for but she sold herself on her personality, she was a huge Buffy the vampire slayer fan and had been to all the filming locations etc and wrote about it briefly in her CV, I found it really interesting and she got the job and was fantastic at it too (she worked for me for 8 years).
My biggest piece of advise for anyone genuinely looking for work is apply for the jobs that are NOT advertised. In my 15 or so years as business owner I've had people turn up at our reception with a CV in their hand about a dozen times. Most of them I've found them a job, showing up unanounced with a CV shows you want to work and my book I can't ask for more. (edited)
Just remember employers don't want to read an essay of your life, they just want to know if you are a good fit for the job.
A small personal profile, key skills/experience and a summary of your previous jobs (mainly bits that will be applicable for the new job) should be enough when set out correctly.
I feel the point of a CV is to get you the interview and that's where you can expand and show why you are a good fit for the job. (edited)
The only other thing I would say is keep the format simple. I receive CV's for review/interview, and a lot of agents don't seem to understand basic formatting. Quite often I've received CV's where it's been embedded in the agents document template, and things like fonts, boxes, headlines etc all go out the window. Stick to a single font, bold text for headings, line breaks for paragraphs, really basic stuff.
2 pages at most, in descending chronological order. Easy to read, not a wall of rambling text and no spelling or grammatical mistakes. Just the email address (a professional sounding one, please; not something like bigdick@...) and your mobile number is enough for contact information.
All the best! (edited)
I'm the same, not had many jobs but never actually even had an interview for any as such before, just recommendations for each company.
I was made redundant this year though after nearly 10 years and had to go through normal channels for a job. One thing I did was look for key words and phrases within the adverts and try to write them in or worded certain job responsibilities differently to tick all the boxes on my cv for each I applied for.
The long employment history with not many changes was a huge bonus though and was mentioned/queried in most iinterviews. It's something I've always looked for when reviewing cv's myself. (edited)
Name:Contact Information: (phone number and email address)
Summary:A highly motivated and detail-oriented individual with a strong work ethic and the ability to learn quickly. Possessing two years of experience in the field of (insert field/industry) and a proven track record of (insert specific achievements or responsibilities from previous jobs). Seeking to leverage my skills and experience to take on a new challenge in a (insert desired job position or field) role.
Education:
- (Degree and field of study) from (Name of University) in (Graduation year)
Work Experience:Job Title: (insert job title)Company: (insert company name)Dates of Employment: (insert start and end date)Responsibilities:
- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
Job Title: (insert job title)Company: (insert company name)Dates of Employment: (insert start and end date)Responsibilities:- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
- (insert responsibilities and accomplishments from this job)
Skills:- (insert relevant skills, such as computer programs, languages, or certifications)
- (insert relevant skills, such as computer programs, languages, or certifications)
- (insert relevant skills, such as computer programs, languages, or certifications)
References:- (Name, Title, Company, Phone number, Email address)
- (Name, Title, Company, Phone number, Email address)
Note: This is just a sample CV, you might want to tailor the content based on your own experience and the job you're applying for, and add more details if necessary.I was worried asking such an open thread, wasn’t sure abouts what responses I’d get but there’s some really useful information in here.
Thank you all very much