What makes a good CV?
Two Personnel Managers answered this as follows.
A CV should be quick and easy to read.
- It should be clearly and logically laid out so it is uncluttered and pleasing to the eye.
- Please keep it simple for easy reading. Two pages are ideal, and not more than three.
- Straightforward and easy to read, well set out text, saves time for the reader.
- Employment details are well set out and concise.
The information must be honest and relevant
- Unpretentious, concise, honest and realistic.
- If applying for a specific job, the CV should respond to the qualities and experience asked for in the advertisement but still be honest.
- Avoid detail about the early experience. The last five years are more critical.
- Include the reason for leaving, if relevant.
The CV should tell the reader about the applicant
- What you have done and what you have achieved should be set out clearly.
- Give some clues as to the personality of the applicant
- Describe yourself in your terms. This is a good selling point.
Finally
It is hard to write a CV. It isn’t easy to condense many years of work into a few paragraphs. Most people get much more criticism than praise in their lives. This can carry over into self-criticism and make it hard to be positive. We then undersell ourselves when writing a CV.
You can help each other produce your CVs. Your thoughts will become clearer if you talk about it while someone else listens.