Build your CV!

What is a Currivulum Vitae?

• Your CV is designed to attract attention in order to gain an interview and ultimately secure the job. It is your personal brochure and should be like the front page of a newspaper - it should prompt an employer's interest and make them want to learn more about you.
• A CV is not an autobiography. You will spend time and effort, and probably produce several drafts, before you have a finished product. Some details of your activities will be eliminated as choices are made to capture your background on a few pages. 
• Remember too, that the CV is not the only tool in the job search process.  It should never be used to replace personal contact.

"My resume showed membership on both the Harvard and Columbia Law Reviews, a credit impressive abroad where it was not generally known that Law Reviews were student-operated publications"

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

What does an effective CV look like?

An effective CV should:

• Be accurate, concise and visually appealing
• Be well organised and easy to follow
• Contain short sentences and paragraphs as well as good use of space
• Begin with a very specific job objective
• Contain a brief summary statement which highlights your special skills and supports and emphasises your objective with specific points
• Emphasise your background, strengths and accomplishments; this is where you can communicate what you will contribute in the future
• Be targeted to a specific audience
• Be kept simple, using colour and graphics modestly and appropriately (e.g. avoid things like yellow text, purple headlines, big page borders, highly unusual fonts or title pages - remember it's a professional document, not a colouring competition!)

A closer look at the CV

General Advise and Points to consider:

• You should always have contact information such as a phone number and email address on your front page.
• Ensure that your email address is appropriate and does not include phrases or words that may be considered humorous or offensive. Create a new one if required.
• Your CV should not be any more than 2 pages - keep it clear and concise.
• Consider the use of bullets points, underlining or titles.
• Language should be specific, clear, succinct, positive, exciting and personal
• Consider using action words (insert attachment action words)
• Ensure accuracy have some proof read your document before sending.
• Your CV should include:
• Personal details
• Education
• Relevant skills
• Relevant Awards / memberships
• Work Experience

Download and view the below example CV

EXAMPLE CV

Do not include:

• Salary expectations
• Age / race / marital status
• Referees: If you are sending out lots of résumés, your referees could end up receiving a lot of calls about you from different employers before you have had a chance to brief the referee about the opportunity you are going for. Consider if this could be disadvantageous to you or an inconvenience for your referees. If so, it could be better to state on your CV  "Referees available upon request.", which means the employer or recruiter will need to contact you first to obtain the referee's information, allowing you to let the referee know to expect a call regarding a specific position.

TIP: Before submitting your CV electronically, convert the document to pdf format

Next up: Job Seeking