A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a formal document that provides the résumé of one’s career. It is also known as a ”bio”, or a ”resume”, and should be tailored to the job you are applying for.
Depending on the job, you might want to highlight quite a few of your accomplishments, rather than just your education. For example, if you are applying for a job as a literary agent, you would want to include among your accomplishments your many years of experience in selling literary works; if you are applying for a job in publishing, you would want to include your many years as a proofreader and copyeditor on your resume.
An accomplished literary agent might have many years of experience, and her CV might include a list of her many published credits. (Photo: Getty Images)
A CV can also be a nice conversation starter. If you meet someone at a party and you mention that you are applying for a job, they might ask you to elaborate on your qualifications. And when you have built up a nice enough list of accomplishments, it becomes easier to make a good impression during the interview. Your CV should be a concise document that is easy to read and understand. A well-written CV can make an excellent first impression, and it is much easier for the human brain to retain short documents.
The Purpose Of A CV
Even though you have a detailed covering letter, your CV is the first thing the employer will glance at. Therefore, you need to get the balance right between too much information and not enough information.
Depending on the job you are applying for, you may want to keep some of your qualifications and achievements confidential. For example, if you are applying for a job as a teacher, you may want to put off revealing that you have a master’s degree because being a teacher is already somewhat of a prestige degree. Revealing too many credentials could put you in a compromising position, especially if you do not have many years of experience to bring to the position.
When writing your CV, you need to consider the end goal. What do you want to achieve by writing this document? Are you looking to secure a specific job, or are you writing your CV as a part of your personal brand building?
Organize Your Career History
The best way to write your CV is by starting from the beginning and moving forward, rather than jumping around from one subject to another. If you are applying for a job in the arts, you may want to include both your written and oral communications skills among your qualifications. For example, if you are applying for a job in creative writing, you may want to include your many published poems among your qualifications.
If you are applying for a position in academia, you may want to include your many years of teaching experience among your qualifications. You could also include the amount of research you have done, or the conferences you have attended. Your CV should be a neat and tidy list of your skills and knowledge, and it should not be over complicated. Too many accomplishments can make your CV seem more like a sales pitch rather than an objective summary of your career. The more concise and to the point you can make your CV the better.
Include All The Necessary Details
The purpose of your CV is to give the potential employer a clear and concise summary of your career. Therefore, you need to include all the necessary details. Make sure you include everything from your education to your most recent job. When writing your CV, it is a good idea to use the ”Executive Summary”, or the ”Summary”, as a guide. This is a brief paragraph (often around two to four sentences) that you can use to hook the reader and make them want to continue reading your CV. You should aim to keep your CV under six pages. If you go over six pages, you will most likely lose the reader due to unnecessary details.
Make sure you give the reader a clear idea of what they are reading, by using proper English and avoiding using complex vocabulary. It is also important to proofread your CV for grammar and spelling errors before you send it off. Some CV editing services can help turn your written English into flawless prose. A good spelling and grammar checker tool can also be of great help in this regard.
Cover All The Basics
When writing your CV, you need to cover all the basics. These include your name, address, phone number, email address, and website if you have one. You should always include your email address even if you do not have a website. In today’s world, everyone has a blog or a website, so it is always good to have a way for prospective employers to get in touch with you. Your email address may be the only way they will ever have contact with you, so make sure you always keep it up-to-date.
You should also include your nationality, date of birth, and gender. In some cases, you may not be allowed to work in certain countries for security or ethical reasons. If this is the case, you should be aware of it and mention it in your CV. Your date of birth and nationality may be required to verify your identity. If you are changing your nationality, you should inform your CV-writing service about it, so they can update your details correctly. Otherwise, you may find yourself applying for a whole new set of jobs with a different name and date of birth.
Keep It Light
The best way to write your CV is by keeping it as light as possible. You do not need to list every single job you have ever had or every single course you have ever taken. The employer is not interested in your academic career; they are interested in your professional career. When writing your CV, organize it into a logical and concise sequence of events that makes sense in the order you want to present them. Use relevant and appropriate language, and avoid using complex vocabulary. Remember: succinctness sells!
If you follow these basic guidelines, your CV will write itself.