CV - Curriculum Vitae

A CV is a document outlining your experience and skills. While there are no absolute rules on how to do a CV, there are certain things that are likely to make it more effective.

Top Tips for a good CV:

  1. Target your CV to each and every role you apply for. To do this you will need to match your experience and skills to the requirements of the job. For example when describing your degree you could focus on content or skills.
  2. Make page one your power page – get all the relevant information in this space. You can play around with headings to make your CV work for you e.g. relevant work experience on page one, other experience on page two.
  3. Make it easy to read and skim quickly. It should usually be two pages maximum. You need to use white space and headings effectively, be consistent with fonts used and don’t go below 11pt font. Avoid large blocks of text; bullet points can help you get the message across effectively.
  4. Don’t give irrelevant information, e.g. date of birth, marital status or full list of GCSEs.
  5. All experience is relevant as it shows your skills and abilities (e.g. being on a sports team or working in a supermarket).
  6. Use language effectively; be positive and use high-level action verbs (e.g. organised, managed). Try and avoid the use of ‘I’ – this helps you get to the point more quickly.
  7. There are different types of CVs – pick the one that works for you and the job you are applying for. This includes skills based, chronological and academic. 

The documents in the Download Zone will help you put together an effective CV, however, if you require additional help please come along to Purple Door where an experienced adviser will be available to provide tips and advice on content and presentation.

Further advice and information