How to write a better CV

Your CV is your first chance to make a good impression.

A good CV in itself cannot get you the job, but a bad CV can prevent you from getting the interview – and without the interview there’s no chance of getting the job.

Once you’ve got the interview, it’s important to remember that your CV will also be the main tool for driving it.  Therefore, the better the CV, the better the interview should go! 

Since your CV is your primary tool for finding a better job, extra time spent on its preparation is a worthwhile investment.

Below are some tips to help you on your way.

Do’s:

• Adopt a concise, professional and business-like style with a focus on key skills and achievements – especially those that are of particular relevance to the recruiter.
• When describing your achievements, set the scene, describe the actions YOU took and the improvements you delivered or the value you added.
• Maintain a log of your achievements – it’s hard to remember what you did three years ago!
• Keep your CV up-to-date with all your latest achievements and remember to customise it, based on the role you are applying for.
• Take pride in your CV.  Make sure it’s printed on good quality A4 white paper and has no typos, spelling or grammatical mistakes.
• Use plain English – no technical jargon – your interviewer may not have a finance background!  
• Check that your academic and professional qualifications are up-to-date and accurate.  If you have proof of your qualifications, take them with you to your interview. 

• Make sure you know your CV inside out and always re-read it before every interview – remember that your interviewer will compile their questions from it!

 
Don’ts:

• Never give personal reasons for leaving a job on your CV, unless it was due to redundancy, relocation or it was a temporary role.  In all other cases, your opinion could be construed negatively by the reader – you’re far better off explaining it in person.
• Hobbies should be an insight into your personality.  Consider which hobbies, sports and social activities achieve this and give a concise list.  When in doubt, leave them out!  
• There's no need to use exact dates - months and years are sufficient.
• Don’t include the date your CV was prepared.  If your job search takes longer than a few months, the CV will appear outdated.
• Never provide salary information on your CV.  If you are required to give such information, include it in the covering letter.