How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae)

Four Parts: Sample CVs Brainstorming for Your CV Writing Your CV Finalizing Your CV
A company you want to apply to has asked you to send in a CV and you're
thinking, "wait..what?" Don't worry! Curriculum Vitae (CV) means "courses of
life" in Latin, and that is just what it is. A CV is a concise document which
summarizes your past professional skills and experiences. The purpose of this
document is to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills (and some
complementary ones) to do the job for which you are applying. Follow these
steps to create a great CV--and go get 'em tiger!
Sample Curriculum Vitae Sample CV
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Know what information a CV generally contains. Most CVs include your personal
information, your education and qualifications, your work experience, your interests
and achievements, your skills, and references. However, there is no set format for a CV,
what you include is up to you.
[1]
Consider the job you are applying for. Research the company. A good CV is
tailored to the specific job and company you are applying for. What does the company
do? What is their mission statement? What do you think they are looking for in an
employee? What skills does the specific job you are applying for require? These are all
things to keep in mind when writing your CV.
Sample CVs
Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming for Your CV
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Check the companys website for extra information about the CV. See if there
is any specific information they want you to list in your CV. There might be specific
directions listed on the application page. Always double check this.
Make a list of jobs you have held. These can be both jobs you hold currently and
jobs you have held in the past. Include the dates that you began and ended your term
at each particular job.
[2]
Brainstorm your hobbies and interests. Unique interests or hobbies will make you
stand out. Be aware of the conclusions that might be drawn from your hobbies. Try to
list hobbies that portray you as a team-oriented individual rather than as a solitary, passive
person. Companies want someone who works well with others and can take charge if need
be.
Hobbies and interests that paint a positive image: Being the captain of your
soccer (or football) team, organizing a charity event for an orphanage, secretary of
your schools student-run government.
Hobbies that imply a passive, solitary personality: watching TV, doing puzzles,
reading. If you are going to put any of these things, give a reason why. For
instance, if you are applying for a job at a publishing house, put something like: I
enjoy reading the great American writers such as Twain and Hemingway because I
think their writing gives a unique perspective into American culture at the time they
were writing.
Make a list of your relevant skills. These skills often include computing skills (are
you a wiz at Wordpress? Excel? inDesign? etc.), languages you speak, or specific
things the company is looking for, such as targeted skills.
Example of targeted skills: If you are applying to be a writer for a newspaper, list
that you are fluent in AP style. If you are applying for a coding job, mention that you
have worked with Java script.
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Create the format for your CV. Are you going to break each section up with a line?
Are you going to put each section in its own box? Are you going to list all of your
information? Play around with different formats to see which looks most professional. Aim
for no more than the front and back of a standard sheet of paper.
List your name, address, telephone number, and email at the top of the page.
It is important to make your name a size larger than the rest of the text as it is
important for your reviewer to know who he or she is reading about. It is up to you as to how
you format this information.
[3]
Part 2 of 3: Writing Your CV
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Standard format would be to have your name in the center of the page. Your home
address should be listed in a block format on the left side of the paper. Put your
telephone number and email below your home address. If you have another
address (such as your address while you are at school) list this address on the
right hand side of the paper.
Write a personal profile. This is an optional part of the CV that is good for giving
your reviewer a more in-depth look at you as a person. This is where you sell your
skills, experiences, and personal qualities. It should be original and well-written. Use
positive words such as adaptable, confident, and determined.
[4]
Example of a personal statement for a CV for a publishing company: An
enthusiastic recent graduate looking for an entry-level editorial position that will
utilize organizational and communication skills developed as a summer intern at
City Lights.
Create a section for your education and qualifications. This section can be at
the beginning of your CV or you can choose to list it after other sections. The order of
sections is up to you. List your education in reverse chronological order. Begin with
university if you attended or are attending it and work your way backwards. List the name of
your university, the dates you went there, your major and minor, and your grade point
average or A levels.
[5]
Example: Santa Clara University, English and History 2009-2013 Subjects
include: Medieval Literature, Victorian Literature, Criticism of Poetry, and History
of Great Britain. Obtained a 75% on my 2nd year exams. (If in the US- Maintained
a 3.7 GPA.)
Create a section for your work experience. This is the section in which you should
list all of your relevant work experience. List the name of the company, the location of
the company, the years you worked there, and what you did. Start with your most recent job
and work backwards. If you have a long list of work experience, only put the experiences
relevant to the job you are applying for.
[6]
Example: Diablo Magazine, Walnut Creek, CA, March 2012-January 2013. Fact-
checked information, wrote articles for Diablos blog, assisted in researching of
material for articles.
Create a section for your skills and achievements. This section is where you list
the things you accomplished at your previous jobs, and the skills you have developed
through your experiences. This is also the section where you list any of your published work,
lectures you've given, classes you've taught, etc.
Example achievements: Successfully took a national bestseller from manuscript
to publication; Received certification in copy-editing from UC Berkeley
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Create a section for your interests. You should list any relevant interests that paint
you in the most positive light. Choose several interests from the list you created while
brainstorming for your CV (in Part One).
Create a section for other information. If there is a noticeable gap in your CV or
there is some other information you would like to share, put it in this section. This sort
of information can include leaving work to take care of children, join the Peace Corps, etc.
[7]
Example: I took two years off from my intended career path in publishing to teach
English in Brazil through the TEFL program. Teaching English as a second
language has helped me better understand the subtle nuances of the language.
Create a section for references. These are people you have worked with in the
past such as professors, previous employers, etc. that have seen your work and can
credibly support praises that they give you. The company you are applying to may contact
these references to find out more about your previous work. You should talk with the person
you would like to list a reference before actually listing them--it is best to double check that
they still have the same number, are ok with giving you a reference, or that they remember
who you are. Write down their full names and contact information (including their phone
numbers and emails).
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Check your spelling and grammar. Poor spelling is the quickest way to get
rejected. If your CV is sloppy or riddled with errors, potential employers will be
unimpressed. Double (and triple) check that you have spelled the name of the company
correctly, as well as any companies you have worked for in the past.
[8]
Proofread for any sentences that could be written more concisely. CVs that
are concise and well-written tend to do better than long-winded CVs that have
repetitive information. Make sure you dont repeat yourself--its better to list many of your
traits than the same few traits over and over again.
Read your CV as if you were the company you are applying to. What do you
think about the layout and the information written there? Do you come across as a
professional?
Get someone else to read your CV. What do they think could be added or taken
out? Would they hire you if they were a company?
Part 3 of 3: Finalizing Your CV
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Check the companys application page. Look to see if there are any other
materials they would like you to send in along with your CV. Companies may ask for a
cover letter or samples of your work (such as articles you may have written).
The content of a CV should reflect the position for which you are
applying. For example, if you are applying for a job as an IT technician, it
is not relevant to the employer that you worked in several bars early in
your career. If you are applying to work in a call center, your employer
would love to hear about the customer service skills you learned when
working with the public.
Be honest. If you have the capacity to do the job, then you shouldn't
have to lie to get it.
Show passion about your work and your hobbies.
Don't waste all your good work by sending off a well written CV on poor
quality paper. Make sure that your CV is printed out on good quality
paper, and preferably in black ink.
Write clearly and concisely. Employers do not want to have to read
through pages of clutter to get to your most salient sales points.
If you're going to use bullet points than neat single line bullets points
look more pleasing on the eye than more cluttered multi-line entries.
1. http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15573447
3. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/jobkit-cv-writing.pdf
4. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/jobkit-cv-writing.pdf
5. http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv.htm
6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15573447
7. http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/jobkit-cv-writing.pdf
8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15573447
http://www.vertexresourcing.com/index.php?page_id=1001 more tips
from the UK
http://how-to-write-a-cv.net/how-to-build-a-resume-faq.html incredible
FAQ (37 questions!) on writing Resume and CV
http://www.wikijob.co.uk/wiki/example-cv-resume-template
Tips
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Categories: Resume Preparation
Recent edits by: HelperT2895, GamerOfAllTrades, John Dieck
In other languages:
Deutsch: Wie man einen Lebenslauf erstellt, Italiano: Come Scrivere un Curriculum
Vitae, Espaol: Cmo hacer un curriculum vitae, Nederlands: een CV
schrijven, Portugus: Como Escrever um Curriculum Vitae (CV)
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