10 TIPS ON WRITING A SUCCESSFUL CV

When it comes to applying for a new job, your CV could be just the ticket to
get you that initial foot in the door and secure an interview but how do
you ensure your CV is added to the interview pile rather than thrown
straight in the bin?

Putting together a successful CV is easy once you know how. It's a case of
taking all your skills and experience and tailoring them to the job you're
applying for. But what if you don't meet the right criteria? Well, I've put
together the following tips to help you get started in creating a successful
CV and securing your first (or next) arts job.

GET THE BASICS RIGHT

There is no right or wrong way to write a CV but there are some common
sections you should cover. These include: personal and contact
information; education and qualifications; work history and/or experience;
relevant skills to the job in question; own interests, achievements or
hobbies; and some references.

PRESENTATION IS KEY

A successful CV is always carefully and clearly presented, and printed on

clean, crisp white paper. The layout should always be clean and well
structured and CVs should never be crumpled or folded, so use an A4
envelope to post your applications.

Always remember the CV hotspot the upper middle area of the first page
is where the recruiter's eye will naturally fall, so make sure you include your
most important information there.

STICK TO NO MORE THAN TWO PAGES OF A4

A good CV is clear, concise and makes every point necessary without

waffling. You don't need pages and pages of paper you just keep things
short and sweet. A CV is a reassurance to a potential employer, it's a chance
to tick the right boxes. And if everything is satisfied, there's a better chance
of a job interview. Also, employers receive dozens of CVs all the time so it's
unlikely they'll read each one cover to cover. Most will make a judgment
about a CV within sections, so stick to a maximum of two pages of A4
paper.
UNDERSTAND THE JOB DESCRIPTION

The clues are in the job application, so read the details from start to finish.
Take notes and create bullet points, highlighting everything you can satisfy
and all the bits you can't. With the areas where you're lacking, fill in the
blanks by adapting the skills you do have. For example, if the job in
question requires someone with sales experience, there's nothing stopping
you from using any retail work you've undertaken even if it was
something to help pay the bills through university. It will demonstrate the
skills you do have and show how they're transferable.

TAILOR THE CV TO THE ROLE

When you've established what the job entails and how you can match each
requirement, create a CV specifically for that role. Remember, there is no
such thing as a generic CV. Every CV you send to a potential employee
should be tailored to that role so don't be lazy and hope that a general CV
will work because it won't.

Create a unique CV for every job you apply for. You don't have to re-write
the whole thing, just adapt the details so they're relevant.

MAKING THE MOST OF SKILLS

Under the skills section of your CV don't forget to mention key skills that
can help you to stand out from the crowd. These could include:
communication skills; computer skills; team working; problem solving or
even speaking a foreign language. Skills can come out of the most unlikely
places, so really think about what you've done to grow your own skills, even
if you take examples from being in a local sports team or joining a voluntary
group it's all relevant.

MAKING THE MOST OF INTERESTS

Under interests, highlight the things that show off skills you've gained and
employers look for. Describe any examples of positions of responsibility,
working in a team or anything that shows you can use your own initiative.
For example, if you ran your university's newspaper or if you started a
weekend league football team that became a success.

Include anything that shows how diverse, interested and skilled you are.
Don't include passive interests like watching TV, solitary hobbies that can
be perceived as you lacking in people skills. Make yourself sound really
interesting.
 MAKING THE MOST OF EXPERIENCE

Use assertive and positive language under the work history and experience
sections, such as "developed", "organised" or "achieved". Try to relate the
skills you have learned to the job role you're applying for. For example:
"The work experience involved working in a team," or "This position
involved planning, organisation and leadership as I was responsible for a
team of people".

Really get to grips with the valuable skills and experience you have gained
from past work positions, even if it was just working in a restaurant every
little helps.

INCLUDING REFERENCES

References should be from someone who has employed you in the past and
can vouch for your skills and experience. If you've never worked before
you're OK to use a teacher or tutor as a referee. Try to include two if you
can.

KEEP YOUR CV UPDATED

It's crucial to review your CV on a regular basis and add any new skills or
experience that's missing. For example, if you've just done some
volunteering or worked on a new project, make sure they're on there
potential employers are always impressed with candidates who go the extra
mile to boost their own skills and experience.

6 Jenis Font Terbaik Untuk CV dan Lamaran Kerja

Georgia. Jenis font ini mengingatkan kita pada Times New Roman, hanya
saja lebih terlihat elegan tidak terkesan tidak kaku. ...
Garamond. Hampir mirip seperti Georgia, hanya saja Garamond ini punya
gaya lekuk font yang lebih dinamis. ...
Helvetica. ...
Calibri. ...
Myriad Pro. ...
Arial
 FRESH GRADUATE RESUME - SAMPLE 1

Sitara XXXX

Mob: 98********
Email id: sitara.*******@gmail.com

Objective

Seeking a challenging career with a progressive organization that provides an opportunity to

capitalize my Technical skills & abilities in the fields of Engineering and Project Management.

Technical Skills

Staad Pro. (Structure modeling and analysis)

AutoCAD (2007, 2009, 2010 & 2013), with sound knowledge of 2D and 3D modeling.
AutoCAD CIVIL 3D 2013,
MS-Office, Windows 7 & XP

Personal Qualities

Positive attitude.
Excellent Communication skills to interact individuals at all levels.

Achievements

Build a team at college for college building purpose.

Academic Qualifications

Diploma (CIVIL ENGINEERING): Passed (20XX Batch) with 71.43% aggregate from
University1.
B-Tech (CIVIL ENGINEERING) with 77% aggregate from University in 20XX
Primavera (Project Management Software) (pursuing) from Institute1.

Academic Projects Undertaken

Project: XXXXX
Two months project training as a Trainee Engineer in Y storey commercial project. Supervision
of raft foundation, casting of columns, beams and slab, form work and scaff folding.
Experience in handling teams at the site of construction. Concrete strength tests and
reinforcement calculations.
 Project: ABC
Underground Metro rail tunnel and underground stations. Preparation of geotechnical profile in
longitudinal section with reference to the bore hole details along the alignment in tender data.
Cross-sections and other construction method detailing.

Extra Curricular Activities

Good in Sports.
Won many medals at college level.

Personal Details

Date of Birth: 2.08.19XX

Languages Known: English, Gujrati & Hindi .
Address: XXXXXX

FRESH GRADUATE RESUME - SAMPLE 2

Krishna XXXXX

Email ID:- krishxxxxxxxx@gmail.com

Contact No.:- 8xxxxxxxx

CAREER OBJECTIVE

To grow along with the organization and become a professional of excellent repute by
effectively contributing towards the goal of the organization.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

Pursuing MBA (HR) from XXXXXXXX University.

Graduation from XXXXXXXXXXX University in 2012.
Intermediate from Board of XXXXXXXX.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION

Operating Systems - Windows 9x

Office Tools - Microsoft office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access)

STRENGTHS
 Good listener
Hard worker
Flexible
Self motivated
Positive attitude
Quick learner
Smart Worker and Loyal

ADDITIONAL QUALITIES

Able to work unsupervised and learns fast with creativity.

Outspoken, friendly, independent and level headed person who likes to make friends.
Involved in personality development and updating knowledge based through Reading,
listening and observation.
Listening to music, dancing and sports are favorite leisure activities.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Got first division in COMPUTER COURSE.

Active participation in speech competition at college level.
Active participation in fiesta- 2005, Annual function.
Active Participation in fiesta -2004, Annul function.
Active participation in plays/drama at college level.

PERSONAL DETAILS

Date Of Birth:
Languages Known:
Permanent Address:
1. Top of the Page: Contact Information

Nama, alamat, nomor telepon yang bisa dihubungi dan alamat email baiknya
ditaruh di paling atas sendiri dari CV. Sebenarnya tidak mutlak, tetapi ane
sendiri dan banyak consulting agency rekomen seperti itu.

2. Second Section: Profile atau personal summary

Setelah contact information dilanjutkan dengan profile agan. Ingat profile

disini bukan data pribadi lebih lanjut seperti jenis kelamin, tempat tanggal
lahir, status perkimpoian dll, tapi rangkuman gambaran diri agan secara
profesional. Harap diingat, agan mau ngelamar perusahaan berskala
Internasional, bukan mau nyalon jadi lurah

Dan juga, section ini adalah section yang paling penting, karena section ini
adalah section yang paling dilihat oleh para HR recruiter. Dan sekali lagi, rata-
rata HR recruiter mempelajari CV agan hanya 5-7 detik saja! Jadi disinilah
bagian CV paling penting dari agan untuk 'jualan'. Rangkum semua
pengalaman agan, keahlian utama agan baik soft skill maupun hard skill juga
sasaran atau tujuan yang agan cari (career objective). Buat semenarik dan se-
luar biasa mungkin, namanya orang 'jualan' kudu gitulah biar dagangannya
laris

Tapi walaupun begitu, harap diingat, ini adalah profile summary, jadi buatlah
sesingkat dan sepadat mungkin, karena masih ada section lainnya dari CV
agan untuk menjelaskan lebih detail masalah itu.

3. Third Section: Key Skills

Walopun HR Recruiter hanya butuh 5-7 detik untuk screening CV agan, tapi
apabila mereka melihat summary agan cukup layak untuk pekerjaan yang
dibuka, maka mereka pasti akan lanjut ke section berikutnya. Nah, di section
inilah 'dagangan' agan kudu dipoles lebih lanjut biar lebih menarik lagi. Key
skill atau keahlian utama adalah keahlian yang agan kuasai dan
merupakan nilai jual utama yang agan tawarkan ke employer. Harap diingat,
hanya melamar pekerjaan yang sangat sesuai dengan keahlian utama agan,
sesuai dengan persyaratan yang dipublish oleh employer, kalau tidak pasti CV
agan sudah lewat setelah recruiter baca section ini.

4. Fourth Section: Achievement

Di section ini, cantumkan semua prestasi agan yang luar biasa. Untuk fresh
graduate bisa dicantumkan prestasi akademik yang menonjol atau
pengalaman berorganisasi atau apapun itu yang menunjang profesi yang akan
anda lamar di dunia kerja. Untuk yang profesional bisa dicantumkan prestasi-
prestasi kerja anda selama ini yang luar biasa, kalo ada

Kalo enggak ada ya nggak usah dibuat deh section ini dan lanjut ke section
berikutnya aja

5. Fifth Section: Professional Experience

Untuk fresh graduate, jika ada pengalaman magang atau internship wajib tuh
hukumnya dicantumkan. Untuk profesional, cantumkan pengalaman kerja
agan mulai yang paling baru dulu ya. Formatnya ikutin aja contoh CV diatas.
Pertama jabatan agan, dilanjut periode menjabat, dilanjut nama perusahaan
tempat agan bekerja dan terakhir tugas-tugas dan tanggung jawab agan
dalam jabatan tersebut.

Catatan untuk section ini, jangan gunakan bahasa formal seperti

bahasa employer untuk menjelaskan job description di iklan lowongan kerja.
Selain menjelaskan tugas dan tanggung jawab agan, buatlah deskripsi
tersebut juga mengangkat profesionalitas yang agan lakukan dalam
melaksanakan tugas-tugas tersebut.

Hmmm......iya deh contoh dikit. Yang gampang deh, salah satu tugas sales
executive nih.

Instead of,

Answering all incoming calls and enquiries from client.

Kenapa enggak ditambah,

Answering all incoming calls and enquiries from clients promptly and
professionally all the time to ensure client's satisfaction.

Ya gitu deh pokoknya, lagian kan udah ada contoh tuh diatas

6. Sixth Section: Education

Di section ini harap agan mencantumkan riwayat pendidikan agan mulai dari
yang terakhir. Formatnya yang pasti nama sekolah atau universitas, jurusan,
periode belajar sampai lulus, indeks prestasi akademik dan penghargaan
kalau ada (merit atau cumlaude gitu maksudnya).

Buat yang lulusan sarjana, atau bahkan yang S2, harap hanya mencantumkan
detail riwayat pendidikan S2 dan S1 nya saja, boleh kalau mau ditambah judul
skripsi sama thesis-nya, apabila memang menunjang posisi pekerjaan yang
dilamar.

Walopun gak bisa dipungkiri kalo memiliki gelar tinggi bisa memberikan nilai
plus banget, tapi buat yang lulusan SMA/SMK, jangan berkecil hati, kalau bisa
perbanyak hard skill-nya (nanti ane bahas lebih lanjut deh), kenapa? Baca tuh
meme dibawah, soalnya hari gini tuh.....

7. Last Section: References

Jangan lupa, selalu akhiri CV agan dengan tulisan ini,

Quote: REFERENCES Available on request.

Setiap perusahaan Internasional pasti akan meminta dan akan menghubungi

orang yang anda cantumkan sebagai reference agan, baik itu via email
maupun via telepon. Ingat, referensi anda BUKAN orang tua atau teman atau
saudara anda, tapi rekan kerja, client, atasan ataupun bahkan bawahan anda.
Untuk fresh graduate, ingat kalo magang itu sangat penting, karena agan-
agan bisa mendapatkan seseorang yang bisa jadi reference agan disini. Buat
yang belom pernah magang, yah, minimal dosen pembimbingnya lah

Walaupun reference disini bisa diartikan sebagai seseorang yang bisa

merekomendasi kan agan untuk meyakinkan employer seberapa baik dan
layak kah agan untuk mengisi jabatan yang agan lamar, tetapi tidak terlepas
hal tersebut berupa surat rekomendasi dari atasan agan di perusahaan agan
sebelumnya. Sebegitu pentingnya arti reference disini makanya baik-baiklah
kalo kerja dimanapun itu biar dapet rekomendasi yang bagus dari
para reference anda, biar gak dikasih surat rekomendasi seperti dibawah,
atau yang paling parah, malah di blacklist

Ini ada ringkasan lengkapnya dari tulisan diatas, kalo bisa lebih lengkap lebih
bagus gan, kaya nyantumin publikasi dan sertifikasi. Untuk publikasi ane
belum ada gan selain trit2 di KasKus , untuk sertifikasi (biasanya sertifikasi
keahlian), nanti ane bahas lebih lanjut di part 3 di section DEGREE vs SKILL.
Acoverletterservesanimportantpurpose:itpresentsyourcaseforwhyyoushouldbehired.
Yourcoverletteriswhereyoucanshowyourpassionforthepositionorcompany,and
highlightrelevantqualifications.

Manyemployersrequirecoverlettersaspartofthejobapplicationprocess.

However,evenwhenanemployerdoesnotexplicitlyaskforacoverletter,youshouldsend
one.Astrongcoverlettercanmakeyourapplicationstandout.

Readbelowforanexampleofacoverlettertosendwitharesume,plustipsforwritingand
sendingacoverletter.Usethesampleasaguidewhenyouwriteyourcoverletter,
rememberingtotailoralltheinformationtoyourownexperiencesandthespecificposition
andcompany.

COVER LETTER TIPS

Sendone!Evenwhenanemployerdoesnotdirectlyaskforone,besurealwaystosenda
coverletter.Theonlytimeyoudonotwanttosendaletteriswhenthejoblistingexplicitly
saysnottosendone.Besuretofollowalldirectionsonthejoblisting.

Customizeeachletter.Itmightseemtedious,beitisimportanttocustomizeeachlettertofit
thespecificjobyouforwhichyouareapplying.Itwillmakeyourletterstandout.

Highlightrelevantqualifications.Inyourcoverletter,addressoneortwoskillsor
qualificationsyouhavethatmatchthejobdescription.

Provideaspecificexampleofatimeyoudemonstratedeachofthesequalifications.

Explainanything.Youcanuseyourcoverlettertogointodetailaboutsomethinginyour
resumethatneedsexplaining.Forexample,acoverletterisagreatplacetotalkabout
acareershiftortoexplainanextendedgapinemployment.

Readsamplesandtemplates.Forhelpwritingyourcoverletter,readsamplesliketheone
below,aswellascoverlettertemplates.Remembertotailoranyexampleortemplatetofit
yourownexperiencesandthejobforwhichyouareapplying.

Edit,edit,edit.Besuretothoroughlyproofreadeachcoverletterbeforesendingit,looking
forgrammarandspellingerrors.Consideraskingafriendorfamilymember,orevenacareer
counselor,toreadoveryourcoverletter.

SAMPLE COVER LETTER FOR A RESUME

YourName
YourAddress
YourCity,State,ZipCode
YourPhoneNumber
YourEmail

Date

Name
Title
Organization
Address
City,State,ZipCode

DearMr./Ms.LastName:

Iaminterestedintheauthor'sassistantpositionatABCCompany,asadvertisedinXXX.I
amcurrentlyemployedaslegislativedirectorforAssemblywomanXXXX,Chairpersonof
theNYSAssembly.IbelievethattheskillsandexperiencesIhavegainedatthisposition
makemeanidealcandidateforthejobofauthorsassistant.

Aslegislativedirector,Ihavedevelopedstrongwritingandeditingskills.Forexample,one
ofmymaindutiesistoprepareAssemblywomanXXXXspersonallegislation,whichdeals
withissuesrelatedtoherpositionasSeniorMemberoftheNYSAssemblyStanding
Committee.

Thisdutyrequiresmeticulouswritingandeditingskills,andanabilitytoconveycomplex
legalideasclearly.Ihaveprepareddozensofpiecesoflegislationandreceivedpraiseforthe
clarityofmywriting.

Ihavealsogainedextensiveexperienceinlegalandpolicyresearchfieldsthatyoustatethe
authorsassistantmustbefamiliarwith.MyexperienceintheNYSAssemblyhasafforded
metheopportunitytobecomefamiliarwiththeconsolidatedandunconsolidatedlawsofthe
StateofNewYork.Inparticular,throughmyworkwithAssemblywomanXXXX,Ihave
becomeheavilyinvolvedinthecurrentwelfareandMedicaidreformmovement.Iamalways
eagertolearnmoreaboutstatelegislation,readinguponthesetopicsonmyowntimeto
becomemoreknowledgeable.Iwouldlovetobringthispassionforpolicyandlawtoyour
company.

IamconfidentthatmyexperienceintheLegislatureandmyresearchandwritingskills
qualifymeforconsideration.Ifyouwouldlike,Icanprovideyouwithcurrentsamplesofmy
work.Ihavealsoenclosedmyresume.Ilookforwardtomeetingwithyouanddiscussingmy
qualificationsinmoredetail.

Sincerely,

Signature(hardcopyletter)

FirstNameLastName
Your cover letter shows employers how well you express yourself. It can also
demonstrate that you are savvy in the ways of marketing yourself and selling your
best qualifications. A good cover letter can entice the recipient to review your
resume.

A bad cover letter, on the other hand, can nip your chances in the bud. Here are ten
common mistakes that contribute to bad cover letters. To ensure that your cover
letter is effective, avoid these missteps

1. DONT SKIP THE COVER LETTER.

Sure, there are some employers that dont place much importance on cover letters.
That said, its impossible to know whether the employer you are contacting places
value on candidates cover letters. Dont skip this step. A cover letter doesnt have to
be complicated but you must include one.

2. ITS NOT ABOUT WHAT THE EMPLOYER CAN

DO FOR YOU BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THE
EMPLOYER.
This mistake is particularly common among inexperienced jobseekers. In most
cases, employers are in business to make a profit. They want to know what you can
do for their bottom line, not what they can do to fulfill your career dreams. Tell the
employer how you can meet the companys needs and the contributions you can
make to the company.

3. AVOID A BORING OR FORMULAIC COVER

LETTER.
Dont waste your first paragraph by writing a boring introduction. Dive right in by
using the first paragraph to grab the employers attention. Tell the employer which
position you are applying for and summarize the reasons you are qualified for the
role, expanding on your qualifications in later paragraphs. Dont use such clichs,
rather do your best to write a dynamic cover letter. Write a letter that will make the
employer want to get to know you better.

4. PROOFREAD YOUR COVER LETTER AND

THEN PROOFREAD IT AGAIN.
Typos, misspellings, or incorrect grammar and punctuation can send your application
right into the trash pile. Your letter reflects your ability to write and communicate, and
your attention to detail. Be sure your document is letter-perfect before sending it out.
Proofread your letter. Put it down and proof it again a few hours later with a fresh
eye. Its also helpful to enlist a friend to review it for errors, or to use a tool
like Grammarly to help you check your work.

5. DONT USE YOUR COVER LETTER TO

REHASH YOUR RESUME.
Use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the
position, but youre wasting precious space and the potential employers time if
you simply repeat your resume. Cover letters are an opportunity to expound upon
bullet points in your resume. Ask yourself: What experience is on my resume that Id
like this employer to know more about? Choose one or two items and write a short
paragraph about each.

6. COVER LETTERS ARENT ONE-SIZE-FITS

ALL.
Its okay to have a basic template for your cover letter, but when youre answering an
ad or online job posting, the specifics of your letter should closely mimic the wording
of the job post. A good job post will let you know exactly what the hiring manager is
looking for in a candidate, so tailor your letter to address these specific qualifications.
Do some research into the company and try to read between the lines to see if your
experience lines up with these values in any way. For example, if you are applying
for a job at a company the sells educational products that help children succeed in
school, mention your time spent as a volunteer tutor. Itll show that you share the
companys values and that you understand the value of its product line.

7. KEEP YOUR LETTER SHORT BUT SWEET.

Brevity is a skill, so do your best to keep your letter brief. It should never be more
than one page but a good rule of thumb is to keep your letter to four or five
paragraphs of no more than three sentences apiece. Using bullet points to outline
skills and experience that might be of interest to the employer is a good way to break
up blocks of text and draw attention to specific items. Your cover letter is a marketing
tool that should focus on the qualifications that will sell you to the employer. Be sure
to include yourUnique Selling Proposition. Using clear, simple language, your Unique
Selling Propositions should answer these questions:

What makes you unique?

What makes you better than other candidates applying for a similar position with this
company?

What can you offer that no other applicant can?

8. USE STRONG LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE

YOUR SKILL.
Avoid such phrases as I feel and I believe. Your statements will be much stronger
without them. Its best to either leave off the qualifier or use a stronger qualifier, such
as I am confident, I am convinced, or I am positive.Here are some examples of
weak statements versus strong statements:
COVER LETTER PARAGRAPH GUIDELINES

Acoverlettershouldincludethreeparagraphs:

Introduction

Body/SellingPitch

Conclusion

Thefirstparagraphexplainswhyyouarewriting.Itisthefirstimpressionanda
basicexplanationofwhoyouareandwhyyouarewriting.Itisalsoacceptableto
describehowyoufoundthepositionorwhyyouareinterestedinthejob.

Thesecondparagraph,knownasthebodyofthecoverletter,explainswhyyouare
qualifiedfortheposition.Thisisthepartoftheletterwhereitismostappropriateto
highlightyourexperience,skills,andattributesthatmakeyouaperfectcandidatefor
theposition.Dontrestateyourentireresume;ratherfocusonthemostimportant
factorsthatmakeyoudesirable.

Thethirdparagraphisabriefconclusionthankingtheemployerfortheirtimeand
consideration.Besuretoreiterateyourinterestinthepositionanddescribehowyou
willnextfollowup.

Besuretoleaveaspacebetweeneachparagraph.

COVER LETTER MARGIN SETTINGS

Whenwritingacoverletterforajob,themarginsshouldbeapproximately1"all
around.Theleftandrightmarginwillbesetat1"andthetopandbottommargins
shouldalsobesetat1".Thisgivesyourcoverletteranunclutteredlookandprovides
plentyofwhitespacewhichhelpswithreadability.

Youshouldalignyourtexttotheleft;thisishowmostdocumentsarealigned,soit
willmakeyourletterreadable.

WhenYouNeedMoreSpacefortheLetter
Ifyouhavemoretextthanfitsonasinglepage,youcantightenupthemargins
slightlyratherthanwritingatwopageletter.Keepthemarginsconsistentsoyour
letterisbalancedonthepage.

Forexample,ifyouadjustallthemarginsto.75"itwillgiveyoumorelinesandspace
forthelettercontent.

Anotheroptionistoreducetheleftandrightmarginto.75andleavethetopat1".Try
severaloptionstoseewhichlooksbest.