CV - Resume Writing Tips

8/7/2019 CV - Resume Writing Tips

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CV / RESUME WRITING ADVICE & TIPS

INTRODUCTION:

Y ou will find ips and advice on how you can successfully find a job and handle interviews,

links to over 200,000 jobs, the secrets of finding a job on the Internet, recommended books

for you to read and much more.The word Curriculum Vitae literally translated means the story of your life. The words

Curriculum Vitae are usually abbreviated to CV or C.V. and you will sometimes see it incorrectly

written in lower case as c.v. or cv. The possessive form of Curriculum Vitae / CV should be

written as Curriculum Vitae's or C.V.'s or CVs, but not as c.v.'s or cv's.

Your CV is a very important document; with it rest your hopes and dreams for the future -

that next step up the career ladder, a better position, more money, new challenges, etc. Your CV

therefore has to represent the best you have to offer if you do not want to miss out on that job

you saw which was 'perfect' for you.

These days employers often receive a lot of CVs for each advertised position - jobs

advertised in national papers can often attract hundreds of applicants. So your CV has to be just

that little bit special to stand out if you want to obtain interviews. The good news (for you) is that

most people do not know how to write a CV and only spend a short time preparing a CV. Writing

professional CVs is a skill, which these people have not learnt.

Of course your CV can continue to work in your favour even after it has obtained an

interview for you. It can help you at an interview by carefully focusing the interviewer's mind on

your good points and on your achievements. Once you have left the interview it will continue to

work in your favour as the interviewer will probably reread it before making a decision, either on

who should be invited to the second interview stage or who the job should be offered to.

When it comes to salary negotiations a well written CV can help. If your CV conveys your

full worth you are likely to get a higher salary offer than you might have done with a poorer CV.

So do not skimp on the time you spend on writing a CV as it will probably be a false

economy. In the following sections we will teach you how to write professional CVs and show you a

number of CV examples as an introduction to the art of CV writing


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2. Why are CVs rejected?

First impressions

First impressions matter; if your CV does not attract the reader's attention in the first 20-30

seconds then your chances of obtaining an interview are greatly reduced. An employer may have

a hundred or more CVs to look through and probably only a couple of hours in which to maketheir selection. So put your work experience at the start of your CV, not personal or educational

details, unless you have only just left education.

What an employer really wants to know is why they should invite you for an interview. For

this reason a short summary of your capabilities and/or a list of your major achievements can

often be a good idea. This should make an employer want to invite you for an interview - but

please be careful that you do not oversell yourself.

Poor visual layout

The visual layout of your CV is very important. Even though the wording you use may be

correct, if people cannot find the information they want quickly they will move on to someone

else's CV. You should use plenty of 'white' space in your CV and appropriate headings and

section breaks.

Always use a word-processor/DTP package. Never use a typewriter as you will look old

fashioned and out of date. Use good quality A4 paper, preferably 100gram for both your CV andcover letter.

Length of CV

It is usually best to try and keep your CV to two pages of A4, unless someone specifically

asks you for a longer CV. If you cannot keep your CV to this length then you probably have not

understood an employer's requirements. Employers do not want to know your whole life history -

just enough to decide whether they should interview you or not.

Organizing the information on your CV

If your CV is not well organized then the reader will find it hard to follow and will not be

able to build up a picture of you quickly. Remember the reader will not spend very long looking at

your CV - so if they cannot find what they want they will not bother to read any further.


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Overwritten - long paragraphs and sentences

This makes it difficult to read quickly - try and keep your sentences short and punchy and

use bullet points to break up the text under section headings.

Too little information

A lot of people do not include enough details about their previous jobs and experience and

an employer therefore does not have enough information - they will therefore have to reject your

application.

Not results orientated

You need to shout about your achievements. Please remember that your CV is your sales

document to an employer. If it does not tell an employer why they should employ you then it has

failed. An employer will only want to employ you if they can see a benefit in it for themselves. So

do tell them the benefits of employing you.

CV makes you look too young/old for the job

In general being too young/old can be a real problem and a barrier to future advancement,

or even to getting a job in the first place. There are a number of ways round this problem - but

this depends very much on your individual circumstances and the industry/job you are applying

for. There are further hints and tips throughout this web site to help you.

Mis-spellings, typographical errors, poor grammar

Your CV should be carefully checked for such errors before you send it out to employers. Tiny

errors in your CV can detract from an otherwise good CV and make you look lazy or careless -

not the sort of qualities you want to portray to an employer. As you will probably be 'blind' tothese errors you should get someone else to check your CV for grammar and spelling errors.

To get yourself noticed it is important to use a CV format which will best represent you in

the jobs market. There are any numbers of ways of laying out a CV, but these can in fact be


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reduced to 5 basic examples: Chronological CV (traditional approach - superseded by the

Performance CV), Functional CV, Performance CV (an updated form of the Chronological CV),

Targeted CV and Alternative CV. Each of these formats has its advantages and disadvantages

(see below).

In general the Performance CV works best for most people, assuming that you are staying

in the same field. If this format is unsuitable for you then you could try either the Functional or

Targeted CV formats and see which reads/looks better for you. Even if you create a Performance

CV for yourself, there are times when a Functional/Targeted CV may help you secure an

interview when a Performance CV would fail.

Selecting Your CV Format

Performance CV

In a Performance CV your employment history is shown in reverse chronological order,

with your most recent job first. Job titles and company names are strongly emphasised andduties and achievements are described under each job title. You should use a Performance CV

when you are seeking a job which is directly in line with your past experiences or your last

employer was a household name. The only difference between a Chronological CV and a

Performance CV is that the Performance CV highlights a list of your major achievements near the

start of your CV.

Advantages:

1. If you are planning to stay in the same field/work area.2. If you want to show-off your promotions.

3. If the name of your last employer is highly prestigious.

4. Most people prefer this format to the other formats listed here because it is easy to see

who you have worked for and what you did in each particular job.

Disadvantages:

1. If you are planning to change career direction.

2. If you have frequently changed employer.3. If your work history has been patchy in recent years, either through unemployment,

redundancy, self-employment, ill health, etc.

4. If you do not have many achievements (you could just leave out the achievements section

as in a traditional Chronological CV) or your achievements are not in line with what you


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want to do now - either leave out the achievements section or consider using a Functional

or Targeted CV.

Functional CV

This type of CV highlights the main functions/achievements of your whole career and it

can therefore be very useful if you have had a varied career or you are seeking a change ofcareer direction. In this format, job titles and company names are given less dominance or even

omitted in some cases.

Advantages:

1. If you want to emphasise abilities and achievements that have not been used in your most

recent job(s).

2. If you are changing career direction.

3. If you have had a large number of jobs and you would prefer to describe the experienceyou have gained in total.

4. If you want to include voluntary/unpaid experience.

5. If your work history has been patchy in recent years, either through unemployment,


Disadvantages:

1. If you want to highlight promotions/career growth - you could include this sort of

information on the second page of your CV, but it would not be as prominent as on aPerformance CV.

2. If your most recent employer is highly prestigious, because their name will not be

prominently displayed on the first page. You can get round this by putting their name in

both the profile and cover letter.

3. If your job has only a limited number of functions.

4. Unusual CV format - may not be liked by everyone.

Targeted CV

This type of CV emphasises your abilities and achievements which are directly relevant to

a specific job target. It is best used when you are planning a change of career direction.


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Advantages:

1. If you want to emphasise abilities and achievements that have not been used in your most

recent job(s).

2. If you are changing career direction.

3. If you have had a large number of jobs and you would prefer to describe the experience

you have gained in total.4. If you want to include voluntary/unpaid experience.

5. If your work history has been patchy in recent years, either through unemployment,


6. If you have several completely different job targets and you need a CV for each.

Disadvantages:

1. If you want to highlight promotions/career growth - you could include this sort of

information on the second page of your CV, but it would not be as prominent as on aPerformance CV.

2. If your most recent employer is highly prestigious, because their name will not be

prominently displayed on the first page. You can get round this by putting their name in

both the profile and cover letter.

3. Unusual CV format - may not be liked by everyone.

Alternative CVThis sort of CV is suitable for creative careers in, for example, writing, public relations and

fashion designers. It is not suitable for senior managers/executives who would be better advised

to use the Performance CV.

Advantages:

1. If the job requires exceptional talent in either the written or visual mediums.

2. If you will be applying directly to the person you will be working for.

Disadvantages:

1. Not to be used if you are seeking a management position.

2. If you are planning to apply through normal channels such as advertised vacancies/the

Personnel Department.


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3. This CV format may fail utterly if your ideas are not well received by the recipient of your

CV.

General CV / Resume Tips

1. These days you should write your CV in the first person (i.e. I have), rather than the third

person (i.e. he/she has). However, you do not need to use "I" in a CV because its use is

implied.2. Do mention things you are good at, but do not go over the top. You can oversell yourself.

3. Don't mention things that you are bad at or say negative things about yourself in your CV.

4. Make sure that the CV you write conjures up the right image of you and your skills,

capabilities and achievements. If you do not match the picture you have painted with your

CV at the interview, then your application will not be taken further.

5. Be careful when you use abbreviations - they can be misunderstood.

6. If you are not happy with your CV or you only seem to get rejection letters then please get

a professional CV writing service to write it for you. Yes, you will have to pay for it. But, it

could save you a lot of time, lead to you getting less rejection letters and hopefully you

should get an interview that much quicker.

Word-Processing & Printing

Your CV should be produced using a modern word-processing package, such as Microsoft

Word, WordPerfect or Lotus WordPro and printed on a high quality laser printer. It is not really

good enough these days to produce your CV on a typewriter and it will make you look very

unprofessional, out of date and out of touch with the modern world.

If you do not have access to this technology, or using a computer is one of your worst

nightmares, then you will have to pay someone to do this for you. If you get someone else to

prepare your CV make sure they print it out on a laser printer. Dot matrix or inkjet printers are not

really good enough and the ink from an inkjet tends to smudge fairly easily. Always ask for a

proof copy of your CV so that you can check that it meets your needs.

When you are creating your CV you should ensure that you have all margins set to oneinch. Name, address and telephone number should be included in the first page header. Section

headings should be in BOLD UPPER CASE . In a Performance CV you should pick out

employers and job titles in bold text , but you may not want to pick them out in bold in a


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Functional or Targeted CV. Please ensure that you use enough 'white space' (empty space) on

each page - do not squeeze things in and make your CV looked cramped.

You should check your draft CV thoroughly for spelling and grammatical errors. When you

are happy with it you should get at least one other person to check it over and give you some

feedback. You should then re-draft it and show it to them again. You may need to do this several

times before you are completely satisfied with the final version.

When it comes to printing your CV out you should use good quality paper, preferably

100gram weight and you should also use this paper for writing any letters on. You can use

brilliant white paper or if you want to be distinctive and different you might try cream or vellum

paper. When you are sending your CV to someone you should always send it in an A4 envelope

rather than folding it.

Avoiding I and My in Your Rsum

Because your resume is about you to begin with, you don't need to write the words I andmy . Doing so for every statement is repetitious and clutters your rsum with unnecessary words.

Most recipients scan rsums in under 60 seconds before reading them. Unnecessary words just

get in the way of the scanning eye.

One of the tricks is not really a trick at all, but a simple omission. Just leave out the words I

and my . Some people might have a problem with this, because from grade school through

college, we're taught to write complete sentences. But it's perfectly acceptable to construct your

rsum with incomplete sentences. In fact, it's the preferred method, which makes it relativelyeasy to avoid writing the words I and my .

The other trick is to start your sentences with relevant action words or keywords instead of

I or my . Action words spruce up your rsum, but its good idea to resist the temptation to overdo

it. In this age of electronic rsums, keywords are important to make your rsum searchable by

computer.

Examples

Below are simple examples of skill and achievement statements. In each, Interview is how

you might state your skills and achievements during an interview. Rsum is a suggested way to

present the same statement in your rsum, without writing I and my.

You don't need to include punctuation at the end of incomplete sentences, except to

separate them if you write two or more on the same line.


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Interview: I have a lot of experience programming in C++ and Java.

Rsum: Highly experienced programming in C++ and Java

Interview: I have worked on micro, mini and mainframe computers.

Rsum: Computer platform experience includes micro, mini and mainframe

Interview: I know Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel very well.

Rsum: Proficient with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel

Interview: I have worked with UNIX and Windows NT.

Rsum: Working knowledge of UNIX and Windows NT

Interview: My GPA was 3.5 and I graduated with honors.

Rsum: 3.5 GPA. Graduated with honors

Interview: I have researched and written online help and user manuals.

Rsum: Developed online help and user manuals.

Interview: Launching new products was an important part of my job.

Rsum: Instrumental in launching new products

Interview: I easily understand technical matters.

Rsum: Demonstrated ability to grasp technical matters

Interview: My staff performed well under my supervision and I always made budget.

Rsum: Successfully managed staff and resources within budget

Interview: I received a research grant for $100,000.

Rsum: Earned $100,000 research grant

Resume Formats

All resumes share similar components in three, common formats.


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Chronological - Presents job history and education by date. It's organized in reverse order

by employer, with the most recent first.

Functional - Also called a skills resume, it's a summary of qualifications typically organized

by education, experience and skills, with little emphasis on employer history.

Combination - Also called a hybrid resume, it's a composite of the two above.

Resume formats (and fancy samples, like those above) are only guidelines and there are

an endless number of variations. Which format is best and in which order the components appear

depends on your career situation. But always place your contact information first, followed by

your objective.

Some resume writing services refer to a focused resume as though it's a fourth format. But

all resumes are focused on landing interviews, regardless of format. Others call it a targeted

resume, a better name for the purpose. But it's not a format either. Focused or targeted, it's one

of the formats above, with the wording tailored to closely match the job qualifications an employer

requires.Do tailor your resume for each employer's job description whenever possible. It shows that

you've done your homework and might be the ideal candidate for the job.

For example, if an employer is looking for a Windows NT Administrator, state in your

objective that you are specifically seeking "a career position as a Windows NT Administrator"

rather than generically, "a position in an MIS department." Under appropriate headings in the

remainder of your resume, emphasize your education, skills and experiences that are in tune with

the employer's job description.You might also hear of other formats, such as a technical resume. But they too are

essentially the formats above, with some tweaks. For example, this technical resume is a simple

chronological resume with a Profile heading up front. When creating a technical resume, do place

a list of your skills up front, in the form of keywords. There's more about keywords in the

Electronic Resumes link below.

Some scientific, medical, academic and overseas jobs require a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

instead of a resume.

Phrases for Body heading:

1. I'm most at home in a high-energy workplace with (ambitious, goal-oriented people,

compassionate, service-oriented people ...)

2. I want to be part of an organization that offers (growth potential, stability, educational

opportunities, travel opportunities, advancement opportunities ...)


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3. My background in (...) would be an asset to your company's work in ...

4. My previous experience in (...) would complement your firm's (strategy, goals, projects ....)

5. "One of my proudest professional accomplishments was ... "

6. Use verbs such as: developed, implemented, organized, pioneered, produced, created,

designed, introduced, revamped.

7. I enjoy working with a team to meet management goals ...

8. I want to apply my skills in an environment that (inspires, encourages, rewards) (initiative,

dedication, creative problem-solving ... )

9. I'm motivated to be part of an organization that values (commitment to excellence, team

efforts, individual initiative ...)

10. My skills in (.......) would seem to be an excellent fit with the hiring criteria mentioned in

your ad.

Phrases for Introduction heading:1. "I enjoyed speaking with you when we met at ... "

2. "Ben Jacobs, CEO at Lindstrom Associates, suggested I get in touch ..."

3. "In your recent interview with NPR, you raised several key issues ..."

4. My most recent experience has been managing a household, although I was employed in

the (name of industry) industry some years ago.

5. I am motivated to spend my summer gaining broad exposure to (industry or field) and

valuable practical experience.6. In recent discussions with colleagues in the (name industry trade group, or association)I

learned that you may be looking for a new (name position).

7. "Your recent article in Hospitality Industry drew my attention ..."

8. "Your speech at the Tech 2000 Conference in New York last month was right on target ... "

9. Eric Anderson, at Tech Support Inc., mentioned that your are looking for an experienced

person to develop ...

10. Eric and I worked together for three years at Network Enterprises Corp. ...

11. With just six weeks to go until my graduation from (school) with a (type of degree or

certification) degree in (area of study), I am eager to earn some practical experience and

apply my skills.


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12. As a (volunteer, parent, tutor, fundraiser ...) I have developed my skills in (team motivation,

project managment, public relations, etc.) I am known for (following through on

commitments, paying attention to details, being well organized, ...)

13. At the recent (trade show, conference...) in (name location), your companys name

surfaced repeatedly as one of the hot-growth prospects in the (name industry or sector).

Phrases for Closing heading:

1. I will call you next week to see if we can arrange a meeting. Thank you for your

consideration.

2. I plan to be in your area the week of (....). I will call (specific date) to see if we might

arrange a meeting. Thank you for your time.

3. I'd like a chance to convince you that my skills and energy would be an asset to your team.

4. Sincerely,

5. Sincerely yours,6. Yours truly,

7. Best wishes,

8. Regards,

9. I plan to attend the (speech, conference, meeting) and will introduce myself then. I look

forward to meeting you.

10. The prospect of working with the talented staff at (name company)is exciting.

Phrases for Enclosure heading:

1. Enclosed: Resume, PowerPoint slides

2. Enclosed: Resume, 3 writing samples

3. Enclosure: Resume

4. Enc: 3 copies of resume

Should You Lie on Your Resume?

Some studies estimate that as many as one-third of all job seekers provide false or

exaggerated information on their resumes, ranging from innocent omissions to blatant lies. Other

studies estimate that it occurs much more often. One such study indicates that men do it more

than women.


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The most common resume lie is about education. Other common lies include: Stretching dates to cover employment gaps Enhancing job titles Embellishing job duties and achievements Inventing employers

Resumes are all about presentation. Some hiring manager is going to scan your resume

and make a determination in about 60 seconds or less whether or not you're qualified. After all, if

you don't get to the interview, you can't possibly land the job, right? Understandably, you're under

a lot of pressure to make yourself look good, so it's tempting to embellish. The anonymity of

Internet resumes has made it even more tempting. If everybody else is doing it, why shouldn't

you?

Who would know anyway?

Maybe no one. That's one of the reasons it's common practice. Some employers conduct

background and reference checks, some don't. Maybe it'll come out when you're asked specific

questions during your interview, maybe it won't.

But now that the word about resume fraud is spreading, employers are wising up. What if

an employer does check up on you? Maybe you won't get busted right away, but what about

later? Can you take the pressure of knowing you lied? Are you willing to suffer exposure,

embarrassment, humiliation, and maybe even termination or blacklisting?

Resumes are not legal documents, so there's not much an employer can do if you lie,except decline to hire you. But if you lie on your resume, you'll have to follow suit on your job

application or risk immediate exposure. Job applications are legal documents. If it comes out later

that you lied on your job application, your employer has the right to fire you, even if you've

performed well.

Then it begins to snowball. You'll likely have to lie to your next employer, about getting

fired for lying to your previous employer. If you get busted for that too, you're trapped pretty deep

inside a rapidly growing snowball. Ask yourself if it's worth it.

What's acceptable?

A little resume sprucing is part of the process. Employers expect you to jazz up your

resume a bit and tailor it for their jobs. But of course, there's a big difference between sprucing

and lying.


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For example, let's say you're going for a job that requires you to participate directly in

launching new products. Naturally, you'll want to highlight anything in your employment history

that translates into such experience. Simply writing Regularly attended new-product meetings

doesn't pack much punch. But Instrumental in launching new products does, and it's honest if you

were truly instrumental.

If you helped to launch only one new product in your entire career, then the statement

above is not entirely true. It implies that you launched several new products, which is not the

case. Instrumental in launching the widget product is a better way to write it. If you weren't truly

instrumental, then Assisted in launching the widget product is more appropriate.

If you've never helped to launch a new product, then any statement on your resume that

implies you have is at least an embellishment. Sure, all employees do their part to get new

products out the door. For example, accountants crunch the numbers and technical writers create

user documentation. But this is incidental involvement, not direct participation as the statements

above imply. It may catch up with you during an interview or worse, on the job.

How to Write a Resume

Your resume is not intended to list every task you've ever performed; it's not a job

description. It's a sales and marketing tool, intended to quickly give readers an honest sense of

your skills, where you've been and where you're going. If it gets your phone to ring, it has done its

job.

So when making your pitch, remember -- less is more. Here are a few ways you can helpyourself decide what's important to include for maximum impact:

1. Carefully chose action words that convey clarity, focus and enthusiasm. If you're lucky,

your resume will get about 10 seconds of attention from your prospective boss. Direct

these eyeballs carefully. Look beyond the usual for the strongest and most accurate action

words. Some examples:

Adapt Analyze Collaborate on Cultivate Defuse

Harness Enhance Familiarize Foster Navigate

Initiate Interpret Leverage Nurture Persuade

Quadruple Streamline Synthesize Target Triple


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Page 15 of 15 Appears as a courtesy from Guariru

2. Eliminate unnecessary or weak words, such as "which," "that," "there," "is," "was," "were,"

"has been," "have been" and "responsible for." For example, "Managed office" is more

direct than "Was responsible for office management." Stronger verbs and tight

descriptions make your resume crisp.

3. Keep it simple. For example, write "use" instead of "utilize." It's natural and more easily

read.4. Start every sentence with an action word.

5. Use present tense for your present job, past tense for all previous jobs.

6. Keep sentences brief. For example, if you're changing careers, you may want the first

sentence of a brief goal statement to read, "Transition to and establish career in X."

7. Instead of explaining big changes at your current employment in detail, write "Thrived

amid four mergers/acquisitions." From this brief sentence, readers can easily infer your

flexibility and relationship skills.

8. Pretend you're the reader. As an employer, what would you want to know?

9. In what ways does your job affect the overall success of your employer? This core focus

is what really matters to any employer.

10. What's your "elevator speech"? If you ran into a prospective employer in an elevator, how

would you describe what you do in three or four concise sentences, before the elevator

arrives at the employer's floor? Think about it. Once you've figured this out, drop the word

"I" from each sentence and, voila, you have the blurb for your present position.

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CV - Resume Writing Tips