Curriculum Vitae Writing Tips

1. Make a first draft
Write down your current job title and list down all the things you do and are responsible for on a day to day basis. Re-read what you've written and try to prioritize your responsibilities. Think about what skills you need to do what you do. What have you done in your current role that has made you most proud? Asking yourself these questions will not only get you in a resume frame of mind, it will provide you with all the information you need.

2. Choose a format
Now you've got the knowledge you need - it's time to decide how to package it. There are three standard types of resume, and each has its uses.
The Chronological resume - This is almost an industry standard. Use it if your work history is stable and each move has seen you climb steadily up the career ladder. Not for frequent job changes or those who have had a case of the responsibility hiccups.
The Functional resume - For those who have experienced spates of unemployment or sporadic job jumps. This resume does not list employment dates or company names, preferring skills and responsibilities.
The Prioritized resume - A format for those about to undertake a career change, or whose current skills are not directly relevant to the job applied for. This resume is written prioritizing the work experience which is most relevant to the job you want.

3. Don't make it too long
Work to the maximum length of two-pages. No-one reads long resumes; they just reach the waste bin first.

4. Or too clever
Choose your content and your words carefully. Treat your resume as an outline sketch of your job history - highlight your strengths and abilities to problem solve using active verbs such as "responsible" and "achieved", which have universal appeal.

5. Type it, don't write it
Handwriting analysis may be a great fairground attraction - but potential employers will not take time to interpret your scrawl. Type your resume, no fancy fonts or flourishes - this is a case of emphasizing substance over style.

6. Tailor the content
Do you have friends who send you 'Round Robins' at Christmas? Cute, but admit it, you'd prefer something a bit more personal. For employers, the same applies, try a bit of tailoring, it doesn't have to be too much, but the occasional skills tweak can work wonders.

7. Exaggerators beware
So you weren't principal boy - then say so. Don't exaggerate your achievements, if your success was because of teamwork, identify it as such. It will make your claims more believable.

8. Spelling?
Your skills may win you the battle - but bad typing and grammatical mistakes will lose you the war. Run the spell checker, read your resume more than once or better still enroll a friend as a second pair of eyes.

9. Alert your references
Check your references before you use their name. It's a courtesy, and a good fail safe - they may have moved.

And don't mention the money
Keep your current salary to yourself for now, unless you're asked directly of course. Otherwise, if you earn too little or too much you'll have ruled yourself out before you even reach the door.

Keep your curriculum vitae simple. Your curriculum vitae must be concise. Your curriculum vitae must be easy to read. Your curriculum vitae must sell you. And your curriculum vitae must be tailored to what the reader is looking for.

These CV and letter principles apply to all career moves. Having a good CV is essential for full-time jobs, part-time, internal, external, promotions, new jobs, career changes, internships and work experience placements - wherever an employer or decision-maker is short-listing or interviewing or selecting applicants.

Short-listed and successful candidates are invariably the people who provide employers with the best CV's and best covering letters.

A CV does not have to be a text document. It can be a video. If a picture tells a thousand words, imagine what moving pictures can convey about you. The technology exists now for anyone to create a video CV, and to upload it onto a website - including this one.

These notes are therefore not restricted to text-based CV's. The principles are good for your video CV too. Text or Video - the same principles apply. How you perform at the interview or group selection is of course crucial, but only the people with the best CV's and letters get to that stage.

CV writing is a form of marketing or advertising, when the product is you.

Your CV must sell you to a prospective employer, and compete against other applicants who are also trying to sell themselves. So the challenge in CV writing is to be more appealing and attractive than the rest.

This means that your curriculum vitae must be presented professionally, clearly, and in a way that indicates you are an ideal candidate for the job, i.e., you possess the right skills, experience, behaviour, attitude, morality that the employer is seeking. The way you present your CV effectively demonstrates your ability to communicate, and particularly to explain a professional business proposition.

Put yourself in the shoes of the employer: write down a description of the person they are looking for. You can now use this as a blue-print for your CV. The better the match the more likely you are to be called for an interview.

If you find it difficult to match your own CV description to the requirements of the role, then perhaps the role isn't for you. There's little or no point distorting or falsifying yourself in order to get a job. If you falsify yourself in your CV you'll be unlikely to provide the necessary proof of your claims at interview, and even if you manage to do this and to get the job, then you'll not be able to do the job enjoyably without stress.

Obviously lying in a CV is a risky strategy, especially about qualifications, and you should avoid any such temptation. Better to be proud and confident of who you are. Integrity and reputation are more important than qualifications. A CV with a lie is an embarrassment, or even a dismissal, waiting to happen, sometimes years later when you've a lot more to lose.

Blow your own trumpet, emphasise your characteristics, your capabilities and achievements - this is all fine - but know where to draw the line. Positive emphasis and strong presentation is good; falsehoods are not.

Whatever way you look at this, it makes sense to be truthful - firstly to yourself - be proud that you have learned from your mistakes and that you have the courage to admit them.

Don't try to hide failures, mistakes or shortcomings - accept them, learn from them, seek to improve on them, and explain why and how this is so.

And as important as anything else - don't let people judge you, and don't work for anyone who does, because they will make your life a misery.

Your integrity, honesty and commitment are extremely valuable in today's world - so work only for an employer who respects you for having these qualities, and don't lower yourself to work for anyone who will not.

rrespective of style and design, above all the presentation of your CV needs to be high quality and clear and professional and up-to-date.

This means not using poor quality photo-copies. Original prints are best. This applies to letters as well. Photocopies and documents that have obviously been mass-produced imply that the sender is throwing lots of mud at the wall and hoping some will stick. This makes the recipient or interviewer feel like you don't care much where you end up, and that you don't have a particular reason for wanting to join their organisation, which is the opposite impression that you need to be making. Poor quality photocopies reflect on your own quality. Scruffy unprofessional documents will be interpreted as a sign that the sender is scruffy and unprofessional. Old CV's that are dated several months ago, or a photocopied letter with a blank space in which the sender writes the date in biro, will suggest that you are not up-to-date nor well-organised, and also that you've been looking for a job (obviously without success) for some while.

On the other hand, pristine professional-looking documents on good quality paper stock (100 gsm minimum ideally) will signify that you are professional, and also that you can be trusted to communicate appropriately and professionally when and if you end up working for the organisation concerned. CV's and letters with current dates, that are purpose-written (tailored) for the recipient, will suggest that you are recently available, selective, focused, and also that you have logical reasons for believing that a good fit exists between you and the employer, all of which weighs heavily in your favour against all the mud-chuckers.

So: high quality, clear, professional and up-to-date CV's and letters are vital.

If you are asked to include a photograph of yourself, as certain jobs require, then ensure you go about this professionally. Have a decent photograph taken by someone who knows what they are doing. Definitely resist any temptation to use a snap taken at the pub, or a picture of you dressed up as Father Christmas or just about to climb the north face of the Eiger. One in twenty interviewers might respond well to a zany picture, but most will be rather wary: getting shortlisted generally depends on your seeming like a good fit, not looking like you could be an oddball. If you want to convey that you are free-minded or possess great individuality or creative strength, then use the descriptions and evidence in your CV to demonstrate this. No-one relies on a picture.

Clear and clean and professional does not always necessarily mean 10pt black font on 100gsm standard business stock paper, but be mindful that the farther you stray from convention the greater risk you run that the reader will take exception to the style. No-one ever threw out a great looking CV because it looked too professional and business-like.

cv words and phrases examples - personal profile, capabilities, etc

• results-driven, logical and methodical approach to achieving tasks and objectives
• determined and decisive; uses initiative to develop effective solutions to problems
• reliable and dependable - high personal standards and attention to detail
• methodical and rigorous approach to achieving tasks and objectives
• entrepreneurial and pro-active - strong drive and keen business mind
• identifies and develops opportunities; innovates and makes things happen
• good strategic appreciation and vision; able to build and implement sophisticated plans
• determined and decisive; uses initiative to meet and resolve challenges
• strives for quality and applies process and discipline towards optimising performance
• extremely reliable and dependable - analytical and questioning, strives for quality
• methodical approach to planning and organising - good time-manager
• excellent interpersonal skills - good communicator, leadership, high integrity
• strong planning, organising and monitoring abilities - an efficient time-manager
• self-driven and self-reliant - sets aims and targets and leads by example
• good interpersonal skills - works well with others, motivates and encourages
• high integrity, diligent and conscientious - reliable and dependable
• self-aware - always seeking to learn and grow
• seeks new responsibilities irrespective of reward and recognition
• emotionally mature and confident - a calming influence
• detailed and precise; fastidious and thorough
• decisive and results-driven; creative problem-solver
• good starter - enthusiastic in finding openings and opportunities
• creative and entrepreneurial networker - effective project coordinator
• reliable and dependable in meeting objectives - hard-working
• emotionally mature; calming and positive temperament; tolerant and understanding
• seeks and finds solutions to challenges - exceptionally positive attitude
• great team-worker - adaptable and flexible
• well-organised; good planner; good time-manager
• seeks new responsibilities and uses initiative; self-sufficient
• solid approach to achieving tasks and objectives; determined and decisive
• excellent interpersonal skills - good communicator, high integrity
• energetic and physically very fit; quick to respond to opportunities and problems
• active and dynamic approach to work and getting things done
• financially astute - conversant with accounting systems and principles
• tactical, strategic and proactive - anticipates and takes initiative
• systematic and logical - develops and uses effective processes
• good listener - caring and compassionate
• critical thinker - strong analytical skills; accurate and probing
• good researcher - creative and methodical - probing and resourceful
• facilitative project manager; develops and enables group buy-in
• persistent and tenacious sales developer; comfortable with demanding targets
• resilient and and thorough - detached and unemotional
• completer-finisher; checks and follows up - immaculate record-keeper
• team-player - loyal and determined
• technically competent/qualified [state discipline or area, to whatever standard or level]
• task-oriented - commercially experienced and aware
• excellent inter-personal and communications skills
• sound planning and organizational capabilities
• results oriented - focused on productive and high-yield activities
• tolerant and understanding - especially good with young children/elderly people/needy people/disadvantaged people, etc
• emotionally mature - calming and positive temperament - compassionate and caring
• sensitive and patient interpersonal and communication skills
• high integrity and honesty; ethical and socially aware
• energetic and positive outlook, which often inspires others
• calm, reliable and dependable in meeting objectives - logical and numerate
• seeks and finds good outcomes to challenges
• adaptable and flexible; well-organised planner and scheduler
• seeks new responsibilities and uses initiative; self-sufficient