Job Tuition

CV/Resume Hints

January 7th, 2006 by Jennine

Your CV/Resume should be a overview of your skills, knowledge and experience highlighting your positive points while disguising your weak attributes.

Most employers do not appreciate a CV/Resume that is more than three or four pages long (depending on the font). Most CV/Resume’s follow a basic design and it’s the formatting that separates the good from the bad.

Hint One – Personal Details

This section is important as it provides your contact details and how to get in touch with you.

The vital information here is:

Name
Address (either postal or home address)
Telephone numbers (home, work and mobile)
Email address

This can be placed on a cover page for your CV/Resume or as a header/footer within the CV/Resume. It depends on how your page layout and how many pages your CV/Resume will be, if you have a four page CV/Resume without a cover page then I would advise to place your personal details as a header/footer.

You do not need on your CV/Resume age, sex or marital status. As there are anti-discrimination laws protecting prospective employees in regard to this information.

Hint Two – Education

In this section include your schooling, training, seminars and any other session which you have a received a certificate for attending. Make sure it is relevant to the position you are applying for, there’s no point including your certificate in Massage if you are applying for a position as a Supervisor in a factory. The more training you can put on your CV/Resume the better as it demonstrates an eagerness to learn, not afraid of new challenges and open to flexibility.

Put all your information in date order, the latest training first and work backwards to your school years.

Hint Three – Work Experience

If you have had a lot of jobs over many years, just include the last five years. If you have worked as a temporary employee for one agency, but in numerous positions, put your agency as your employer and then detail your different roles. If your future employer requires more information than that they will ask for it. If you have had only a couple of different jobs then include all of them.

State what your position was, duties, key points for the role and any relevant information to the position you are applying for.

Put all your information in date order, your current position and work back to your first position.

Hint Four – Skills

This is an opportunity to detail your skills, knowledge and experience. Make sure you specify everything you know that is relevant to the position, include all the basics as well as the job specific criteria. For example, don’t forget the photocopier, fax, switchboard, typing, data entry and filing. You may do these things occasionally but they are still important.

Hint Five – Referees

Always include two to three referees and one of them should be your current employer. I suggest you advise or ask the people that you wish to act as referees before including them so they are aware when a prospective employer contacts them requesting information. It’s also a good idea to let your referees know when you have applied for a position and give them a copy of your application so they are prepared for questions relevant to what you have already stated.