Your CV
A CV is your primary marketing tool when trying to secure a new job. It’s often your first point of contact with a prospective employer, and first impressions do count.
In general, a balance must be reached between being concise and including all necessary detail.
A common misconception is that CVs should be limited to two pages. This is perhaps true for graduates or junior individuals, but is often too restrictive for an individual with several years’ experience. Whatever the length, all parts of the CV should be punchy and concise - short paragraphs are far more readable than large blocks of text.
A basic CV should include
- Contact details
- A brief profile outlining your main attributes, skills and experience
- Career history
- Education
- Specific skills and memberships
- Hobbies and interests
- References
Click here to download an example CV to help you if you are just starting to build your resume.
Always ensure that your CV is well-presented, and do check that grammar and spelling are correct throughout.
Cover Letter
Use your cover letter to target your application to a particular role.
Whilst the cover letter gives you a chance to personalise your application, remember that the CV is the primary tool – and this should also be tailored to highlight specific skills for each individual application.
Cover letters should be brief (a long two page letter won’t be read) but should include a summary of your skills, experience and attributes.
It should also outline what you are looking for in a new role, the level of salary you are after and locations that you are interested in.
As with the CV, it is essential that grammar, spelling and presentation are all excellent.
If you need further tips on any stage of the job search process, please give us a call and we’ll do our best to help.
