|
Areas covered in this article:
1. The mechanics of producing a decent CV
2. The thought process behind a good CV
I want to simplify the subject by keeping away from jargon and concentrating on what a CV is actually for.
When I started writing CVs for a living we were just moving from the age of the stencil to DTP and photocopying on expensive paper – CVs looked better but they were still very formal in content.
Since then we have come a long way in terms of what it is possible to say to promote yourself and the CV as a way of applying for work is still evolving and changing. There are no absolute rules, so please accept this as merely a way to stimulate your own creativity in the matter.
1 - The mechanics of producing a decent CV
If you do not know what a CV looks like or what information it could contain follow this link to read my article about different styles and types of CV. I have been writing CVs for more than a decade and I could not produce a really good one in less than a day. Even if you already have a CV it would be wise to allow plenty of time, trial and error to turn it into a remarkable document that puts you uniquely ahead of the other candidates. There is no point in doing this if you do not do it well.
Writing a CV well means:
Including the kind of information that matches the type and level of job that you plan to apply for in such a way that recruiters find you interesting as a candidate.
Selecting where to place your emphasis: it could be knowledge and education (recent graduate, for example); it could be results; it could be intangibles such as changing organizational culture – this depends on what stage you are in life and what type of professional roles you have.
(For examples see section 2 below)
Prioritizing your information so that what is most important catches attention first, so that you do not look naïve enough to focus on trivia and so that the detail is left for them to ask at your interview. | 
本类导航：