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Jobseekers | CV Tips & Advice
Create a 1st draft
A first draft is strongly advised when completing your CV. At this point you can write down everything you think may be relevant, including plenty of detail. Once you have all of this information written down in one place you can then take your time to go through it in detail. You can look at formatting to ensure everything is clearly set out as well as looking at taking out anything that may not be relevant and adding further details to your current points so that you aren't missing out vital information.
Include the Essentials
At the top of your CV you want to include your basic information, so all contact details such your telephone number, address and email. You should also include your nationality and details of any visas or work permits. It is also worth noting if you have a clean driving license and any additional languages you can speak.
Personal Statement
Directly below your contact information you want to insert your personal statement. This should give your potential future employer a snapshot of your key skills up to date. It's also an ideal place to showcase not just what you have achieved so far but the actual impact you have made along the way, demonstrating how you have made a difference and that you'll be a valuable addition to the employer's business. You should also include your aspirations and what you are looking for in your next opportunity. Where possible it is also useful to provide your reasons for leaving your current or previous employer.
Skills and Qualifications
Following your personal statement you should include all relevant skills and qualifications you hold to date. You not only want to be showing your experience later with your employment history but demonstrating here the skills you have learnt along the way and the qualifications that may help you rise above other candidates. However ensure that when you are listing skills you are confident in using them and they are up to date.
Highlight your Employment History
Start with your most recent employment and work back to the oldest. By formatting your employment history in this way you are demonstrating to an employer what is most fresh in your memory and experience. You want to clearly state the position you held, the company name as well as your start and end date. You want to not only list your duties but exhibit your specific achievements in bullet points under those roles. For CVs aimed at the financial industry then you should also include facts and figures such as savings you have made and turnovers to demonstrate the volume or level of your responsibilities. Finally always make sure that you fill in any gaps of time. Never leave an employer wondering why there is a gap in time and what you were doing during that space and always account for these situations.
Highlight your Experience
If you have relevant experience to the position aside from through previous employment then make sure you include this. It could be the very thing that pushes you ahead of another closely matched candidate for the position. However you don't want to consolidate all of this information, if for example you may have experience in a specific area but it's no longer that up to date.
Hobbies and Interests
Giving a brief overview of your life outside of work can help add value to your personal qualities. They can demonstrate to a future employer what you are like on a personal level, showing them you are interesting and that you have other passions. They can also display attributes such as creativity and commitment.
Length
Make sure it's detailed. Generally you will be told by others that you should keep your CV to a maximum of 2 pages. This can result in cramming too much information into a small space meaning you might not come across as well as you could as you could be skimming over vital information about yourself as a potential candidate. For CVs in the financial sector it is perfectly acceptable to aim for anything between 3 and 5 pages to ensure you are listing all of your previous duties and roles in detail. You don't want to be missing out on something that may turn out to be the decider for the position of your dreams.
Edit & Proofread Final Draft
So once you have finalised your final draft of your CV you want to read through it several times to ensure you haven't missed any little details. Look for any information you may have included which is irrelevant and remove it to keep your CV concise. Triple check your spelling and grammar. It is also a good idea where possible to get others to read through it as well, a fresh pair of eyes may spot something you have missed yourself.
