TOP TIPS FOR A TOP CV

Writing a new CV can seem like a mountain of a task and easy to put off.  We would recommend getting your employment and then educational sections down first and then adding your profile at the end when you are in the flow of it!

On average you have under a minute to make a great first impression on paper to the hiring manager so make sure the information is clear and you are highlighting key skills for the roles you are applying for.

• Follow this simple format: Name and contact details > Profile including additional language skills > Employment > Education > Hobbies and Interests.
• Unless you are a recent graduate to the present year, in which case Education and Employment will be swapped around.
• Save the file as your full name + CV. No need to write CV on the actual file as it is clear what it is.
• No photos please, or dates of birth, marital status etc. In the UK we don't include any information which could be used to discriminate a person.
• Have a typed Word document in a clear, linear format with no graphs or columns.
• Profile sections of the CV should be 2 – 3 sentences summarising your experience, expertise and what you are looking to do next.
• Stick to two pages at a maximum. Previous roles will be reduced to a bullet point the further back you go.
• Make sure you use bullet points that focus on your main responsibilities and key achievements in your roles.
• If your past employers are not well known then include a bio underneath the company name.
• Give tangible data on your role and go into depth on the specifics, for example a Designer should break down categories and departments, manufacturing hubs and seasons per year.
• No need to include "References on request" - they always should be.
• Any gaps larger than a month need to be clarified on and listed. Examples are travelling, mat leave, return to education, career breaks.
• “Hobbies and Interests” should be under the education section and should be specific to you and the only time on the CV you can write in a more informal style.  If you like cooking, what foods do you like to cook? If you like sports, what sporting achievements do you hold?
• Include links to websites where applicable.
• And lastly, should you put a full stop after each bullet point or not? Who really knows, but keep it uniform if you decide either way.