How to write a great CV

A great CV can occasionally itself secure you a job, especially if you are applying for temporary work. At the very least, a strong CV will ensure you promote yourself to your best advantage and help secure interviews. There is no single way to construct a CV; it is your document and can be structured and presented as you wish within the basic framework set out below.

What information should a CV include?

Personal details. Most CVs start with these but take care to avoid superfluous details, such as religious affiliation, children's names and so on. Education and qualifications. Take care to include the names of institutions and dates attended in reverse order; university before school results. Work experience. The most widely accepted style of employment record is the chronological CV. Career history is presented in reverse date order starting with most recent. Achievements and responsibilities are listed against each role. More emphasis/information should be put on more recent jobs. A functional CV can sometimes be more appropriate, for example if you have held a number of unrelated jobs. This presentation emphasises key skills which can be grouped together under suitable headings. However, career progression and the nature of jobs held can be unclear with this type of CV. Skills. Include computer skills and (genuine) foreign language skills and any other recent training/development that is relevant to the role applied for. Hobbies and Interests. Keep this section short. Referees. These can simply be Available on request'. The order in which you present these, and the emphasis which you give to each one will depend on what you are applying for and what you have to offer.

General Tips

Your CV should be laser-printed in black ink using a plain typeface, on good quality A4 white/cream paper. Decorative borders are not necessary, nor are photographs of yourself. Your CV should ideally cover no more than two pages and never more than three. Aim to ensure the content is clear, structured, concise and relevant. Using bullet points rather than full sentences can help minimise word usage A basic CV may need tailoring to each job application. The completed CV needs to be checked carefully for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes and to ensure that it makes sense. Ask an 'independent' party to review the whole document before it is sent out. Remember when writing and structuring your CV that it is essentially marketing you and that a potential employer will use the details provided to form interview questions. It should be clear and easy to read. Gaps in career history should be explained and falsehoods and inaccuracies avoided at all costs. There is no reason to include your reasons for leaving each job on your CV but be prepared to answer these questions in your interview. Current salary details should not be included. A good covering letter should always accompany your CV. Good luck with your job hunt!

Writing a CV for the Middle East

Contact information The CV you prepare for employers in the Middle East will need to summarise your:

Age Nationality Marital status Current location Preferred location(s) in the region Education Be specific about your education; include university, the course you completed and date of graduation. Professional qualifications State your professional qualifications together with the date of your qualifications and any awards received. Computer skills It is important to indicate your proficiency on the computer programmes and packages relevant to the role you are applying for.

Languages In a country where Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu and other languages are widely spoken, any language skills you have should be mentioned. Company description Describe your current employer concisely, i.e. size, market sector, turnover if applicable, as this informs the reader and gives them a frame of reference. Position Display your most recent job first and then work chronologically backwards (using months and years in the dates) giving less space to earlier jobs. Since space will be at a premium, your objective must be to inform and excite the reader. Responsibilities and achievements Whenever possible, include the experience relevant to a particular job and always quantify your responsibilities and achievements so that employers can quickly identify how you can add value to their business. References References do not have to appear on the CV, although be prepared to provide references on request. It is a good idea to state that you have business references available. In addition to the basics that should appear on your CV, it is also advisable to consider the following points when preparing the documentation ahead of your job search. Covering letter It is a good idea to include a covering letter. Be brief and to the point, clearly stating why you would be a good fit for the position. Be positive Use positive action words and phrases in your covering letter. Include achievements for each of your positions and dont be afraid to list them proudly. Accuracy and content Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and incorrect dates create a bad impression so double-check to ensure you have 100% accuracy. Keep your CV brief, ideally to a maximum of three pages.

Gaps in your CV neednt effect your career

Sometimes we feel its necessary to paper over a part of our career wed rather not talk about or exaggerate achievements or responsibilities. Be warned. Many employers see hundreds of CVs and can easily spot an inconsistency or something to make them suspicious. These are the some of the most common areas of concern for candidates: The fast riser If youve risen fast through the ranks earning promotions quickly, you may be perceived as having been unfairly favoured at some point or being so ruthlessly ambitious that you cannot work within a team. Its important to say that you worked in a meritocracy and earned your promotions through achievements and by working as part of a team. The job hopper If youve had a number of jobs in a short space of time, you may well be seen as someone who cannot adapt or work with people. Try and turn this to your advantage and highlight the different skills and experience youve gained from each job. Emphasise that now you are looking to settle and bring your experience and knowledge to a new employer. Made redundant or fired? It may seem unfair, but some employers often see redundancy negatively and think that you may have been incompetent in your role. You will need to clearly explain the reason for the redundancy, such as a merger, loss of business or department restructuring. When you explain what happened be sure to make eye contact with the interviewer. The slow developer Maybe youve been doing the same job for several years without any real career progression. This could be seen as indicative of a lack of ambition. Thats why its important to show that you have plenty to offer in terms of skills and experience and that your lack of growth is due to circumstances beyond your control or through personal choice. The career switcher Maybe you were a Health Club personal trainer before moving into marketing; or perhaps ran a restaurant before deciding that a career in Procurement was more attractive. The skills you developed in your previous roles can often be transferred to your new career. Many employers have in-house training programmes anyway, which will allow you to adjust. Dont worry; they may well overlook your lack of experience and be more interested in your attitude and determination to make a new start.

How to write a great covering letter

A great covering letter can differentiate your CV from the countless others that pass across an employer's desk. Make sure yours stands out.

When responding to an advertised job vacancy, whether via letter, email or fax, you should always include a covering letter with your CV. Treat it as a vital part of your personal marketing literature, which merits attention and consideration. A cover letter introduces you and your CV and is your first chance to make a good impression on your potential employer. Aim to make it entice the reader to take those few extra minutes to consider you against other applicants. Your CV should not be sent without one! Below are some basic guidelines to help ensure you receive a positive response from your initial contact.

Appearance and layout

Ensure your letter is neatly and clearly presented with no grammatical or spelling errors. Emails should be written in a common font with standard formatting and should emulate a handwritten letter in terms of style.

Content
The content of your cover letter should be brief and structured, avoid lengthy repetition of information covered in your CV. (Unlike a CV, it is acceptable to write a covering letter in the first person.) In particular:

Your letter should address the relevant contact, whose name often appears in the job advert. Avoid Sir or Madam if possible. If you are replying to an advert, say so. Mention job title, any reference number and where and when you saw it. In some cases an advert will indicate a more substantial letter is required. Always follow a specific instruction and include any information if it is particularly requested, for example, current salary. Briefly outline your current situation and why you are seeking change. Include current or last job, qualifications and professional and academic training, tailoring your information to make it as relevant as possible to the organisation or job applied for. Tell the potential employer a little about themselves to demonstrate you have properly read the advert and that you have done some research into the organisation. Also, state why you are interested in them as an employer You need to succinctly emphasize why an employer may want to meet and employ you. Highlight your transferable skills, achievements and versatility; what you can contribute and what makes you different. Mention personality traits relevant to the role applied for, taking care not to appear too subjective. Ensure the letter flows freely however and does not slavishly match every point on the job description. The reader should be left with an overall impression that you are a potentially valuable addition to the workforce. Negative information of any sort should be avoided in your covering letter as well as CV. Close your letter with a polite expression of interest in further dialogue with the recruiter. Do mention that you would like the opportunity to discuss your suitability further at an interview and that you await a response in due course.