31/01/2024
Why you need a CV
A CV is your first chance to promote yourself. A good CV might get you a job interview.
You usually need a CV to apply for a job or to give to an employer you’d like to work for.
Tips for writing your CV
Employers get lots of CVs to look at and have to decide quickly who they're going to interview.
When you write your CV, remember to:
use a clear font like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri in size 11 or bigger
always use the same style throughout
use headings and bullet points to make it easier to read
be clear and to the point
get someone else to read it to double check your spelling and grammar
Information you need for your CV
Start with the job advert for the role you’re applying for so you can look at the job description, essential criteria and the company details.
If the job you're applying for does not have a job description, you can look at our job profiles to see what skills you’ll need and the typical things you’ll do in that job.
You should write your CV to match the job and company you're applying for to improve your chances of getting an interview.
Sections for your CV
Your CV should include a section for your contact details, an introduction, your education history, your work history and references.
Contact details
You need to let employers know how to contact you if they want to offer you an interview.
You should include your name, phone number, email address and a link to your work network profile, if you have one, such as LinkedIn.
You should not include your age, your date of birth, whether you're married or your nationality.
Introduction
This is a few short lines that sum up who you are and what you hope to do. It should go just under your name and contact details.
Make your introduction sound like you're the right person for the job.
Education history
You can add this after the introduction if you’re early in your career or do not have much work experience.
