top 10 cv essentials

CV / Resume Essentials

1. Cover Letter
   • It is absolutely essential that you include a cover letter along with your CV and include a number of key things. On the top right hand corner of the page you should have your name, address, insert a space and then the current date. Then you move over to the left hand side and address the letter to the exact person that is recruiting for the position. At the start of the letter in the first paragraph you must clearly state what job you are applying for, where you found the advertisement and why you are applying for the position. Following on from this you should include why you are the right person for the job. This is your chance to sell yourself and show your enthusiasm for the job. In the next paragraph you should state your availability, preferred locations to work. Finally, it is important to end the letter in a positive note, for example, I look forward to hearing from you. Also, make sure that you sign it at the bottom. Altogether, the cover letter is a selling tool and gives you the opportunity to portray a picture of your personalty which your CV/Resume on its own will not accomplish. Lastly, remember not to use the same cover letter for every job, you must tailor it to the job and organization that you are applying to. Visit CraftyCoverLetter.com for more on cover letters.
2. Spell Checking
   • The most common mistake people make when writing their CV/Resume are spelling mistakes. In this day in age when computers are at the heart of society's lives there is no excuse for spelling mistakes! All word documents have the spell checker facility, therefore it should not be a problem.
3. Contact details
   • It is a good idea to include in your CV/Resume as many contact details as possible. For instance do not just include you email address, include this along with your home telephone number, mobile telephone number. This will ensure that the employer can get a hold of you at any time.
4. Proof Reading
   • It is vital that you proof read your CV/Resume either by yourself or by someone else. If you are proof reading it by yourself then it may be a good idea to not look at it for a couple of days and then check it again. That way you will notice more because you have not been looking at it for awhile. If someone else is proof reading it make sure the person is on their own while doing it, that way they have no distractions.
5. Include Relevant Sections
   • With every CV/Resume you must include all of theses particular sections: Name, Contact details, Key Skills, Education, Employment, Hobbies/Interests and References.
6. Fill in the Gaps
   • If you have any gaps in your employment or education fill these in do not just leave them out. If you leave them out then employers have to assume that you were doing nothing, which does not create a good impression. When filling in these gaps describe what you were doing positively. For example, I was actively seeking another full time job.
7. Adopt the same Format
   • When writing a CV the same format should always be adopted, ie Name first, contact details, key skills, education, employment and lastly references. By doing so it enables the employer to quickly locate a specific piece of information that they are looking for.
8. References
   • It is vital that the references that you use know that they are a reference and are willing to give you one. It is crucial that when an employer checks references that they know about it.
9. Practical Examples and Achievements
   • In order to enhance your CV/Resume you must include specific examples to back up your key skills. It is also essential to include relevant achievements that you have set and achieved.
10. Start with most recent aspects first
    • When listing your education and employment details always start with the most recent first and work your way back. This will allow the employer to read the details quickly.

Now that you know what to do, please read what not to do, or get started on your own CV now.

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