How to write a resume in English

Nowadays, employers tend to receive thousands of applications for a job as soon as it is

advertised on the job market. Therefore it is vital that your letter should stand out from the
thousands of CVs and letters that people are going to send. The first impression is always the
most important one, therefore you need a good and well- structured CV in order to attract the
employers' attention. Here are a couple of tips about how to write a good CV when applying for a
job in the UK or in Ireland.

Presentation
An employer has very little time to spend on your application. The most important thing is that
your CV is clear. Your CV has to be word processed. It immediately shows that you can work on
word processors. The CV should be between one or two pages long. Don't be scared to space it
out, never condense everything onto one page otherwise it will look messy. Since most employers
have very little time to spend on each CV, they tend to skim read what you have written. It is
therefore better to start by what is most important and work your way downwards from what is
important to what is not so vital.
The structure of a CV must follow a certain order.

1. Personal data
First of all, you have got to introduce yourself: full name, address, date of birth. If you want, you
can add your phone number, marital status and nationality. Even if this is not compulsory, this
might be important for the type of job for which you are applying. For example, if you are
applying to an international company that requires knowledge of a language as a native tongue
then it might be useful to mention your nationality. If there is anything that you would feel that is
important to mention, you can do it here.

2. Education and qualifications

This part of the CV is one of the most important because it gives the employer an insight into who
you are, through your academic career. The trickiest part of mentioning qualifications is to try
and find the equivalent in English. This is not always easy as the diplomas in the education
system vary from country to country. The best thing to do is to write the original name of your
qualification along with the equivalents in English in brackets. Grades can also be a problem.

3. Work experience
This section can be divided in various sub-sections especially if you have got a lot of experience
(present post, previous employment, voluntary work). Don't be afraid to describe the tasks that
you had to do in your different jobs, especially if these are relevant to the job that you are
applying for.

4. Skills
In this section, you can put down all the practical things that you can do that might be useful for
the job: driving licence (always say clean driving licence), knowledge of languages and computer
software.

5. Interests
Of course, the employer is not going to hire you because you have the same hobbies as him/her
but this section helps him/her get a better idea of what kind of person you are. However, you
should remain brief.

6. References
It always looks good to put down the names of two people who have agreed to provide
references. Ideally, one should be academic and the other from one of your previous job(s).
Always give the name and title of your referee.

 
GUIDELINES TO WRITE A CURRICULUM VITAE
If you were interested in a summer position abroad, a curriculum vitae would be the appropriate
document you will send to your targeted employer. A curriculum vitae (CV) represents your
personal and working history.
It differs from the traditional U.S. resume in that it could be (and more than likely will be) more
than one page. There is no need to send your CV in traditional resume paper; plain white bond
paper would be enough. You have the freedom to choose your margins and your font style, but
always remember that it should look very professional.
The following is a list of information that should appear in your CV:
Photo
Personal details such as age, gender, nationality, place and date of birth and marital status
Address, phone number (s) and e-mail (s)
Education (including in some cases high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate)
Study abroad
Thesis or Dissertation Title and Advisor
Graduate fieldwork
Education and/or Professional Awards, Honors (include in this section Grants and
Fellowship appointments)
Research Experience
Work Experience
Skills
Publications and Academic or Professional Presentations
Thesis or Dissertation (when applicable, with a brief description of the topic)
Professional Licenses and Certifications
Language Skills
Professional Memberships
Extracurricular Activities (include community involvement)
Interests (be sure to include traveling as it relates to the country)
References

 
STRUCTURE OF A CURRICULUM VITAE

Curriculum Vitae
In other countries is common to see the phrase CURRICULUM VITAE written in the center of the
page
Personal Information:
Full Name and Surname
Date of Birth (using the following format: day/month/year)
Gender (particularly if you have an unusual or unisex name)
Place of Birth
Nationality and/or Citizenship (if you are not a citizen of the country you are applying to, you
need to inform your potential employer of your visa situation)
Marital Status
Address
Telephone
Fax
E-mail

Education:
Years- Discipline Degree- Law School’s name, Location (city, state or country)
• add academic awards
• add any subjects taken relevant to the targeted employer
Years- Discipline Degree –Undergraduate School’s name, Location (city, state or country)
Years- Discipline Degree -High School’s name, Location (city, state or country)
Years- Discipline Degree -Middle School’s name, Location (city, state or country)
Years- Discipline Degree -Elementary School’s name, Location (city, state or country)
Additional training OR Additional Education OR Additional Courses OR Additional Certificates or
Diplomas (any of this titles, choose the one that applies to your background).
Year (s)-Name of the institution, degree received, Location (city, state or country)
Conferences, Courses and/or Seminars:
Year (s)-Name of the institution, Course, Seminar or Conference’s name, Location (city, state or
country)
List all of the ones you attended and/or participated.
 
Languages Skills:
List languages and level of proficiency, orally and written ability. Mention any language
certificates
or degrees you might have.
• If you are fully bilingual, say "Fluent English and French (written and spoken).
• If you are not fluent in French but can get by, say "English, French.
• If you only speak English, it would probably be better to leave this section out.
 
Technical and Specialized Skills:
List all the computer programs you feel comfortable using. If applicable, list how many words per
minute are you able to type.
 
Awards, Honors and/or Distinctions:
List all awards and honors you achieve throughout your life, in ascendant chronological order.
 
Work Experience:
Years- Company Name, Division, Location (city, state or country)
Position or Title. Brief explanation of your duties, projects and activities in each job.
Professional Memberships:
Years- Name of the association, Location (city, state or country), Title (if applicable)
 
Other Categories: (only if applicable)
Teaching Experience: Years- Name of the Institution, Location (city, state or country)
Publications: List published articles, books, etc.
• Description of Thesis or Dissertation, Papers Written, Publications
Community Service or Involvement/Volunteer Work
Travel and Summer Abroad
Academic Presentations and/or Lectures
 
References
Writing a good CV, Curriculum Vitae Tips
Your CV will look far more attractive if you can convince the employers that you have the
qualities they require. Your CV could be your ticket to an interview. Think about what particular
employers want, and how you will be an asset to their company. On average an employer spends
two minutes reading a CV, so avoid long detailed paragraphs. The employer may only read the
first page, or even the first few paragraphs to get a feeling of who you are and what you can do
for them. This means that the most important information should at the top of your CV. Make
your CV clear, with a simple yet easy to follow layout, showing all the important facts about your
skills, employment history and education. You should target your CV at every specific job you
apply for. However you should send a more general CV to a recruitment agency which can be
sent to a variety of employers.
 
Layout Guidelines (up to 2 A4 pages of attractively presented information is standard):

1. The first thing is the document title, Curriculum Vitae, followed by your name. This should be
in bold with a lager font, but not too big.

2. Your address, contact details should be neatly presented, with date of birth, nationality and
marital status also possible here.

3. Brief Personal Profile: This will be about 3 to 4 lines of text giving a brief overview of your key
skills and attributes, and perhaps your objective regarding such a position. Be concise, try to
appear interesting and professional to the reader. It will encourage them to read on.

4. Work experience (employment history) starting with your current or most recent job first, then
go backwards through your career. State the company name, job title and the period you worked
there. Begin by listing your duties and responsibilities. Be specific and detail only what is relevant
to the new position (up to 5 or 6 duties). List specific achievements such as finishing a job/project
ahead of schedule, or learning a new skill. List any industry training and qualifications you gained
while in that employment. Employers like to see employees who learn and respect new skills. If
you are a graduate, you should list some work experience. This can show that you have worked
in a company and can be a team player.

5. Education: Briefly list your school qualifications, college certificate/diploma and university
degree giving dates, location and exam results. Again start with your highest level or most recent
training first, then go backwards through your education.

6. Additional skills: List your important everyday skills such as some IT skills, programs used,
professional skills, languages. Perhaps provide some evidence of where you have used them.

7. Interests: Employers are usually more interested in activities which require you to show team
commitment or personal initiative and drive.

8. References/Referees: Write 'References available on request' if you prefer that the employer
asks your permission before writing or ringing them up. Referees can be personal or professional,
though professional referees are much better.

9. Do not expect to produce a great looking CV at your first attempt. You may need to make a
few drafts. Make sure your grammar and spelling are correct. Make sure the font and style is the
same throughout keeping it consistent. Microsoft Word contains a variety of CV templates that
ensure details are presented clearly and effectively. Show your CV to someone whose advice you
trust and listen to what they have to say. Welcome constructive criticism. Print your CV using a
laser printer on good quality paper. When sending CVs via email, it's important to include them as
attachments rather than in the body of the email.

10. Now that you've created a good CV, you need an equally good quality covering letter to
convince the employer to look closely at your CV.
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