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The document provides tips for creating an effective curriculum vitae (CV). It recommends keeping the CV to 1-2 pages, using bullet points and quantifying achievements. The purpose of a CV is to get an interview, so it should demonstrate the skills and achievements relevant for the target position. Non-essential personal details like address or marital status should be omitted. Bullet points should use action words to highlight skills and include results or impacts.

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13 views

Top Tips

The document provides tips for creating an effective curriculum vitae (CV). It recommends keeping the CV to 1-2 pages, using bullet points and quantifying achievements. The purpose of a CV is to get an interview, so it should demonstrate the skills and achievements relevant for the target position. Non-essential personal details like address or marital status should be omitted. Bullet points should use action words to highlight skills and include results or impacts.

Uploaded by

S N
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Top Tips

A. Be clear
B. Be concise
C. Be evidence-based
D. How to create your focused, relevant CV
E. Remember the purpose
F. Target your CV
G. Using bullet points
H. What you don’t need to include

_________________

● Keep it to one or two full pages (academic CVs may be longer) - check if
there is specified page limit in the application guidance
● Use bullet points to present the information concisely
● Avoid too much context, excessive detail or unfocused material that will
dilute the impact of your most relevant messages.

__________________
Your CV is to get you the interview or meeting, NOT the job itself.
Try to address these key elements in your descriptions:

● What you were responsible for


● What you achieved
● And how you have worked within a team/with others

...so that the reader wants to learn more by meeting you.

__________________

● Target your CV to each position you are applying to – it should not be


just a list of everything that you have done
● Sometimes organisations will give guidance (on their website/recruitment
materials) on what they want you to include in your CV - if they do,
follow it.
__________________

● Provide clear evidence of your contribution and impact


● Focus on responsibilities, to showcase your skills...
● … and achievements by using numbers, percentages, and values to
quantify your impact and give a sense of scale/context.

_______________

● A well written CV is easy to read and scan quickly; clear font of 10 pt or


11 pt; some blank spaces; not too narrow a margin
● We would recommend writing your role/position and the name of the
organisation on the left-hand side of the page and the dates on the right-
hand side
● Use simple language – avoid jargon, generalisations, ‘management
speak’, and acronyms
● Do not write in prose or paragraphs – as space is limited
● CVs are usually a record of what you have done in the past, so completed
tasks and activities should be written in the past tense. If you are
describing an activity/role/job you are currently doing, the present tense is
fine.

______________

● Make a list (for yourself) of all of your experience, achievements, and key
dates, including educational achievement, work experience, prizes,
awards, involvement in societies, sports and clubs and your other interests
and skills (for example, languages and special/unusual IT skills). Note
down the key skills and attributes which led to these achievements.
● Identify the skills and competencies required for the role you are applying
to. You can do this by reading the job advertisement or job description
and by looking at the organisation’s website, publicity material and
recruitment literature. Check the relevant occupation section of our
website and see our page on demonstrating you fit the job criteria for
more advice.
● From your list, select the most relevant examples that demonstrate the
skills and competencies required for the role. Remember, you will have
gained valuable transferable skills in a broad range of activities that you
may have undertaken.
● Select the format of CV – for most student applications, the traditional
reverse chronological format is recommended. If you are unsure about
which CV type is appropriate, please ask one of our careers advisers.

Dividing your CV into sections/headings makes it easier for the reader, e.g.:

1. EDUCATION: normally at the top (especially for recent graduates


entering the jobs market for the first or second time). Include awards
under each relevant education section, for example, grant awards for a
DPhil, school prizes, undergraduate prizes or high rankings (‘2nd in
year’)
2. EXPERIENCE (rather than “Employment”): this can include voluntary
work, student society roles, internships, paid work, etc.
3. INTERESTS or COMMUNITY ACTIVITY AND SKILLS should be
included to indicate extra, diverse talents. Within this section, you might
use sub-categories such as IT Skills (but only if they are specialist or
unusual); Languages; Music; Sports; etc.

______________
Remember that the CV is meant to get you the interview/meeting, so don’t feel
you have to include every last detail – leave the reader wanting to learn more
about you. You don't need to include the following in a CV:

● The words ‘Curriculum Vitae’ or ‘CV’


● Date of birth and/or age
● Marital status, disability, children, partner, sexual preferences, sex, racial
background, religion
● Home address
● Nationality – unless you want to show that you do have the Right to Work
in the country in question
● Referees – this takes up space, they’ll assume you have them, there are
probably other opportunities to record these details
● Basic IT skills: these days everyone can use the internet, word processing,
spreadsheets, etc., to a competent level – but do include any super-
advanced qualifications in MS Office and of course any specialist
software like python, C++, SPSS, etc.
● Interests such as ‘socialising with friends, cooking, reading, cinema’ etc.
If you do choose to include them, give more details e.g.: ‘French films of
1940-1960’.
_______________
Aim to create impactful bullet points, with each bullet focused on a single idea.
Consider applying the ‘CAR’ mnemonic

● Context: the organisation name, your job title and dates is often
sufficient.
● Action Words that demonstrate you took responsibility are useful for
starting the bullet point, to highlight skills used – e.g. analysed, created,
recommended, managed or led. See our list of action words on
our Demonstrate You Fit the Job Criteria page for more.
● Results can often be linked within an individual bullet point.

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