Business English: ELG32612

Department of English Language Teaching

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

CV Writing
Lesson Objective:
At the end of this lesson, the students will be able,
• to identify the main components of a CV
• to prepare an impressive CV

Curriculum Vitae (CV) vs Resume

The CV focuses on your educational background than your professional qualifications.

Especially in an academic CV, your education, teaching, publications, and research experience is
highlighted. (No page limit)

A resume focuses more on your skills and qualifications for a specific position, so length tends
to be shorter and dictated by years of experience (generally 1-2 pages).

A CV is common to use when applying for:

• Academic and research positions
• Grants, fellowships, and awards
• Some graduate school programs
• Overseas employment and international organizations
How to structure a CV: Impress the recruiter and secure a job interview
• The structure of your CV is an important factor in your job search.
• A well-structured CV that looks professional and presents the information clearly, will
be much more effective than a messy CV that is difficult to read.
• Your CV may slightly vary depending on your skills, work experience, education, the
type of job you are applying for etc.
Ex: Teacher CV /College Student CV/ College Graduate CV/ Business Administration
CV/ Medical Assistant CV
• Recruiters and hiring managers will be the people reviewing your CV, so you need to
think about their needs when you structure your CV.
• They will often review hundreds of CVs per week, so you must ensure that your CV
is easy to read and navigate, allowing them to find the information they want.

Followings are the most important factors to consider in the overall layout of your CV:

1. Format
Ideally you should write your CV in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
You can also use CV templates online.

2. Clean and simple font

Simplicity is key with any CV, so don’t use a fancy font or loud colour scheme. Stick with
a simple professional font that gives readers a smooth experience.

3. Clearly divided sections

Organise your CV sections logically with bold titles for each heading and even borders to break
the page up further. This will allow recruiters to jump quickly to any information they need with
ease.

4. Sufficient spacing
Don’t use long undivided paragraphs; they look messy and daunting to read. Put
some blank space between sections to make your CV easy to navigate.
5. Page length
Keep the CV short and sharp – 2 pages is about right. (Academic CVs can sometimes be 3 or
4 pages)
Break your CV up into short sharp paragraphs and bullet points to avoid giving recruiters a
headache.

Sample CV:
Sections of a CV
1. CV Heading
• The top of your CV is hugely valuable because it is the very first thing that a recruiter
will see. For this reason, you need to make sure it looks ultra-professional and makes a
big positive impact.
Activity 01

Imagine you are going to prepare your own CV. Start with writing the heading for your own CV.

2. CV Profile/CV Summary
• Your profile sits just underneath your CV heading and serves as an introductory
paragraph.
• It is called a CV summary or career/personal profile.
• Your CV profile (or personal statement) is an introductory paragraph which sits at the
top of your CV and summarises your most important skills and knowledge.
• Its purpose is to hook recruiters when they open your CV and encourage them to read
the rest of the CV.

When writing your personal profile, ensure it is short (no more than 6 lines), relevant to the job
you are applying for, and contains some real-world examples.

What to include in your CV profile

• Skills: An overview of your skills which are most important to the jobs you are applying
for.
Ex: Management skills /Communication skills/ Problem-solving skills/ Design skills
• Experience: A summary of the types of jobs you have done.
EX: 5 years’ experience in …/ Excellent track record of …/ Extensive background in …/
Previous work experience in …
• Qualifications: A brief explanation of your most relevant qualifications.
• Benefits: How would the employer benefit from hiring you?

CV Profile examples:

l Business management CV profile

I have a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem-solving and a drive to see things
through to completion. I have more than 2 years of experience in managing and leading teams
across multiple sectors. I am eager to learn, I enjoy overcoming challenges, and I have a genuine
interest in Business Management and making organisations successful.
• The candidate mentions their key personal skills and qualities that are relevant and
important when managing a business.
• The candidate mentions their relevant work experience in the field, indicating that they
are able to work within multiple job sectors.

l IT CV profile
I am a highly competent IT professional with a proven track record in designing websites,
networking and managing databases. I have strong technical skills as well as excellent
interpersonal skills, enabling me to interact with a wide range of clients. I am eager to be
challenged in order to grow and further improve my IT skills. My greatest passion is in life is using
my technical know-how to benefit other people and organisations.

l Teaching CV profile
I am a loyal, talented and caring teacher who loves making a difference in the lives of young
children. I am open-minded, patient and supportive towards other people, especially towards
children or those who suffer from disabilities. In my previous role as a primary school teacher, I
have taught and nurtured more than 100 pupils from all backgrounds, successfully preparing them
for the next stages of their young lives.

• In just a few lines, the candidate demonstrates a great deal of compassion, empathy and
care for young people and their futures. This level of care and concern, along with an
enduring passion for teaching, are the key ingredients of being successful in any teaching
careers.
• The candidate indicating that they are able to work with young children from all
backgrounds and walks of life. This is important, especially when living in today’s
multicultural and diverse societies.

l Student CV profile
I am a hardworking and ambitious individual with a great passion for the transport and logistics
industry. I am currently in my second year of studying BA Logistics and Supply Chain
Management at Aston University. I have excellent communication skills, enabling me to
effectively communicate with a wide range of people. I am seeing a part-time position in the
industry in which I can put into practice my knowledge and experience, ultimately benefiting the
operations of the organisation that I work for.
Activity 02

Write the Profile for your own CV.

3. Core Skills section

• This section consists of 6-8 short bullet points of your most in-demand talents and gives
readers a great snapshot of your offerings from just the first glance.
• These points can also be easily edited to tailor your CV every time you make an application.

Activity 03

Write the Core Skills section for your own CV.

4. Work experience and role structure

• For experienced candidates, this will consist of your paid roles – for junior candidates,
you can include non-paid experience such as school/university work placements and
volunteering.
• List your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with your current (or most
recent) role and working your way down to your oldest role.
Activity 04
Write the Career Summary section for your own CV.

5. Educational qualifications
• Junior candidates should include a lot of detail in this section and expand on modules,
projects, examinations etc.
• Your most recent degree first (or education in progress)

What to Include in Education Section:

• Your most recent degree first (or education in progress)
• The name of your university/college/school, location if necessary, years attended, field of
study and degree major, and any academic honours.
E.g. Bachelor of Science in Economics, University of Peradeniya: 2005–2008
OR
• You can keep this section brief as follows:

Activity 05
Write the Educational qualifications section for your own CV.

6. Publications and Presentations (In academic CVs)

Ex: Smith, J. A. (2013). Effects of sleep deprivation on word recall in university students. Journal
of Sleep Psychology, 12(5), 175-185.

7. Awards and Honours (In academic CVs)

Ex: Gold Medal for Best Researcher (Economics), 2023.

8. Professional Associations (In academic CVs)

Ex: American Society of Journalists and Authors, New York (2010–Present)

9. Grants and Scholarships (In academic CVs)

Ex: The Oglesby-Snyder Grant for Equity and Cultural Diversity, 2012

10. Skills
• If you have a very technical job such as an IT support analyst or architect, then it may be
worth including an extensive list of your technical skills/knowledge.
• Keep the points very short
11. Interests
• Interests or hobbies are an optional section that you can add to the bottom of your CV if
you like.
• Interests will not normally have much impact on a job application, but there are exceptions.
• These could be anything from blogging or building a website, to captaining a sports team
or organising events.
12. References (On request)
• Your Referees are people who can testify about your character, skills and work
performance to prospective employers. The employer might call them or request in writing
some information about you.

Activity 06

Write the rest your own CV including sections 6-12 (if any).