How to Write a Professional CV

By Jeremy I'Anson

This ebook contains all the resources you need to write your own professional CV. It's targeted mostly for Managers but the advice could also apply even if you are a school leaver or recent graduate. You will find detailed advice and instructions on how to write a professional profile at the beginning of your CV, how to write about your achievements and most importantly how to customise your CV to a particular job. There are also multiple CV templates that you can easily adapt for your own use.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jeremy I'Anson
• Release date: Oct 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386873648

Jeremy I'Anson

Jeremy I'Anson is a careers coach with over 30 years' experience in training and recruitment. Jeremy writes regularly on career related issues in the national press including Computer Weekly and The Guardian. He was the official Careers Coach for the Daily Telegraph.

Book preview

What is the purpose of a CV?

It attracts the attention of recruiters / employers

If well written it stands out from other CVs

It presents your skills and experience clearly and concisely

It provides details of your education and qualifications

It demonstrates to the employer that you have the necessary experience to do the job

It provides evidence of your suitability for the job

It provides examples of your professional achievements that are relevant to the employer

A well written and properly targeted CV will get you interviews

The last point is the most important. A well written and properly targeted CV will get you short-listed and invited to interviews.

Your CV must demonstrate that you have the specific skills, experience and qualifications requested in the job advertisement or job specification. Very often I hear of people who have sent off dozens of job applications without success. Invariably the reason is that they do not have the skills, experience or qualifications specified in the advertisement.  If the job advertisements states: University Degree essential then, in this tough recruitment market, recruiters will reject all applicants who do not have a university degree. If the essential requirement is for previous experience in the investment banking sector then again recruiters will reject all applicants without that experience. You must read the job advertisement or job specification carefully and ensure that the experience and qualifications required are clearly shown in your CV.  If you are not sure if your experience is relevant then call the recruiter and check.

As a recruiter faced with the task of shortlisting 3-4 candidates from a pool of 100 applicants the best and fairest option is to short-list only those candidates who can match every part of the job requirement. In almost every instance where candidates call me to query why they haven’t been short-listed for a particular job it is because they simply don’t have the required skills, experience and qualifications that were listed in the job advertisement or in the (usually more detailed) job specification.

If a job looks like it is a good fit but is short on detail then it is always worth calling the employer or recruiter to double check for further details of the job specification. 

General guidelines for a good CV

Keep it short and clear

The CV should be easy to read and well laid out with clear section headings and with the information presented in a logical and easy to follow format.

Keep it relevant

Don’t spend a page describing your successful millennium project; it has no relevance for employers today! Equally don’t fill the front page with details of your school examination results and grades and the fact that you enjoy football and golf!

Use a clear and easy to read typeface 

Remember that many CVs are read on a computer screen these days. What looks good on paper may not be so clear on screen. Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Tahoma Times Roman and Verdana are all good clear typefaces suitable for CVs.

Proof read the CV

The biggest cause of rejection of CVs is poor spelling and grammar mistakes. Don’t let yourself down by having careless mistakes in your CV. Check carefully yourself, use a spell checker and then get a friend or colleague to proof read the CV for you.

Be prepared to modify and update your CV

So many people write their CV and then send the same version out with every job application. You should keep modifying and updating your CV. Listen to comments and advice from recruiters and be prepared to make changes. Consider having several different versions of your CV, for example a CV that emphasizes your strategic management skills (for more senior roles) and another that highlights your operational / tactical experience.

How do recruiters review your CV?

Put yourself in the place of

Reviews for How to Write a Professional CV

[Abdirahman Mohamoud · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I would like to understand how to write a good cv