Keep your CV simple and concise.  It must be easy to read and sell you effectively.  The challenge is to make your CV more appealing and attractive than the rest, but not through any fancy gimmicks such as company logos or wacky layouts.  It should look professional, clear and above all be accurate with no spelling/grammatical mistakes or typos. 

Presentation and order is important so that the reader can absorb the key points quickly.  This also brings us on to length.  Even for the most senior individual, a CV should be no longer than 2/3 sheets of A4, the fewer the better.  Therefore you need to think carefully about the words and phrases you use.

You must also consider the typeface, colour, headings, capital letters and positioning etc.  We are not going to be prescriptive about this as it is ultimately down to personal taste. Just ensure that it looks clear and professional and will not distort when viewed on a variety of PC platforms.

A 2004 survey by the Royal Mail of CVs sent to HR departments of blue chip organisations showed the following:

• 83% of HR departments immediately rejected incomplete or inaccurately addressed CV’s and covering letters
• Over 60% of HR departments said that the inclusion of a photograph adversely affected their opinion of the applicant.

Heading

Put your name followed by the word ‘CV’ or ‘Curriculum Vitae’ on one side and your simple contact details on the other.

Personal Profile

Five or six high impact statements that describe you.  These are essentially your personal strengths.  Be bold, confident and positive.

Experience

This is your career history as well the highlights of your experience.  You should ensure that achievements and responsibilities are attributable to the role.

Always start with the most recent position and only include detail for the last three or four pertinent roles, depending on the length of your experience.  Include the dates of employment, the month if you can remember, the company name and job title.  A one line description of the company is advisable to give an idea of comparable market and size, followed by the key responsibilities and achievements for that role.

For earlier roles, one line detailing dates, company name and job title are all that is needed. 

Finally, detail your education, any relevant training courses and other interests.  Again, keep it brief and relevant – not reams of ‘O’ / GCSE results (unless you are a recent graduate).  Here you should also put date of birth, contact details, nationality where appropriate and marital status if you feel it is important.

Interests should be added particularly if you can demonstrate leadership or an unusual skill or achievement.

Sample CV

Joe Bloggs – Curriculum Vitae  
 

10 Newtown Road	Home: + 44 (0) 123 456 7890
Any town	Mobile: 09787 123456
Any county	Email: joebloggs@internet.com
AN0 0TH

Personal Profile

An experienced and innovative account manager with sophisticated sales, customer service and business skills.  Highly articulate, confident and persuasive team leader, able to motivate and communicate to achieve exceptional business performance.  A persistent and flexible approach to the achievement of business plans and personal goals.

Experience and Career History

January 1998 – present The ABC Company, Account Manager

The ABC Company has a turnover of £35m and operates in key markets across the UK and Europe.

Key Responsibilities

• Accountability for P&L, strategic planning, sales and business development
• Responsible for a team of 2 account executives
• Responsible for leading a change project flexible working practices 

Key achievements

• Grew sales revenue by £2m in the financial year ended 2004
• Negotiated 10 new contracts for the business in 2 years

September 1992  – August 1998 The XYZ Company, Territory Manager

The XYZ Company has a turnover of £140m and operates in the pharmacy sector in the UK

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for achieving targeted sales growth in Southern Territory
• Responsible for identifying and opening new profitable accounts

Key achievements

• Grew sales revenue by 30% in the financial year ended 1998
• Opened 120 new profitable accounts in 6 year period

Education

XYZ School 1982-1988, 8 ‘O’Levels and 4 ‘A’ Levels.
NOP University 1988-1991 BA Honours in History 2:1

Training courses attended

Myers Briggs
PursuitNHA MSDP

Personal Details

Date of birth: 16/3/1970

Marital status: Married, 2 children

Interests: Captain of University first XI, gliding, reading, cooking and basketball

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