Moving forward - CV

Creating a CV

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) provides an overview of a person's experience and other qualifications.

In some countries, a CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants, often followed by an interview ,when seeking employment .

Help to write a CV

Websites such as: www.cv.livecareer.co.uk will allow the young men to create a CV online that can easily be altered, printed, downloaded. They have several templates to allow to alter the look easily. They will help get around awkward questions such as gaps in employment history.

Recent research (Ladders, 2013) shows that recruiters only spend an average of 6.25 seconds looking at a candidate’s CV before deciding whether he or she is a fit for a job.

The study also shows that recruiters spend 80% of those six seconds looking at just six things:

Name
Current title/company
Previous title/company
Previous position, start and end dates
Current position, start and end dates
Education

8 steps to a successful CV

Don’t overdo it!
A CV should be no more than two pages – and that's two pages of A4 paper! Employers spend an average 6.25 seconds looking at any one CV, too long or too much irrelevant detail will mean your CV is binned and you may lose your chance for an interview.
Tailor it to the job
Take the time to change your CV for each role that you apply for. Research the company and use the job advert to work out EXACTLY what skills you should point out to them. Remember to use the keywords in the advert.
Include a personal statement
Include a short personal statement to ensure an employer will see how your experience relates to their job. This can be reflected in your cover letter as well; see www.totaljobs.com/careers -advice/cvs -and -applications/how -to -write -a -cover -letter , for more information on cover letters.
Don't leave gaps
Leaving obvious gaps on your CV immediately makes employers worried. If you’ve been out of work, just put a positive slant on it. Did you do a course, volunteer work or develop other skills such as communication or teamwork during that time?
The error of your ways
Employers DO look for mistakes on CVs. Make sure you use a spell checker and if possible, ask someone else to read what you’ve written.
Tell the truth
Lying on your CV will often be found out when it comes to employers checking your background and references. The last thing you want is to start work and then lose your new job due to an obvious lie. It could also backfire in an interview if you are put on the spot.
Make it look good
You can use templates online (see link above). It is important that your CV looks good, you are representing yourself, make you look good. Use bullet points and keep sentences short. Use the graphic design trick of leaving plenty of white space around text and between categories to make the layout easy on the eye. Use one easy to read font such as Arial.
Make it keyword friendly
If you’ve uploaded your CV to a job site so recruiters can find you, keywords are very important. Job titles and job buzzwords will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile. If you're not sure, have a search online and see what words are commonly mentioned when you input your job title.

FAQ

How to explain gaps and unemployment:

Using the link below, you can see a sample CV for someone who is unemployed: www.totaljobs.com/careers-advice/cv-and -cover -letter/unemployed -cv -template

They have pages of useful information to put a positive slant on unemployment or gaps in a CV. They also cover areas such as little or no job experience. Well worth looking at if you are stuck.

If you’re unemployed it can be difficult to know what to write, how to write it, and whether to tell a potential boss that you’re currently not working.

Employers won’t refuse your application just because you’re unemployed , so don’t feel you have to hide it; you can actually use it to your advantage.

When you begin your cover letter, you need to tell the employer why they should hire you, and it’s in these opening sentences that you should mention your unemployment. If there are valid reasons for your unemployment (e.g. redundancy , you were looking for a career change etc), certainly don’t be afraid to mention it. If you’ve been proactive during your unemployment, don’t forget to mention that too.

So, if you’ve been doing work experience, learning new skills or taken up voluntary work , write it early on your cover letter, it’s bound to impress and will show employers you haven’t just been sat in front of the television.

You don’t have to tell employers that you’re unemployed; you can just mention your skills and accomplishments from previous jobs. Although be prepared to talk about any CV gaps during the interview.
How do I convince them I don’t just want the job because I’m unemployed?

Research the company you are applying and demonstrate real interest in it. Look at their website, find out who their competitors and make sure you understand what they do and who their customers are.

Explain why you want to work for them above other similar companies. This isn’t just useful for your cover letter, but also for your interview .

Without any research, your cover letter could end up looking like a generic application that you have sent to several other companies, and it will not look like you have tried to do your research.
What if I don’t have much work experience?

This is a common problem for young people, so it will be something employers will have seen before. It is how you present yourself that is important, and focus on skills you have developed from interests, hobbies, school or college work or volunteering.

Talk about your personality and work ethos to show that despite not having much work experience, you’re still prepared to work hard and learn new things.

Do, however, make sure you read job specifications carefully though as some employers may state that it is “essential” to have relevant experience and you do not want to waste your time applying for job that will not consider you.

Always consider volunteering in the area in which you would like to work. This will give you invaluable experience and knowledge about it and if there is another candidate without this experience, you are more likely to get the job.
How do I show I’m employable when I’m unemployed?

Write about any successes or skills learnt in previous jobs (or hobbies etc), and always use examples. Discuss your main achievements and the effect it had shows that you’ve made a difference or accomplished something by working hard.

If you have learnt skills from sport, education, volunteering or other hobbies you may have, mention them. Playing team sports, for example, shows that you can work well as a team.

Moving forward - CV

Creating a CV

8 steps to a successful CV

FAQ

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