CV Writing Tips

Recruiters spend an average of 5-7 seconds looking at each CV. That’s just 5-7 seconds that you have to leave your mark and stand out from the other applicants.

A good CV is one of the most valuable assets in the job market. Learn how to create a great one and watch your job offers increase.

In this article, we provide tips, tricks and guidance for creating the perfect CV for any job. Read this article for just five minutes to increase your job opportunities forever.

How to structure your CV

While there is no standard structure for a CV, there are many unwritten rules that have been shown to improve your chances of getting hired. We recommend using the following structure:

Profile

Begin with your basic information: full name, home address, mobile number and email address. You do not need to put your age, nor do you need to write ‘CV’ in the header of the document.

Summary/Introduction

Here you should add no more than a few sentences that summarise who you are, what you’re offering and what you’re looking for.

Your skills

You should only include skills that will be relevant to the job you are applying for. A skill might have been acquired from a previous job, but you should also consider any skills acquired through a course or a hobby.

Consider how your skills can be applied to your new role. Provide brief examples of how you have used your skills and how they will be useful in the role you are applying for.

Your qualifications

List all previous education and professional qualifications. You should arrange these so that the qualifications of the highest levels are listed first. Make sure you include grades and dates.

Mention specific modules only where relevant.

Your experience

List your work experience in reverse order so that your recent roles are at the top. Give a very brief summary of your responsibilities in each role and the skills you adopted. If you have had many previous jobs, only include those most relevant to the role you are applying for.

Extra tips for writing your CV

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when writing your CV:

Keep it concise

You may want to list each and every one of your achievements, skills and past roles, but if your CV is too long it is less likely to get read. You should prioritise only the most relevant items. As a rule of thumb, your CV should be no longer than two sides of A4.

Avoid unprofessional fonts

Avoid unprofessional or unremarkable fonts such as Comic Sans or Times New Roman. Choose fonts that show professionalism and personality. These include Arial, Calibri and Helvetica.

Avoid generic phrases

Avoid generic phrases such as ‘team player’ or ‘multitasker’ as these won’t help you stand out.

Edit your CV for the job you are apply for

Always tailor your CV to the job you are applying for. One size does not fit all — you will need to edit your CV for each separate role you apply for.

Make it clear

Ensure your CV is easy to read with appropriate font size and clear section headings.

Spell check!

Check your grammar and spelling. Glaring errors will indicate carelessness and a lack of professionalism. You may want to get another pair of eyes on your CV to spot any grammar or spelling errors that you might have missed.

Be honest

Tell the truth. While you certainly want to emphasise your skills and achievements in your CV, you don’t want to outright lie. Your employer will ask you questions about your CV in your job interview and may catch you out if you aren’t telling the truth.

Give examples

Show, don’t tell. Don’t simply say why you are right for the job — give examples from previous jobs.

Get new qualifications

Gain qualifications to prove your skills. There are many qualifications that you can earn online which will drastically enhance your CV.

Looking to boost your skills and get that qualification to land your ideal job or start your career?

See some of our most popular courses for Education and Training, Internal Quality Assurance and Teaching Assistant Training!

At CTC Training, we prepare you for your dream job with a range of online training courses. Boost your CV with qualifications that you can earn from the comfort of your own home. No matter which industry you are interested in, you can find online courses that will improve your employment prospects. With CTC, you can complete your course at your own pace.

Simply enrol on a course and you’ll gain access to our 24/7 student portal, where you can view course content and upload assessments at your leisure.

There’s never been a better time to become a better candidate. Take a look through our website to browse our courses. Book online or contact our team to find out more.