The term ‘Curriculum Vitae’ or CV, can be literally translated as ‘course of life’. Sometimes referred to as a résumé, it’s an outline of your education, skills, experience and relevant achievements.
Are you home for Christmas? Thinking about staying for good? Find your new career with CREGG Recruitment.
If you would like more in-depth career advice including CV and Interview tips please come along to the CREGG Recruitment “Home for Christmas” open day in the Connacht Hotel Galway today December 28 from 11am – 3pm.
This event is a fantastic opportunity to meet with industry experts and gain advice on career opportunities currently available, discuss how the skills you have gained abroad can be transferred to roles and sectors in this market and also explore some of the challenges you face moving home.
Please visit www.creggrecruitment.ie for more information.
“There is a lot of conflicting information on how a CV should be laid out, what it should contain and what should not be included. The key point is that your CV is tailored for the job that you are applying to.” says Senior Recruitment Consultant at CREGG Recruitment, Aisling Conroy.
Find out below what to include and what to avoid in your CV for 2018.
What should a CV include? Employers want to find the relevant information quickly and easily. Therefore there should be a logical sequence to the information you are giving:
Your full name, address, contact phone number and email address.
Professional Profile should be the first paragraph on your CV.
Your education or professional development – including the name of the institution you studied at, the title of the course, year completed and the level the course is accredited to on the National Framework of Qualifications.
Your relevant professional experience or work history, including key achievements.
Additional skills or courses completed.
Hobbies.
References – if you do not have the space it is appropriate to just note References Available on request.
What should a CV not include?
You should never include your religion, marital or family status, age, weight or height – they are simply not relevant.
There is no reason to include a photograph.
Reasons for leaving previous jobs.
Patterns/borders/title pages/binders – these actually distract from the presentation.
Poor quality copies of your CV.
Spelling mistakes/poor grammar – ALWAYS spell check and ask someone to read it through, and critique on your behalf.
Guidelines for getting started on your CV
Use bullet points where possible as it is easier to read than blocks of text.
Use of “I” should ideally only be used in your Professional Profile.
Include your dates of employment in every job in the format of month and year. Explain gaps if any.
Two page CVs are preferred by employers, anything longer than this dilutes the content.
Your CV must be tailored for every job and every company you apply for – identify key skills and experience required in the job description of the job you want to apply for and if you have the relevant experience or skills make sure it is corporate these into your CV.
Your Cover Letter and Professional Profile/Summary should also be tailored to highlight your skills and experience relevant to the role.
