CV Writing

General Tips for CV Writing

Writing a CV can be a very difficult process. There are so many conventions and it is easy to get confused and just send one out without much care and attention. It takes a long time to perfect a CV, but it is a very valuable tool and essential in your job hunt!

The CV is the only piece of information about you an employer usually has. An employer should look at your CV and think that this person can do the job they are applying for.

There are many different types of CV, which suit different individuals and circumstances. The most common and accepted is the chronological CV. This is presented in order of date.

Keep it relevant to the job you are applying to, employers will not skim your CV looking for significant information. If the information they need is not immediately apparent, they will not look for it.

If you want your CV to be most effective, you should tailor it to the job and organisation you are applying to. You will get lots of information on company websites, company literature, job adverts etc. about the 'type' of person working in the organisation and be able to adapt your CV to match this.

Your CV should be a story of what you have been doing in your work life, keep it interesting, you don't want employers to think that you have done nothing exciting!

Don't include things that you did at school, or years ago. Employers are interested in what you are doing now.

Make sure that there are no spelling, grammatical or formatting errors - get as many people as you can find to proof-read your CV.

Do not include contentious information, or information that will lead people to stereotype you.

Do not have unexplained gaps in your work history. If you have been travelling, have had time off to care for a child or relative, put this information in. If you leave it blank, the employer will assume the worst!

Keep it as short as you can - preferably to two sides of A4 paper (make sure the paper is good quality)

Which of these Mistakes Have You Made with Your CV?


  • Using the wrong CV Layout Type for your individual circumstances?
  • Writing a CV with inappropriate or irrelevant content?
  • Writing a CV with key information missing?
  • Failing to make the most of your own unique history and producing a CV which looks just like everyone elses?
  • Padding your CV with useless information because you struggle to find interesting content?
  • Using only a single CV for different job applications, rather than tailoring it for each different job application?
  • Not keeping your CV up to date?
  • Having too many CV's and losing track of them?
  • Failing to make the most of non work related experience?
  • Not adequately describing your own behavioural strengths?
  • Writing inappropriate or badly produced covering letters?
  • Worrying that your CV probably isn't going to do you justice because you are competing against people with professionally written CV's, and that your CV may actually be working against rather than for you?