Writing a Winning CV

A guide to writing a winning CV

Your CV is one of the most important marketing tools in your job search and you only have one chance to make that all important first impression. CV writing is not an exact science; however, by following the advice and the straightforward rules in this guide and adapting them sensibly to suit your circumstances, you can create a highly effective CV.

Here are our 10 tips for creating an effective CV:

1.  Stick with a 2 page CV– the one page résumé is still not popular in the UK market.  Start with your name at the top – not the words Curriculum Vitae!

2.  Reverse chronological CVs are preferred– this means starting with your most recent career role or education and then working backwards chronologically 

3.  Create a strong profile– 3 lines in length and focused on specific experience/qualifications and skills, rather than unsubstantiated value judgements (e.g. effective communicator, strong leader, flexible team member)

4.  Stand out from the rest– do not produce another generic CV – create a strong personal brand that is appropriate to the skill set required for the role you are applying. Don’t over format the CV with text boxes etc.

5.  Don’t over inform– details of your work history, achievements, accountabilities, qualifications, email and mobile are wanted – not your life story

6.  Detail measurable achievements against your most recent roles. i.e. reduced overheads by 33% whilst increasing revenue by 23% from £xxx to £YYY is what differentiates you from your competitors

7.  Be clear, accurate and appropriate – no errors or irrelevancies please

8.  Support CVs with high quality covering letters/emails­– supporting correspondence should be short, stating position applied for and match with skills, competencies and experience requested.  If speculative, more depth about matching with the organisation’s need is required

9.  Do not go overboard on personal details– use this section to express something of your personality but keep this section brief and factual

10. Remember the purpose of the CV– simply to get you to the interview stage

Creating a great CV at a glance

Getting the content right

1. Create a SMART objective that captures the goals of your job search – what do you want to achieve and what do you have to offer?

You may find it helpful to think about it in the following way:

  • Specific - identify a specific job and tailor your CV each time you make a new application
  • Measurable - such as travel time to work, or salary/benefits package
  • Achievable - such as transferring your skills to a new sector or industry
  • Relevant - to your values, fit and personal circumstances
  • Time bound - to match your personal timeframe for resettlement  

2. Identify the needs of your recruiter and consider how you will meet these. This requires research into individual companies and roles to understand what they value. Be prepared to tailor your basic CV to the specific needs of the each application. Remember to capitalise on the language of the job advert and what it tells you about your recruiter’s priorities. Make sure you speak their language

3. Select an appropriate style of CV that will maximise your chances of meeting the recruiter's objectives and present your experience in the best possible way for the particular job e.g. reverse chronological (RC) or functional/competence. As a minimum your CV should contain: work history (if any), achievements (at university and work), accountabilities and qualifications

4. Brainstorm the content against your objectives and the recruiter’s requirements. Start with everything that could be relevant from your background. Tools you may consider using to help with this include mind maps, lists and visual representations – whatever works for you

5. Refine the content. Take time to sift out what is not needed to create a great sales document:

  • Be specific about your experience and areas of expertise
  • Quantify and qualify your achievements – be clear about the ‘added value’ that they highlight – why should the recruiter hire you?
  • Don’t write a job description so avoid using “responsible for…” inappropriately
  • Give names of companies and customers (if any) to indicate your calibre and field of operation
  • Demonstrate your impact – write to influence. Less is more - use action words ”managed, reacted, led, initiated, inspired, championed, delivered…….etc.” and avoid using “I”. Always write in the third person and use the past tense
  • Use job titles and terminology that make sense to the reader – avoid jargon

6. Map the information into your chosen CV structure. Don’t worry too much about the words at this stage, just try and avoid duplication of information

7. Check again that your rough CV reflects your objectives and the needs of your potential recruiter e.g. key words, concepts, achievements etc. and uses unambiguous words, phrases and layout

8. Create a layout that has impact by following the style tips below:

  • Keep it clear and simple with plenty of white space. Consider using your name as an eye catching heading
  • Don’t get clever with capitalisation, underlining or italics
  • Produce your CV electronically if at all possible and email it - recruiters prefer it
  • Don’t forget to check your spelling and grammar
  • Avoid fancy fonts – Times New Roman 11 or 12 point is perceived as very reassuring and gets a high response rate. Arial 11 point is sometimes perceived by recruiters to be more cutting edge

9. Remember – most CVs only receive between 20 and 90 seconds of initial reading time. It is important to include just the information that the recruiter wants to learn, rather than all the things that you might wish to say about yourself if you had all the time in the world! This is the time to reflect, rationalise and refine

10. Consider using a high quality covering letter or email to accompany your CV