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Steps to writing a CV

Steps to writing a CV

Your CV is your marketing tool, it's tells people or your employer who you are, what you and how effective your personality looks.

Abel Egbemhenghe

April 18, 2019
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  1. STEPS TO WRITTING A CV “Market Yourself And Build Your

    Own Brand”……. Abel Egbemhenghe
  2. STEP 1 “PERSONAL DETAILS”  Don’t write CV, curriculum vitae

    or résumé at the top. The recruiter can see what it is.  Write your name in 14 point bold type so they can find you quickly in a stack of CVs.  Use a serious email address: [email protected] isn’t the image you want instead use an appropriate email address.  Do not include a photo unless you are applying for a job where appearance matters such as acting or modeling. IN SUMMARY Your name, email address, phone number, home address
  3. Commonly Asked Questions 1. Should I include my home address?

    It’s helpful to do this if you are spending long periods away and employer will be contacting you during this time. Tell the employer the dates when you are at each address so they know which one to use. 2. Do I need to mention my gender and age? No. It is entirely optional whether you include this information. It is often deducible from other information (like your name and the date of your qualifications). It is illegal for employers to ask you to declare your age and also illegal, except in certain rare situations, for employers to discriminate on grounds of gender.
  4. Commonly asked questions 3. Should I attach or scan a

    photo of myself? You should not be asked for a photo in the UK. Read an employer’s application advice carefully and use resources like “Going Global”, which LSE Careers subscribes to, to research the recruitment norms of different countries. Going Global can be accessed through the LSE Careers website under “Exclusive resources”. 4. Do I need to mention my nationality and work permit status? There may be cases where an employer is interested in knowing your nationality in order to find out whether they will need to apply for a work permit for you. However unless they ask you to state your nationality on your CV or application form there is no requirement for you to do so at this stage. You can also wait to raise the subject at interview stage as this will allow you to “sell” yourself in person before discussing the possibility of a work permit
  5. STEP 2 (OBJECTIVES)  Also called ‘career objective’, ‘job objective’

    or ‘purpose’.  It’s optional for CVs sent in response to a job opening because the objective should be this particular job.  An Objective can be helpful if you are applying to a company that interests you, but not in response to a particular job opening.  It isn’t necessary to write a full sentence.  Make it short and specific. A vague, general objective (‘I want to contribute my outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and further develop them in a global company that is a leader in its field.’) wastes space and the reader’s time.  A career profile (or career objective) is a short statement, usually at the top of your CV, saying something about you and your career aims. For new graduates or postgraduates, career profiles are not really necessary as this content will be addressed in your cover letter.
  6. STEP 3 ( EDUCATION)  As a current student or

    recent graduate, you will probably want to put the education section next. Applicants who have a lot of work experience place that section before education in their CVs. Starting with your most recent education, list  Your university degree or expected degree  The full name of the university in English, location - city and country  The period of time you have been there – month and year  Main subject (US – major)  Expected graduation date. If you are close to graduation and are quite sure of your final grade, you may want to include it here.
  7. STEP 4 ( EXPERIENCE)  Using ‘Experience’ instead of ‘Work

    Experience’ enables you to include paid, and non- paid work, internships, volunteer work, and other experience that has helped develop your skill set. Employers care more that you have the experience rather than where you got it.  Identify the employer or organization, the dates of employment (month/year), your position and your key responsibilities and accomplishments.  Use reverse chronological order: Start with your most recent experience and work backwards  Use the present tense for current positions and the past tense for work you are no longer doing.  Use action verbs to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.
  8. STEP 5 ( Additional skills) List language skills starting with

    your native language(s), then in order of proficiency Computer skills Any other relevant skills NOTE: Skills that are particularly relevant for this job application should also be listed under Key Skills and Experience. Usually it is important to state 4 to 3 skills.
  9. STEP 6 (Interests and activities) When work experience is limited,

    interests and activities can provide a way to show you’ve gained skills that relate to the position you are seeking. What you include also paints a picture of the kind of person you are. Volunteer activities are especially valued. Just writing a list of your activities doesn’t reveal much. Are any of your interests or activities particularly relevant to the job? Do any activities highlight your leadership, demonstrate responsibility and organizational ability or show long-term commitment?
  10.  Sports imply good health and an active lifestyle and

    can also demonstrate teamwork and leadership skills.  Memberships and your roles in organizations can be included in this section.  Do not include religious or political activities. For example, if you do volunteer work for your church, write about the activity – ‘Volunteer football coach for 9 & 10 year-old boys’, ‘Led wilderness excursions for teen-age girls for three years ’.  The term ‘hobbies’ doesn’t sound professional.  Avoid ‘loner’ activities such as reading unless related to the job. The ever-popular ‘Meeting with friends’ may create a mental picture of clubbing and parties, prompting the recruiter to do a Facebook search.
  11. STEP 7 ( REFERENCE) References are usually requested by an

    employer on an application form or after the interview stage if the candidate has been successful. It is generally assumed that you will be able to provide references so you don’t need to mention them on your CV. References available upon request’ is optional. It is understood that you will provide them when asked to do so.
  12. Commonly Asked questions 1. How many referees do I need?

     Usually two, preferably one LSE academic and a recent employer. If you do not have an employer use two academic referees instead. 2 No one in my department knows me. How will they be able to write me a reference?  Try to make contact with your personal tutor and discuss with them the types of jobs you are applying for. Your tutor will have access to useful information about you. 3. Can I use a referee who is somebody I know well and who already works for the organization?  The standard convention is to use an academic referee and your most recent employer.
  13. Commonly Asked questions 4. Do I have to give my

    current employer as a reference? It’s standard practice to do this. If you don’t, the recruiter may think you are hiding something. 5 Do I have to give my current employer as a reference? It’s standard practice to do this. If you don’t, the recruiter may think you are hiding something. 6. Do I need to get permission from a person before I use them as my referee? Yes. It is even better if you can have a discussion with them and explain the types of jobs you will be applying for and the skills required.
  14. CV writing tips from a recruiter/ HR Managers Be concise

    and ensure your information has an impact. Keep it simple and clear – you can always elaborate at the interview. Analyze the job description – read it and identify which relevant skills, experience and competencies you have, or consider other experiences that could be appropriate. Don’t have any unexplained gaps on your application. If you have had a career break or have been travelling, let us know. Academic and professional qualifications should flow in a logical order.
  15. Layout and design How long should a CV be? 

    In almost all cases your CV should be no longer than two sides of A4. The exception to this is an academic CV, which will usually have an extra page about publications and conferences. A minority of organizations will expect a one-page CV, but for most a two-page CV is acceptable unless otherwise specified. What is the difference between a “skills based” CV and a “chronological” CV?  In most cases you’ll use a chronological CV, which has standard sections such as education and work experience. Your achievements in each section will be ordered in reverse chronology (i.e., most recent first). However, there may be occasions where you start off with a section on the skills you have gained, with examples of where you gained them; this is a “skills based” CV. It’s most commonly used when you have significant relevant experience or an existing career and are looking to change direction and need to emphasize skills that are transferable.
  16. Should I use a CV template?  We advise you

    not to because a CV is a personal document and should be unique to you. Should I use different colors on my CV?  No - black ink on white paper is standard. Using more exciting colours will certainly make you stand out, but perhaps not in a positive way unless you’re applying for a creative or design role. What font should I use?  Avoid unusual fonts; they have the effect of making the reader focus on the font rather than the content. Sans serif fonts, like Arial, can make your CV look clean, neat and most importantly readable. Use a font size between 10 and 12.
  17. Should I use bullet points or text? There are no

    rules about this but try to avoid a CV that is too “text heavy”. Some of the most effective CVs use a combination of text and bullet points. Experiment and see what looks clearest, what is most easy to read and what has the most impact visually. Should I send my CV as a Word document or a PDF? Whilst either format is almost always accepted by employers, it is generally recommended to send a PDF version if possible. A PDF will look the same on any computer, whereas sometimes a Word document might look different (overflowing to three pages for example) depending on the version of Word the recruiter has.
  18. Are there any good examples of CVs I can use?

     There are a number of example CVs on the website.  However, it is never a good idea to just copy one exactly. Your information is unique and to present it in the most favorable light you will need to make changes to any example you find. Should I attach my CV if I’m completing an online application form?  Only if specifically asked to do so. I have previous work experience. Should I present my CV differently?  The same basic principles apply, for example giving your most relevant information highest priority on your CV. However, you may want to consider different CV formats to best present your skills. Even though you have more experience, your CV still needs to be on a maximum of two pages, so you may have more editing to do.
  19. Did you know? Top reasons employers give for unsuccessful applications

    include: poor spelling and grammar, not answering the question asked, not following instructions, lack of research on the organization and not practicing for tests that are part of the application process.
  20. Top tips: format, font and space The amount of space

    given to a section reflects the amount of importance you attach to it. Decide on a format for headings and body and stick to it. Fonts like Arial and Calibri are recommended as they are clear and simple. If you use something different, make sure you’re consistent and the font doesn’t detract attention from your content. It’s also important to remember that some fonts take up more space on a page than others. Print out your CV to see what it looks like in reality. Is there a lot of white space or too much text? Are the margins too large or small? Your CV could be read in as little as 8 seconds. Make sure it’s immediately appealing to the eye.