« Back | Home » Create a super CV

Create a super-CV

Taking it from the top
The first part of your CV is where you need to put all your personal details down – your name, address, driver’s licence information, and (most importantly) your contact details. You can also add other usefulfacts that might be of interest to a recruiter here, such as the fact
that you speak another language, and your level of proficiency in it.
The next part of your CV should cover your education and qualifications. List these in chronological order, starting with the most recent
and going backwards. Also be sure to mention if you achieved
good results.

Working it
While you may not yet have garnered much work experience, every
little bit counts. Any position you have occupied will show potential employers what sort of skills you have developed and demonstrate that you’re a diligent and hard worker. Whether you worked as an afternoon au pair, a weekend shop assistant or even if you were on your varsity society’s committee, make sure to mention it. Use the opportunity to write about what you learnt from the experience – perhaps you improved on your people skills or learnt basic accounting.

Your turn to shine
The next section of your CV is where you can list your accomplishments, whether academic, social or cultural. Even if your achievements are not directly related to the type of job you’re applying for, giving recruiters a glimpse of your personality makes it more likely they’ll want to see more.  Don’t, however, go to the opposite extreme and list
things that are completely irrelevant. Cataloguing every swimming race you won in primary school won’t win you any brownie points.

Second opinion
The reference section at the end of your CV is very important as it provides recruiters with a way of getting a thumbs-up from other people about you. That doesn’t mean you can include your best mate or your boyfriend as a contact person.

Good ideas for reference contacts are your current or last employer (where possible and appropriate), an academic contact (such as one of your lecturers or tutors) or somebody that has served alongside you on a committee for a varsity society. Remember to check with people that they are happy to be contacted before you list them.

Fine-tuning
Your CV is not only a record of all you have accomplished; it’s also one of the primary tools in convincing a prospective employer that you are the right person for the job. As such, you should tailor your CV for the specific job you are applying for. Highlight skills that are relevant to that position and that would make you a valuable addition to the company.

This article can be found at www.careerssa.net

Things to AVOID :

• Creased, crumpled or dirty paper (it is safer to e-mail a copy of your CV - as hard copies may get lost).

• Photos, clip-art, fancy borders.

• Fancy fonts (always use clean simple fonts such as Verdana or Arial in 10 or 12 point).

• Bad spelling and/or grammar.

• Long gaps (always mention what you did between jobs, studies etc).

The following CV tips (from The A-Z of Careers: The South African Career Encyclopaedia 2008, published by Don Nelson) will help you to create a good first impression with your CV.

• Before writing your CV, have a clear job target, ie know the kind of work or company that you are aiming at otherwise your CV may contain too much irrelevant information.

• Remember to tailor personal details to the job you are applying for (listing babysitting as previous employment may not be too impressive when applying for an engineering position).

• Include interests which demonstrate a skill, eg learning a language demonstrates self-motivation.

• Avoid mentioning an expected salary. Rather say 'negotiable.'