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How to create a super CV

Starting from the top
The first part of your CV is where you need to put down all your personal details – your name, address, driver’s licence information, and most importantly your contact details. You can also add other useful facts that might be of interest to a recruiter here, like the different languages you speak.
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 have very much work experience yet, every little bit counts. Any position you have occupied will show potential employers what sort of skills you have developed. Whether you worked as a childminder, a weekend shop assistant or even if you were on your college's student 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.

Time 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 you. 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 mom or 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 university 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, i.e. 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, e.g. learning a language demonstrates self-motivation.

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