CV Advice

To help assist you with your search for finding that right job, Aldington Wall Associates have prepared advice on CV Preparation, as your CV is the most important document you need when searching for employment.

Before drafting a CV organise a couple of hours in a quiet location to help focus and reflect on your career. You don’t want to be disturbed.

KEY POINTS:

• Your CV should be no more than 2 pages
• Should represent you honestly and clearly
• Your most recent job history is the primary interest to a prospective employer so read through your Job Description and highlight your key duties
• Reasons for leaving should always remain positive.

Content and layout is crucial in your CV as it is the first contact between potential clients and applicants. The layout can vary and is up to you, but there are some essential rules that need to be followed;
 
Personal Details
Full name, address, telephone number (daytime and evening) e-mail, nationality & driving licence.

Personal Profile
This gives you the ability to sell yourself, summarise your character, strengths and skills, and should be no longer than a paragraph.

Education
Detail your education starting with most recent qualifications gained. Education from age 16-18 years old should be brief, with more details of higher education and particularly diplomas, certificates and degree, including the University attended and type of degree.

Training Courses/Computer Skills
Computer skills and software packages should be highlighted as well as any specialist training you feel is relevant.

Current or last Employment
Your most recent job history is the primary interest to a prospective employer therefore, it’s important to give more details than for earlier jobs. Read through your job description, highlight your key duties and place them in full in this section.

Previous Employment
Jobs should be listed with dates and presented in a bullet point format, concentrating on more recent jobs, as opposed to spending time on earlier jobs. Ensure that you give detail in the bullet points on what your duties have been, and avoid using in house terminology as your prospective employer may not understand what you mean.

Hobbies and Interests
This gives the client an idea as to what you do in your spare time and can demonstrate other skills such as leadership, management, organisational skills and whether you are a team player.  

Following our advice above will give you a standard CV format. Aldington Wall Associates highly recommend that you tailor your CV for every vacancy you apply for, highlighting relevant key skills and experience. This gives you an advantage over other applicants when going through to the selection stage.