For this article we’re going back to basics. Too often, the basics are overlooked and it can be glaringly obvious. Ensure your CV follows this basic formula.
Contact details
- Full name
- Address
- Phone
- Photo (optional)
Please ensure that your email address is professional enough to disclose. If it’s not, get a new one.
Make a first impression
This is where you look at inserting a brand statement/objective/profile, to explain who you are and what you offer. Make it stand out but keep it short ( a few sentences at most).
Experience
List your employment history. Ensure that your most recent roles are at the TOP. Recruiters and employers prefer to see what you’re doing now straight away, rather then scrolling through what you did earlier in your career. Be clear, include dates and where possible, include reasons for leaving. For example, started a family, redundancy, moved into a more progressive dealership, stepped up into a management role. Follow this format:
- Employer
- Job title
- Dates
- Responsibilities and achievements
Additional info
After your experience you can list additional information that’s relevant. This includes education, awards, skills/licenses, LinkedIn account details and anything else worth mentioning. Ensure that your referees are at the bottom, or at least a section for referees with “available upon request” or similar.
Keep your formatting consistent, use ONE font, and bullet points for lists. Keep your text to a maximum of two sizes (headings and regular text). Keep a copy of your CV in Microsoft word (.doc) to ensure you can make updates as you go. Although a resume in PDF might look better, our system does not accept PDF files. Just another reason to keep your original resume on file!
