CV Writing

What is a CV?
 The term CV is an abbreviation of the Latin word Curriculum Vitae, which is literally
translated to “the course of your life”.
 A CV is a very in-depth document that describes your career journey step-by-step,
including all sorts of personal information. You can look at the CV as a comprehensive
description of everything you have ever done, all the achievements you are proud of,
and all the publications that bear your name.
 You need to update your CV every time you accomplish something new academically or
professionally. Meaning, whenever you get a new job, publish something new, obtain a
new certificate, and so on.
 There is no rule of thumb on how long a CV should be - depending on the amount of
experience, it can range from 2 to 8 pages.

Different types of CVs

1. The Chronological CV

A chronological resume is a document that lists your work history and accomplishments in reverse
chronological order. This means that your most recent job is listed first, followed by each of your
previous positions, ending with your earliest (typically up to a combined 10-year period). A chronological
resume usually includes an objective statement or summary at the top of the page. Chronological
resumes also feature your educational background, either alongside your certifications or in an
individual section. In a chronological resume, your skills and other qualifications are typically listed
toward the bottom of the page.

A chronological CV focuses on presenting the candidate's experience on an employer-by-employer basis,

with the posts being listed in reverse chronological order. Chronological CVs should also contain a brief
personal statement at the front which sets out the key skills and strengths of the candidate. This is the
most common type of CV.

How to structure a chronological CV

A chronological CV typically uses the following structure:

 Personal Details (i.e. name and contact details)

  Personal Profile
 Career History in reverse chronological order unless you are a graduate or you have very little
work experience, in which case, it may be best to start with your Education and Qualifications
 Education and Qualifications
 Professional Memberships
 Other Information
 Interests

Advantages

 Particularly useful for those applying within the same industry as it will demonstrate your career
progression
 It is the favorite format for most employers, who simply want to easily identify the roles and
responsibilities in each job
 If you do not have many achievements or significant highlights across your career, taking a job-
by-job approach can detail your main responsibilities and take the emphasis away from key
achievements which is more expected in a functional CV

Disadvantages

 If you have gaps in your employment which you would rather not highlight, a chronological CV
will make them more obvious
 If you are changing career direction, a chronological CV may not be so relevant to a recruiter
who will be more concerned about the transferable skills that you are bringing rather than the
detail of your experience in an unrelated sector
2. The Functional CV

A functional resume focuses on your skills and abilities rather than your work history. The goal of a
functional resume is to prove to your reader that you are capable of carrying out the duties required by
the job you are applying for. Functional resumes begin with an in-depth overview of your professional
skills and qualifications. This typically involves a bulleted list under each entry that concisely explains
how you have used the skill successfully in the workplace.

Any certifications, educational degrees and licenses are listed together on a functional resume. Many
functional resumes also include a work history section, but it is typically brief and listed beneath your
skills.

Unlike a chronological CV, a functional CV places the emphasis on your skills and expertise rather than
the chronology of your employment to date.

Although not generally the preferred choice by most recruiters, some senior executive positions would
require that a functional CV accompany a chronological one so that their key skills and achievements can
be clearly identified.
How to structure a functional CV

A functional CV typically starts with a personal profile which highlights the achievements, skills and
personal qualities that you possess. This is then followed by a succession of sections, each relating to a
different skill or ability. These should be ordered in decreasing order of importance. Instead of focusing
on any particular job, you should describe your experience in its entirety. Since you are not detailing any
specific role, this means you can include any skills or experience gained in voluntary or unpaid work.

Advantages

 If you have changed jobs frequently, or your experience is a combination of seemingly unrelated
posts or if you have several career gaps, a functional CV will help place the emphasis on what
you have to offer as a whole rather than your career progression
 If you are changing industry, a functional CV will help the recruiter focus on your transferable
skills
 If you are a more mature applicant, a functional CV will take the spotlight away from your age
 Disadvantages
 If you do not have much work experience, you may struggle to highlight achievements in a
separate section
 Most employers do not like this type of CV as they prefer to clearly see what the candidate has
done and it also raise questions around whether the candidate is trying to hide something
 A functional CV will not enable you to highlight consistent career progression. If you wish to
convey career progression, you should adopt a chronological format

To conclude the CV, you should list your employers with the employment dates, as well as a section on
your qualifications. The final section should focus on any other relevant information and
hobbies/interests.

3. The Combined CV (Hybrid)

A combined CV follows both the chronological and functional format, which makes the CV slightly longer
than normal. However, it does offer the best of both types of CV and is becoming a more popular
structure to use.

Advantages

 Perfect format if you have a strong career progression with many achievements
 Enables you to sell your strengths as well as your experience

Disadvantages

 Lengthier than a functional or chronological CV so may put off some employers

 Not suitable for those with little experience or achievements
 Not suitable for those with employment gaps
 Components of CV :
There is no universally accepted format, but your CV should cover these elements:

 Your details - Include your name, address, phone numbers and email address so any interested
employers can contact you easily. Information such as nationality, age and driving license status
are optional.
 Personal statement - One paragraph that immediately captures the attention of your reader
and entices them to find out more about you. Be careful not to cram too much in. Instead take
your main skill and relate it to the job you're after to show employers why you meet their needs.
 Work experience - List your most recent position first, continuing in reverse chronological order
including the name, location, website and dates of your employment for each company you
have worked for. Aim to use bullet points wherever possible to highlight your responsibilities
and achievements in each role so the person scanning your CV can quickly match up your
experience with their job description.
 Education - Again, in reverse chronological order, give brief details of your academic and
professional qualifications along with the grades you achieved. If you're looking for your first job
since leaving education, include this information above any work experience.
 Skills - Whether you realize it or not you will have picked up many skills over the years, some
tangible, some less so. Include every IT package or programme you have used as well as any
foreign language skills you have gained, and state whether you're at a basic, intermediate or
advanced level. Skills such as communication and project management are harder to
substantiate and should be backed up with examples.
 Hobbies and interests - Including these is optional and often used to fill up space at the end of
the document. The idea is to give the interviewer a more rounded picture and, perhaps,
something more personal to discuss at an interview.
 References - It's not necessary to list referees on your CV, but you should state that details are
available on request. If this is your first job, it's a good idea to nominate tutors or mentors. You'll
obviously need to choose references that you're confident will give positive remarks, but you
should also make sure they would be easily contactable by potential employers when the time
comes.
 A clear and simple layout - Always keep your CV to two pages of A4. It should be clear to
anyone reading your CV where to find the information they're looking for, with enough ‘white
space' to ensure they're not overawed at first glance.