Write an Effective CV

Dan Jarrold Headshot by Dan Jarrold / 4th February 2019

Your CV is often the first exposure a prospective employer will have to you and your application, and as such it needs to make a good impression. Updating a CV or starting one from scratch can seem like an imposing task, but if completed correctly, it can be a strong weapon in your armoury.

Work and Education

Employers don’t want to spend hours trawling through confusing CVs trying to distinguish between your previous employment and education history, and they’re likely to throw it out quickly if it isn’t clear. Distinguish between the two and place the most relevant at the top of the page.

Work Backwards

Particularly on long CVs with extensive employment histories, it is important that your most recent employment is at the top of the page. Employers will be far less interested in what you did several years ago, then what you have been doing recent.

Fonts and Sizes

Think professional in how you present your CV. Your choice of fonts is an important aspect of this professionalism. For example, a CV written in Comic Sans is not going to be well received. Think simple, Times New Roman, Tahoma, Verdana and Calibri are perfect.

Employment History

Your employment history is hugely important to your CV and is what most employers will be interested in. However, it is important to understand where the cutoff point for this is, and realistically, employers will not be interested beyond 10 years. Reducing this will also help you to avoid the hazard of having an oversized CV that will become tiresome reading for prospective employers.

Employment Gaps

Gaps in employment are as stark as impressive job roles in successful companies. Don’t try to hide these, explain why there is a gap in your employment. You might have been travelling or caring for a family member, and its far better for an employee to see this than guess.

Personal Profile

Your personal profile is your opening gambit, the first thing that a potential employer will see on the CV, it should be no longer than 2 paragraphs, with a brief idea of what kind of candidate you are.

Writing an effective CV is an art form, but get it right and you’ll be one step closer to getting your dream job.

To begin your journey with Clearfield, get in contact with us today.

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9th June 2023 / Dan Jarrold