First impressions are paramount to success

Your CV is the window into who you are for a potential employer and is therefore vital to your career. Employers can decide in seconds whether you may be suitable for the job you are applying for. Use your CV to grab their attention and to really sell yourself. 

Your CV is the tool to getting your foot in the door and getting noticed. You might think you are perfect for a role, but if your CV isn’t up to standard and doesn’t reflect how truly awesome you are, then you stand no chance, however capable you are. 

To help you create a flawless CV we have put together some tips and advice to help you get one step closer to your dream job.  
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Personal Details

Make sure your name is at the top of the CV – use your full name and no nicknames or shortening of names.

Include your contact details clearly – a contact number and email address are essential, a home address can be included but is not necessary 

Do not put your work number down unless you want them to call your place of work.

Make sure you use a professional email address that isn’t funny or offensive – employers will discount application with email addresses of this type.

Your right or eligibility to work in the UK and nationality should be clearly marked.

There is no need to put your DOB, sex, marital status, or religious beliefs on your CV.

Profile

This should be a concise and succinct snapshot of who you are as a professional. Briefly outline your skills and attributes and include keywords that are relevant to the job you are applying for. 

Use this to encourage the person to keep reading and to feel rewarded for spending their time looking over your CV. 

Any claims you make should be factual, accurate and easy to back up in the interview.

Ensure that you prepare yourself for the interview so you can answer any questions about the claims you might make in your CV .

At this stage don’t include any hobbies or interests – save this for later.

Bullet points are a good way of describing yourself and give the employer or recruiter a quick picture of you.

Work Summary

Start with your most recent job first, this is the most important job to list as it includes your most recent skills.

No one is interested in being greeted with your school leavers job when they first see your CV, they will most likely bypass it straight away.

Include all jobs with the following:

• Dates of employment
• Months and years
• Employers name and your job title

Do not say you are the Sales Manager if you are not
. 
If you do get a job offer and your reference from your current employer doesn't back up what you say, all your hard work could have been for nothing.

Try to make sure you include keywords and descriptions that are relevant to the job and any achievements are backed up with numbers. 

Reasons for leaving previous roles do not need to be put on a CV – these can be explained in the interview and can even be a talking point. 

Gaps lead to suspicion and so do dates that don’t add up. 

Make sure all dates are consistent and correlate with each other. 

If you went travelling or took a break, ensure to put this in your CV and list briefly what you did in that time. 

The fuller details can be discussed at the interview but will put an employer’s mind at rest instead of doubt when they see a gap.

Do not mention your current salary or what you’re looking for. This can be discussed when the appropriate time comes. 

Education

This should come after your work history. Do this in the same format as your work history. This should be in reverse chronological order with most recent qualifications first.

Make sure to list further qualifications such as courses or certificates as a separate entity after your education.

Keep it brief and display in bullet points, including achievements in the same manner.

Professional Training and Skills

To be put in reverse chronological order again – with the most recent skill or training to be listed first. 
  • These should be relevant to the job you are applying for
  • List any hard skills, like computer packages or equipment that you have been trained to use
  • Professional memberships, along with dates, should also be listed here

Hobbies and Interests

Keep this section very short and brief. 

Choose relevant and neutral hobbies that will not give reason for you to be discounted. Employers want to see that you are human and have interests, but they do not need to know details. 

Referees

Do not include references on your CV. ‘References on request’ is all that needs to be put.

General

  • Use a clear font and 10pt sizing
  • Always write in the first person 
  • Don’t write it as a story - brief and bullet points are a good combination
  • Keep it upbeat and positive and don’t badmouth previous employments
  • Keep to 2 pages max
  • There is no need to include a picture
  • Proofread and double check your CV before sending it
  • Keep the formatting of your CV simple
  • Complete your CV in Word
Your CV is not the place for your personality, save it for once you are in front of the interviewer, that's your chance to really impress. 

Telephone Interview Guide

Telephone interviews are normally used to screen candidates and are a great way reduce costs from recruiters and employers. 

It is also a great way to figure out phone manners and skills that are relevant to the job.

Be Prepared to Interview

You could be contacted for interview at any time. If it has to go to voicemail, make sure your answering message is professional.

if possible, know when they will call, so you can be in a quiet place where you will not be interrupted, preferably where you can be in front of a computer with the company’s website open.

Treat your phone interview as you would a face-to-face one. Think about and put together a list of your strengths and weaknesses, as well as a list of answers to typical phone interview questions. 

Verse yourself in your own CV and make sure you can confidently talk about your past experiences, education and achievements.

Other essential ways to prepare:
  • Have your CV to hand
  • Have a pen and paper ready for note taking
  • Turn call-waiting off so your call isn't interrupted
  • If you have to reschedule your interview, make sure to let them know in plenty of time 
  • Consider using a landline rather than your mobile phone to avoid bad signal

Practice Interviewing

Conduct a mock interview with family or friends and record it so you can see how you sound over the phone. 

Ask them to point out your "ums" and "uhs" and "okays". 

You might be surprised to find out how many times you say these words when feeling unprepared. 

During the Phone Interview

  • Do not smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink
  • Have a glass of water just in case. A dry throat can cause disaster
  • Always smile – the recipient can hear a smile and it will project positivity 
  • Speak slowly and pronounce your words clearly
  • Do not interrupt the interviewer
  • Take your time to gather your thoughts when answering a question
  • Give short answers and don’t talk too much
  • Remember your goal is to set up a face-to-face interview. After you thank the interviewer for calling, ask if it would be possible to meet them in person

After the call

Phone your recruitment consultant to give them your feedback.

Interview Guide

Congratulations! You have been selected for an interview, so make sure you prepare effectively. 

Practice interview questions and answers, make sure you have appropriate interview attire to wear and contact your recruitment consultant after the interview to share how it went. 

Preparation

Effective interview preparation shows and it will make a big impact – make sure you do all you can to practice, study and prepare. 

Memorise your CV and research into the company. 

The Job

Make sure you know all the details about the position you are going for. If it is similar to your job, pick out positive relevant similarities that you can talk about. 

Make sure to read about the job description a few times close to the interview date. 

The Company

Thoroughly research the company you are going for an interview at. Use all resources available to gain as much knowledge as possible and really impress your potential new employers. 

The Interviewer

Find out who it is that is interviewing you. Find out from your recruitment consultant as much as you can about the interviewer, so you can work out what kind of person they are, what kind of interviews they like, what’s their title and will they be your boss?

On the day

Get up early, prepare accordingly and get there in plenty of time.

Make sure you have the relevant information and names of people you are to meet. 

Bring a notebook, portfolios or extra material and anything else you think you might need. 

At the interview

You get one shot, so make it count! 

Our top tips to ensure success:
  • Dress appropriately to the role. Ask your recruiter their opinion
  • Smile from the moment you arrive – every person counts, so smile at everyone
  • Actions – make sure all actions are what you want to reflect as you will be watched
  • Smoking and drinking – make sure you don’t smoke before an interview, if you do make sure it’s at least an hour beforehand and use mints. NEVER drink alcohol 
  • Shake hands with everyone, and again smile
  • Answer every question honestly and back up any statement made with facts or scenarios
At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer and their colleagues for their time and ask them when you will be hearing from them.

After the Interview, call your recruitment consultant to give them feedback.

What to do with an offer

Amazing, the company has made you an offer - well done!

Make sure this is definitely what you want and you have negotiated the salary and benefits that you feel you need.

Talk it over with your recruitment consultant honestly and openly and come to the conclusion you feel comfortable with. 

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