How to Write an Impressive CV

Want to stand out from other applicants? A well-developed CV is key.

A strong and well-developed curriculum vitae, or CV, will help you get noticed among a sea of other similarly capable applicants. CVs are like resumes, except that they focus more on overall achievements. While a CV's traditional purpose is for academic careers, according to the Purdue Owl website, they also may be used for any type of job that you are applying for. In fact, submitting a strong CV may help you to stand out from other applicants.

Instructions

1. Highlight information that is directly relevant to the job that you are applying for. Do not use the same CV for every job that you are interested in. Rather, each should describe you relevant experience and education as it matches the requirements of a particular position. This may take careful reworking in between applications, but may improve your chances of landing the job.

2. Put your strongest knowledge, skills and abilities near the top of the document under your name and contact details. For every job opening, potential employers will review multiple CVs and resumes. If the information noted in the beginning is not strong, the recruiter may not continue and you won't be considered for an interview. Start with a profile that introduces who you are and what you have to offer, then list your most relevant information first, with the least important last.

3. Be detailed with your lists of job duties and accomplishments. However, keep your wording concise and to the point. Use a bullet list to organize your previous tasks and present the information in an easy to read format, ensuring that you state your former responsibilities in a direct manner.

4. Organize your CV in a functional, or skills-based, format. This is ideal for applicants who have several gaps in between relevant work experience. A functional CV lists your most relevant qualifying skills without noting dates or employers, like traditional ones do.

5. Avoid any redundancies or clichés that will make your writing seem weak. Use strong words and active phrasing. You want your abilities to shine, not your prose. Avoid using first person words such as "I" or "my," as these will clutter your writing and sound unprofessional. Your entire CV will be focused on you, so there is no need to repeatedly indicate this fact.

References

• University of Kent: How to Write a Successful CV
• Purdue Online Wriitng Lab: Writing the Curriculum Vitae