We are sure you all know how crucial it is to have the ideal CV, it is, after all, a potential employer's first meeting of you but how do you set about writing it? What details should you include and what should you take out? We at AllPooleJobs want to aid you in improving your possibility of getting that perfect job you {are after so here are hints for making the right first impression.

The Basics

We are all aware it's clear but a Curriculum Vitae (CV) should on all occasions be typed to give it the best ease of read possible. It should also be well presented. Think about how it appears on the page. There should be clear headings and breaks between information. A prospective employer will probably look through lots of CVs for a job so they should be able to see the pertinent information straightaway before short listing it for a more thorough read through. A shoddily laid out CV which is not easy to read will probably end up in the trash.

Personal Statement

Most employers want a CV to start with a personal statement as it allows them to see at a glance what you are about. What should this contain?

• Who are you and what have you been doing work wise? What have you enjoyed about previous jobs?


• What do you want to do? What are your goals?


• How are you going to go about achieving these goals?


• What do you consider to be your key skills? What can you bring to a prospective employer?

Make sure you give these questions real thought before you come up with an answer as they should be expected to be questioned at interview. Here's an example of the type of thing might say:

' I am bright, a conscientious worker and determined about any challenges I come up against. My workup until now has all been very customerfocused and I have found this to be very enjoyable. I have spent the last seven years in a sales environment and I find enjoyable the contact with different types of people this brings. I feel I am intelligent and would like the chance to take this further. During my time at John Doe Estate Agents really enjoyed learning as much as possible about the procedural and legal parts of the conveyancing process and felt that I learnt quickly. I am very much keen to take on a challenging role with the chance to advance and train where possible. I am also extremely IT proficient and really take pleasure using computers as part of my working life.'

Education

The next section should be your educational history if it is especially relevant to the job for which you are applying. For example, if you have a degree in Law and you are applying for a legal position then it is useful to state this first. However, if you believe your education is not particularly important and you are applying on the value of your experience then it is worth considering putting your work history first.

Your education should be put in reverse order with the most recent education done at the beginning. It is not necessary to go into great detail here, simply state where you studied and what grades you achieved. It is not vital to put the dates of study if you do not want to as, under the Age Discrimination Law, you are not obliged to make any reference to your age and this includes dates from which your age may be obvious. Do not forget to include information of any other certificates you might have received which may be significant to the position.

Work History

Like education, it must be laid out in reverse order, the most recent or current employment at the top. You should give the name of the employer and the period of time you were employed (this does not necessarily have to be dates but you should indicate for how much time you were employed in that position). It is also important to indicate where the employer was based, e.g. Poole. You should also clearly indicate what your job title was. Under this explain briefly what your job role was and your main tasks. This should assist a perspective employer decide whether your experience makes you right for their vacancy. Try to be succinct and keep it to only relevant information.

It is not a good idea to put your salary for each role undertaken on your CV as this can make an employer to make assumptions about your suitability for a position and make negotiating your salary, where applicable, more difficult. The same can also be said for putting your salary expectation on your CV.

Other Information

It is common for people to put a small amount of personal information, such as hobbies, on their CV. You should keep this to a minimum. You should, however, state whether you hold a driving licence and what type of transport you have.

Employers do not necessarily want to see photos on a CV. For most roles it is not necessary to include a photo but if you want to it ought to be passport photo sized and professional in appearance.

Spelling and Punctuation

It is highly important that you make sure all spelling and punctuation are correct. Literacy is often highly required to employers so use the 'Spell Check' facility on your computer.

Second Opinion

Ask a friend or contact to read through your CV. Ask them to double check that it looks presentable and easy to read. They should also check your spelling and grammar.

Covering Letter

When applying for a role you should include a covering letter. This should say why you are applying for this job in particular and a small amount about the experience and/or skills you have which could be significant to them (avoid repeating too much from the CV itself).

Each Job is Different

Don't forget that it is not necessarily 'one CV fits all', it is worth spending a few minutes reviewing your CV before each time you submit it to ensure it makes the biggest impact for each particular role. You may want to consider changing some information, particularly your personal statement, to suit the job description.