CV's & Covering Letters
CVs and Covering Letters
CVs
Landing that next job is very important in this increasingly competitive marketplace. You must effectively sell and market yourself. Remember, YOU are the product with a variety of skills and experience that need Promotion through your CV. Ensure the Price is right by targeting yourself at the correct salary levels. Getting this marketing mix correct will enable your CV to open doors into the right Place.
Why is a CV needed?
CVs and application letters are the first thing employer judges you on
Use it as your very own advertisement
It gives you less than two minutes to create the right impression
Where do you start?
Assemble the facts and chronologically list the information you need included in your CV. It wont be perfect at the first attempt but you can improve your CV over time.
What details should your CV include?
Personal details
Name, address, telephone numbers (home and mobile), e-mail address
Education
Details of secondary and further education.
List schools, universities and dates.
Include all qualifications (GCSEs or O-Levels, A-Levels, Degrees)
List all grades.
Professional Qualifications
All qualifications achieved and (if currently studying) stages of qualification List dates of exams passed or next exams.
List all grades.
Work Experience
Present experience in reverse chronological order, i.e., current or last position first.
Provide brief details of the companies you've worked for i.e. names and type of business plus turnover.
State the dates of employment and include details of the job's key responsibilities and your key achievements within the role.
Ensure the detail is factual and quantitative. Future employers want concise and informative information that sells your skills to them.
Extra Skills
Detail all the systems you are literate in or have used previously, i.e. word; excel; accounting; graphics; etc.
Languages
List any foreign languages (basic; conversational or fluent).
Remuneration
Detail your current remuneration package.
Hobbies and Interests
Listing interests and hobbies provides a more personal profile for employers and shows what you do outside of work.
Final considerations
Make your CV look professional. Ideally, write it in Word and focus on clear consistant formatting.
Don't have unexplained gaps if you have been travelling - include the details. Time out is often a good discussion point.
Be concise: Try and make sure your CV is about 2 pages.
Short paragraphs and bullet points are easy on the eye and make the CV user friendly.
Covering letters
When applying for any job you should attach a brief letter (one page maximum). Unless the advert states otherwise a typed application letter is now the norm. Send this as an attachment if applying by e-mail and make sure the following style and content points are covered:-
Two standard letter conventions are that:
Letters beginning Dear Sir/ Madam must end with Yours faithfully
Letters beginning Dear Mr Williams must end with Yours sincerely
NB. Lower case s and f for sincerely and faithfully. Also, if you dont know the person you are writing to avoid first names.
Make a clear reference to the position, for example:- Re: Store Manager, Exeter KD4523
State that you are very interested in the role.
Briefly state why your skills are relevant to the role "as you will from my CV".
Thoroughly check spelling, spacing and punctuation.
Dont be informal, focus on being polite.
Always adapt your application letter to ensure it doesn't look like a one-size-fits-all letter of introduction.
