We are all aware how vital 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 information should you include and what should you leave out? We at AllEastbourneJobs want to aid you in improving your possibility of getting that ideal so here are hints for making the right first impression.

The Basics

We are sure you all know it's obvious but a Curriculum Vitae (CV) should on all occasions be typed to give it the best ease of read possible. It should also be excellently laid out. Consider how it looks on the page. There should be obvious headings and breaks between paragraphs. A prospective employer will likely look through loads of CVs for a job so they should be able to see the relevant information straightaway before short listing it for a additional thorough read through. A weakly laid out CV which is complicated to read will probably end up in the bin.

Personal Statement

The majority employers like a CV to commence with a personal statement as it allows them to see straightaway what you are about. What should this contain?

• Who are you and what have you been doing in your career? What have you liked about previous jobs?


• What do you want to do? List 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?

Ensure 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 may say:

' I am clever, hardworking and passionate about any challenges I take on. My careerup until now has all been decidedly customerfacing and I have found this to be very enjoyable. I have spent the last nine years in a sales environment and I find enjoyable the interaction 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 Make Money Estate Agents really enjoyed learning as much as possible about the procedural and legal aspects of the conveyancing process and felt that I took to it quickly. I am especially keen to take on a challenging role with opportunities to progress and train where possible. I am also extremely IT proficient and really like using computers as part of my working life.'

Education

The next section should be your education if it is especially relevant to the job for which you are applying. For example, if you have a degree in Marketing and you are applying for a marketing position then it is useful to state this first. However, if you feel your educational history is not especially relevant and you are applying on the strength of your experience then it is worth possibly putting your work history first.

Your education should be displayed in reverse order with the most recent education undertaken at the top. It is not necessary to go into great detail here, just 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 Act, you are not obliged to make any reference to your age and including dates from which your age may be obvious. Remember to include information of any additional certificates you might have achieved 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 state the name of the business and the period of time you were employed (this does not necessarily have to be dates but you should state for how long you were employed in that role). It is also important to state where the employer was based, e.g. Eastbourne. You should also clearly state what your job title was. Underneath explain succinctly what your job role was and your main tasks. This should help a potential 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 advisable to put your salary for each employment undertaken on your CV as this can cause an employer to make assumptions about your suitability for a position and make negotiating your salary, where applicable, harder. Similarly the same could also be said for putting your salary expectation on your CV.

Other Information

It is not uncommon for people to put a small amount of personal information, such as hobbies, on their CV. It is advisable to keep this to a minimum. You should, however, state whether you have a driving licence and whether you own your own car etc.

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 would like to it should be passport photo sized and professional in appearance.

Spelling and Punctuation

It is important that you ensure all spelling and punctuation are right. Literacy is often highly desirable to employers so use the 'Spell Check' option on your computer.

Second Opinion

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

Covering Letter

When applying for a position try to 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 useful to them (avoid repeating too much from the CV itself).

Each Job is Different

Remember that it is not necessarily 'one CV fits all', it is worth spending a few minutes checking your CV before each occasion you submit it to make sure it makes the best impact for each particular position. You may want to think about changing some information, particularly your personal statement, to suit the job description.