CV ADVICE
itWork out
So you’ve created a stunning introduction to your CV, listed your skills and included all your education and qualifications. What’s left? Your work experience of course. Peter Panayotou advises
T
here are two main factors to consider when including work experience in your CV: the fi rst is whether to separate
the relevant from the non-relevant; the second is to focus on the job descriptions themselves.
Is it relevant? If you have work experience that is relevant to your targeted career, it is best to list that separately from any non-relevant work experience. It is important to make this distinction so the potential employer can see you have placed the emphasis on the
experience you wish them to focus on rather than listing everything chronologically, as is the usual convention. This means it may be necessary to create two employment sections: ‘Relevant Experience’ and ‘Other Employment’.
Where did you work? When listing the details of each position, there are four main pieces of information you need to give: what was the job title, who did you work for, when did you work for them, and what did you actually do. Generally speaking, the job title should come fi rst. It makes sense to give this priority, as your actual role is more likely to be of interest than the employer’s name. With dates, be as accurate as you can. You need to list the start and fi nish date for each position, and include month and year if possible.
What did you do? Job descriptions need not be a comprehensive list of tasks – remember that your CV is only a summary – so only give the reader as much information as is necessary to provide an accurate picture of what you were doing. Remember that the role itself is not always refl ected in the job title, so you may need to explain the nature of the work involved. Mention actual tasks and duties, not just vague responsibilities. For example, “providing a high standard of
customer service” will not do. But “promoting sales, demonstrating products and assisting customers with their queries” might provide a more accurate description.
Presentation Finally, it is always good to consider the way your job descriptions are presented. Generally, it is best to write your tasks, duties and responsibilities as a list of bullet points. Try to avoid solid paragraphs of text where possible and break down each sentence into individual bullets. This not only improves the appearance of your CV, but is easier to read. Also, think about how your bullet points are worded. A good rule of thumb is to try and use an ‘action’ word to begin each bullet, which should deal with an individual task or duty. Examples of ‘action’ words are: developed, implemented, managed, assisted, facilitated, monitored, planned, etc. These give the impression of a dynamic, proactive employee, and not just someone carrying out mundane tasks.
About The Write Stuff Peter Panayotou will be on the CV clinic at The National Graduate Recruitment Exhibitions in London on the 7 & 8 October, and Birmingham on the 28 & 29 October. Visit
www.gradjobs.co.uk to register.
Autumn 11 |
GradJobs.co.uk | 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66