Ensure Your Employability by Upgrading Design, Enriching Contents, Excellent Layout and Readability of Your CV ! Discover Tips, Tricks and Insights Those Really Work!!
However, depending on the field and where you’re applying for a job, the meaning of “CV” may vary.
CV definition
CV stands for curriculum vitae, which is Latin for “course of life”. In the US and Canada, a CV is a document used by college professors, graduate students, and scientists to showcase their professional accomplishments and publications. As the name implies, your CV should be continuously updated throughout your life as your experience grows.
A CV outlines a person's academic and professional history which is usually used for applying for jobs. Why is it important to have a good CV? In most situations, a CV is the first contact you have with a prospective employer and it is your chance to make a good first impression.
Find in list of fields where you might need a CV:
- Academia: If you’re a researcher, professor, or student who does research in academia, you definitely need a CV (and we’ve included a sample for you at the end of this article!). That’s because so much of what makes you qualified depends on your research, where you’ve presented it, and whether you’ve kept up to date as an expert in your field. Note that college librarians often also need a curriculum vitae. However, if you’re applying to a job at a university that doesn’t involve research or teaching, you likely need a resume.
- Medicine: If you’re a physician, then you also need a curriculum vitae. Even if you’re early in your career or not actively researching, CV is still the preferred terminology and formatting for doctors. If you’re a nurse or medical assistant, the term curriculum vitae or CV may still be used in job listings, but is likely there because the same organizations often hire physicians. You probably need a resume instead.
- Law
- Administration
- Research and Development
- Consultancy
- Contact information
- Research objective, personal profile, or personal statement
- Education
- Professional academic appointments
- Books
- Book chapters
- Peer-reviewed publications
- Other publications
- Awards and honors
- Grants and fellowships
- Conferences
- Teaching experience
- Research experience, lab experience, or graduate fieldwork
- Non-academic activities
- Languages and skills
- Memberships
- References
If you have an extensive career history, you’ll want to focus on the last 10-15 years of your work experience.
In this case, you can structure your CV as follows: Contact details, Personal Statement or Profile, Work Experience, Education, Skills, Professional Certifications, Professional Development, Training or Courses (if applicable)
As the focus will be on your skills and accomplishments, a combination/hybrid CV format is best where you list your experience in reverse chronological order and at the same time highlight the skills acquired in each position as well as the outcomes you achieved.
No experience CV Sequence
When you created or wrote something...
Acted, Adapted, Combined, Composed, Conceptualized, Condensed, Created, Customized, Designed, Developed, Devised, Directed, Displayed, Entertained, Established, Fashioned, Formulated, Founded, Illustrated, Initiated, Instituted, Integrated, Introduced, Invented, Modeled, Modified, Originated, Performed, Photographed, Planned, Revised, Revitalized, Shaped, Solve.
When you were a research machine...
Analyzed, Clarified, Collected, Compared, Conducted, Critiqued, Detected, Determined, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Examined, Experimented, Explored, Extracted, Formulated, Gathered, Identified, Inspected, Interpreted, Interviewed, Invented, Investigated, Located, Measured, Organized, Researched, Reviewed, Searched, Solved, Summarized, Surveyed, Systematized.
When you managed a project or group...
Accomplished, Administered, Advanced, Analyzed, Appointed, Approved, Assigned, Attained, Authorized, Chaired, Considered, Consolidated, Contracted, Controlled, Converted, Coordinated, Decided, Delegated, Developed, Directed, Eliminated, Emphasized, Enforced, Enhanced, Established, Executed, Generated, Handled, Headed, Hired, Hosted, Improved, Incorporated, Increased, Initiated, Inspected, Instituted, Led, Managed, Merged, Motivated, Navigated, Organized, Originated, Overhauled, Oversaw, Planned, Presided, Prioritized, Produced, Recommended, Reorganized, Replaced, Restored, Reviewed, Scheduled, Secured, Selected, Streamlined, Strengthened, Supervised, Terminated.
When numbers and figures are your thing...
Administered, Adjusted, Allocated, Analyzed, Appraised, Assessed, Audited, Balanced, Budgeted, Calculated, Computed, Conserved, Controlled, Corrected, Decreased, Determined, Developed, Estimated, Forecasted, Managed, Marketed, Measured, Netted, Planned, Prepared, Programmed, Projected, Qualified, Reconciled, Reduced, Researched, Retrieved.
When you creatively brought an idea to life...
Acted, Adapted, Combined, Composed, Conceptualized, Condensed, Created, Customized, Designed, Developed, Devised, Directed, Displayed, Entertained, Established, Fashioned, Formulated, Founded, Illustrated, Initiated, Invented, Modeled, Modified, Originated, Performed, Photographed, Planned, Revised, Revitalized, Shaped, Solved.
When you helped with a project...
Adapted, Advocated, Aided, Answered, Arranged, Assessed, Assisted, Clarified, Coached, Collaborated, Contributed, Cooperated, Counseled, Demonstrated, Diagnosed, Educated, Encouraged, Ensured, Expedited, Facilitated, Familiarized, Furthered, Guided, Helped, Insured, Intervened, Motivated, Prevented, Provided, Referred, Rehabilitated, Represented, Resolved, Simplified, Supplied, Supported, Volunteered.
When you needed to explain technical expertise...
Adapted, Applied, Assembled, Built, Calculated, Computed, Conserved, Constructed, Converted, Debugged, Designed, Determined, Developed, Engineered, Fabricated, Fortified, Installed, Maintained, Operated, Overhauled, Printed, Programmed, Rectified, Regulated, Remodeled, Repaired, Replaced, Restored, Solved, Specialized, Standardized, Studied, Upgraded, Utilized.
When you were the teacher...
Adapted, Advised, Clarified, Coached, Communicated, Conducted, Coordinated, Critiqued, Developed, Enabled, Encouraged, Evaluated, Explained, Facilitated, Focused, Guided, Individualized, Informed, Installed, Instructed, Motivated, Persuaded, Simulated, Stimulated, Taught, Tested, Trained, Transmitted, Tutored.
A good CV or resume can provide numerous benefits, such as:
- Increases your chances of getting noticed: A well-crafted CV or resume can help you get noticed by potential employers and increase your chances of getting invited for an interview.
- Showcases your qualifications and skills: Your CV or resume can highlight your skills, qualifications, and experience relevant to the job you're applying for, helping employers understand how you can add value to their organization, which would help you to make a good resume
- Makes a positive first impression: Your CV or resume is often the first impression that a potential employer has of you. A professional-looking and well-written document can create a positive first impression and set the tone for the rest of the hiring process.
- Demonstrates your achievements: A good CV or resume should not only list your responsibilities but also highlight your achievements and contributions to previous organizations. This can demonstrate your ability to take initiative, solve problems, and make meaningful contributions to a team or project.
- Tailored to the job: A good CV or resume can be tailored to the specific job you are applying for, emphasizing the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. This can show that you have taken the time to research and understand the organization's needs and demonstrate your interest in the job.
- Boost your self-confidence.
- Prove your knowledge.
- Show teamwork skills.
- Make your application stand out and leave a lasting impression.
- Make your interview process more effective and efficient.
- Improve your employability.
- Exposure to the world through Personal Details.
- Showcasing Skills and Experience.
1. Avoid providing irrelevant personal information
The personal details you are expected to include on your CV will vary in different countries. It is important to consider what information you are sharing with employers. In the UK, avoid a CV with a photograph, date of birth, nationality and marital status.
2. Burying important information
Your CV will have little time to impress. The recruiter will look at your CV and think ‘Why should I interview this person? What will they bring to the organisation?’
Make relevant information stand out on your CV. This could be through some information in bold and persuasive language i.e. action words and achievements.
3. Spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors
Always double-check the spelling on your CV. Ensure you are writing in the correct tense and if you are using the third person, stick to it throughout the document.
4. Unexplained gaps in employment
Having unexplained gaps in your employment history raises questions. It makes recruiters indecisive.
5. Lying or misleading information
Recruiters can spot information that does not stack up. For example, they are always on the lookout for inflated:
- Qualifications
- Salaries
- Job titles
- Achievements
Employers are conducting increasingly vigorous background checks on candidates.
6. Adding references to your CV
You may be thinking, “What? Why not? References in a CV are surely standard practice?” References are generally requested further along in the recruitment process, so there’s really no benefit to adding them to your CV, and they just take up value space.
7. A long, waffly CV
Keep your CV concise and to the point. It should be no more than 2 pages of A4 unless you are applying for an academic / research post.
8. Badly formatted CV
These days your CV will most likely be read on-screen before it’s printed off. If indeed, it is ever printed. Therefore, format your CV so that it is easy to read on a screen.
Stick with fonts such as Calibri or Arial at font size 11 or 12. Use italics, bold text and colours sparingly and avoid borders and boxes as these can all distract from the content.
If you upload your CV as a Word document, the employer could have a different version, and this could make the document looked poorly formatted. Uploading a PDF can be more reliable.
9. Meaningless introductions
An opening paragraph that says everything and nothing at the same time is not going to do it.
Ditch it.
In its place, consider crafting a short, simple and benefits-focused headline about yourself.
For example, “Senior Librarian with 10 years’ experience of managing online resources in the health sector.”
That will do nicely.
10. The ‘So What’ CV
To give yourself the best chance of it actually being read, make sure that it ‘looks right’. Make sure that it is not too long, that it is laid out correctly, is properly formatted and so on.
Making sure you do not do the CV ‘no no’s’ simply gets you to the first base. Whilst this is an achievement in itself if your CV does not convince and persuade then you have again wasted your time.
Your CV has to sell you.
Words To Avoid On Your Resume
Choosing overused business jargon can weaken your resume. Using plain, clear language that explains how you have delivered value is much more effective.- Bottom Line
- Buy-in
- Core competency
- Ecosystem
- Move the needle
- Synergy
- Thought leadership
- Value add
- Wheelhouse
Q. How toMake a good impression through your CV?
Impression is important in today’s competitive job market. Your CV will be your first contact with employers so it’s essential to get it right.
- A mistake-free CV says you’re professional and care how you come across (ask a friend to read it through)
- Don’t just write out your job description; say how you made a difference at work, or describe a project from college
- Different jobs require different strengths: a little research can help you highlight relevant strengths for a specific role
- Bullet points make it easier to scan for key skills
- Keep it short: no more than two pages
- Don’t leave gaps: if you’ve had time to travel or care for a relative, say what you learned from the experience.
Comments
Post a Comment
"Thank you for seeking advice on your career journey! Our team is dedicated to providing personalized guidance on education and success. Please share your specific questions or concerns, and we'll assist you in navigating the path to a fulfilling and successful career."