What is a CV (Curriculum Vitae)? According to Longman: a short written document that lists your education and previous jobs, which you send to employers when you are looking for a job [= resume American English] According to Macmillan: a document giving details of your qualifications and the jobs you have had in the past that you send to someone when you are applying for a job. The American word is resume. What information should a CV include? 1. Personal details Normally these would be your name, address, date of birth (although with age discrimination laws now in force this isn't essential), telephone number and email. 2. Education and qualifications Your degree, subject and university 3. Work experience - Relate the skills to the job 4. Interests and achievements - Keep this section short and to the point. - Bullets can be used to separate interests into different types: sporting, creative etc. - Don't use the old boring cliches here: "socialising with friends". - Don't put many passive, solitary hobbies (reading, watching TV, stamp collecting) or you may be perceived as lacking people skills. If you do put these, then say what you read or watch: "I particularly enjoy Dickens, for the vivid insights you get into life in Victorian times". - Show a range of interests to avoid coming across as narrow : if everything centres around sport they may wonder if you could hold a conversation with a client who wasn't interested in sport. - Hobbies that are a little out of the ordinary can help you to stand out from the crowd: skydiving or mountaineering can show a sense of wanting to stretch yourself and an ability to rely on yourself in demanding situations. - Any interests relevant to the job are worth mentioning - Any evidence of leadership is important to mention - Anything showing evidence of employability skills such as team working, organising, planning, persuading, negotiating etc. 5. Skills The usual ones to mention are languages (good conversational French, basic Spanish), computing (e.g. "good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus basic web page design skills" and driving ("full current clean driving licence"). 6. References Normally two referees are sufficient: one academic (perhaps your tutor or a project supervisor) and one from an employer (perhaps your last part-time or summer job). The order and the emphasis will depend on what you are applying for and what you have to offer. What makes a good CV? There is no single "correct" way to write and present a CV but the following general rules apply: - It is targeted on the specific job or career area for which you are applying and brings out the relevant skills you have to offer - It is carefully and clearly laid out: logically ordered, easy to read and not cramped - It is informative but concise - It is accurate in content, spelling and grammar. If you mention attention to detail as a skill, make sure your spelling and grammar is perfect! Tips on presentation - Your CV should be carefully and clearly laid out: not too cramped but not with large empty spaces either. Use bold and italic typefaces for headings and important information - Never back a CV: each page should be on a separate sheet of paper. It's a good idea to put your name in the footer area so that it appears on each sheet - Be concise: a CV is an appetiser and should not give the reader indigestion. Don't feel that you have to list every exam you have ever taken, or every activity you have ever been involved in - consider which are the most relevant and/or impressive. The best CVs tend to be fairly economical with words, selecting the most important information and leaving a little something for the interview: they are an appetiser rather than the main course. Good business communications tend to be short and to the point, focusing on key facts and your CV should to some extent emulate this. The longer and more dense your CV is, the harder it is for an employer to comprehend your achievements. As Mark Twain said: “If only I had more time, I would write thee a shorter letter” - Be positive: put yourself over confidently and highlight your strong points. For example, when listing your levels, put your highest grade first - Be honest: although a CV does allow you to omit details (such as exam resits) which you would prefer the employer not to know about, you should never give inaccurate or misleading information. CVs are not legal documents and you can't be held liable for anything within, but if a recruiter picks up a suggestion of falsehoods you will be rapidly rejected. An application form which you have signed to confirm that the contents are true is however a legal document and forms part of your contract of employment if you are recruited. Page 1 of CV for Alex Bucksheath ALEX BUCKSHEATH 14, Wychurch Road, Canterbury, Kent. CT2 7SJ. Tel. 01227 - 764521 email ab999@kent.ac.uk Nationality: British Female Personal Statement A graduate with strong communication and organisational skills gained in nursing, now seeking to move into HR as a trainee manager. Skills Communication *As Ward Sister it was important to be able to communicate with a variety of staff ranging from cleaners to consultants *Working with patients and their relatives requires the ability to communicate complex medical information and to handle difficult situations with tact and sensitivity *Presented my degree project on "The Impact of the Corn Laws in Kent" as a Powerpoint presentation at a History Society seminar as well as in writing. Planning/Organising *As Ward Sister managed a team of nursing and support staff, which included organising staff rotas and prioritising tasks. Also managed patient admissions, liaising with staff in other departments and other hospitals *As Secretary of History Society responsible for booking speakers and promoting events *My degree project required work to a tight deadline, researching in local archives and managing a database *Bringing up two children while working and studying has required flexibility and the patience of a saint! Teamwork *Worked as part of a team on a busy ward, sometimes under great pressure. Here flexibility and initiative were essential *The Psychology module of my Access course involved a group project where I worked with three other students investigating the effect of returning to work on women's self-esteem. Responsible for co-ordinating interviews and qualitative analysis of interview transcripts. Our project was awarded the highest grade of any in that year *As an office temp it was necessary to fit into a team immediately and to pick up information quickly. Training *As Ward Sister was responsible for the training and induction of new nursing and support staff; *Helped children improve their maths and reading as a volunteer classroom assistant at my children’s primary school Computing *Good knowledge of MS Word, Access and PowerPoint *Designed a web page to support our village heritage project Page 2 of CV for Alex Bucksheath Education BA (Hons.) History, University of Kent, 2010 to 2013 Achieved 63% in Second Year Examinations. Expected Result 2:1. Canterbury College, Access Course, 2008-2010 Subjects included History, Sociology and Psychology, in which I achieved 83% in my final examination. William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent, 1987 - 90 State Registered Nurse Training Course Including study of anatomy, physiology, diseases and treatment, ward mangement and practical nurse training Surbiton High School, 1981 - 1987 5 O-Levels including English, Mathematics, Science. Work Elite Nursing Agency, Canterbury, 2001 - present Part-time Nurse, whilst raising my family and studying for my degree Canterbury Hospital Ward Sister 1997 - 2000 Responsible for patient care, clinical procedures, administrative duties and staff training and development while in charge of a busy surgical/medical ward with a 4-bed critical care unit. 1988 - 1995: Nurse, then Senior Nurse - Canterbury Hospital Working with a multi-disciplinary team on a variety of wards Other jobs have included temporary office work and waitressing. Additional Information Married with two children aged 9 and 12. Full, clean driving licence. Referee Dr. I.M. Bright Senior Lecturer, Keynes College, University of Kent at Canterbury, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NP Email: I.M.Bright@kent.ac.uk Tel: 10227 827006