CV Writing
In the UK a (curriculum vitae) CV is a short summary of your skills, achievements, and experience which relate to the job that you want. It should only be 1 or 2 sides of A4 paper.
It is one way to promote yourself to an employer. A more popular way is the online job application. Please see our Online Job Applications page for guidance on completing an online application.
Contents
The CV writing process
Job Adver
Read the job advert for the role you’re applying for. Think about how your skills and experience match what the employer is looking for. You should make sure that your CV can meet the requirements in the job description of the job that you are applying for.Information collating
You will need all your personal information for your CV. This includes:- Qualifications and education history
- Employment history and volunteering experience
- Any training courses that you have completed
Layout
- Technical CV: This is used in professions like IT and engineering. This should detail technical skills and knowledge.
- Creative CV: This is used in creative and digital arts and can link to an online portfolio. It contains video or infographics.
- A standard CV lists your work and education history. You start with the most recent. This is the most common CV used.
- You can access the National Careers Service (NCS) website for further information on profiles and CV layouts.
- You can also use the free CV templates on Microsoft Word.
- You should use the style that is suitable for the role and industry to which you are applying.
Content
Contact details
You will need to provide details of how employers can contact you if they want to offer you an interview.
You should only include:
- Your name at the top of the page
- Your phone number which employers can reach you on during the working day
- Your email address – always use a professional-sounding email address. For example, [email protected] sounds more professional than [email protected]
- If you wish to, you can also provide a link to your professional networking profile. For example LinkedIn.com
Do not include your age, gender, date of birth, marital status or nationality. This eliminates unconscious bias from the employer. You can learn more about “What is recruitment bias and how can you remove it” in this article on Indeed.com.
Photo
In the UK, we do not include a photograph on a CV. This is to protect us under our anti-discrimination employment laws.
Personal profile
This is a few short lines that sum up who you are, your current situation and what you hope to do. It should go just under your name and contact details.
Think about the job that you are applying for and what the employer is looking for. Make your profile sound like you’re the right person for the job.
The personal profile is the only section that you change to suit the specific job and company that you are applying to.
Work history
This should include placements, volunteering and any paid jobs that you have had. You should list these with the most recent first. This includes:
- employer details,
- job title,
- dates you worked there, and
- what you did (usually two to three lines).
You should use active words to highlight your strengths and skills to describe things you have done. For example,
- I organised…
- I created…
- I built…
- I managed…
- I planned…
Give positive examples of your achievements rather than just listing responsibilities. Use the STAR method provided on the National Careers website to help.
Gaps in your work history
Please explain any gaps in your work history if you are comfortable to disclose them. You can give examples of skills that you have developed during the times you were out of work and how you got them.
If you’re applying for your first job, you can focus on skills that you learned through:
- projects,
- part-time work,
- work experience,
- internships and placements, and
- volunteering.
Education history
This includes:
- names of your qualifications,
- school, college or university where you studied, and
- dates you attended.
Hobbies, interests or achievements
Try to show the skills you have through your hobbies and interests. Focus on examples that show you have relevant skills for the job.
For example, if you are applying for a warehouse role then mention any physical hobbies that you might have like going to the gym.
This section of a CV is important if you do not have much work experience.
References
You can leave out the details of your references at this point or mention that ‘references are available on request’. This is your own personal choice. Please get the permission of your referees before providing their details to an employer.
Tips for writing a CV
When writing your CV, please remember to:
- Research the company and the job before you start.
- Choose a CV style that fits your situation or one that employers in that sector prefer.
- Always change the personal summary to suit the job that you are applying to.
- Use a clear font like Arial or Calibri, size 11-14 and always use the same style throughout.
- Use headings, bullet points and spacing to break information up to make it easier for the employer to read.
- Be clear and to the point and keep it to two sides of A4 paper.
- Get someone to look over it and double check your spelling and grammar.
Support
If you need support with your English, please contact your local charity and support groups through our Welcome Hub website.
North West Regional Strategic Migration Partnership (northwestrsmp.org.uk)
National Careers Service can further assist you
Careers advice – job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service website