Write a C.V That Gets Results

By Accordingtoamber @sgwennu

Getting a job in the UK at the moment is no easy feat I can tell you. Youth unemployment is apparently at an all time high and so the competition for the best  jobs is higher than ever. So surely, there isn't much you can do to help your chances in getting a job, right? Wrong. 
Employers are busy people these days and so you'll likely meet them for the first time at your interview, if you get one that is. Getting yourself an interview all depends upon how well you've made yourself sound on those annoying pieces of paper that we call CV's or resumes if you watch too many American TV shows. And it's not a complete game of luck. 

So What Can You Do To Make Yours Stand Out?I've worked in retail for years, and in the last two job' I've had, I've been given the task of weeding out CV's when we've been advertising for staff. I have a felling that I was only given this task because I'm an English student and a bit of a grammar Nazi, but it has certainly taught me the dos and don'ts of CV writing over the years!Tidying up your CV shouldn't take you more than half an hour if you already have one written and saved in My Documents. If you're applying for a job this summer, or thinking of getting a job this September when you go to college or university, this is definitely for you. 

  • Don't put CV or 'Curriculum Vitae' at the top. This isn't a school report, I know it's a CV - you're applying for a job right?! It's a pet hate of mine, and it's more writing that you just don't need. Clean and simple wins the race guys.
  • Have a professional e-mail address. No one, and I mean no one, is going to employ 'lazylaura345@hotmail.com' or 'weed4lyf@gmail.com' No kidding, I have seen almost those exact email addresses on submitted CV's. You just lost yourself a job at the first hurdle.
  • Have a short and to the point opening paragraph. I do want to know a bit about the person I'm potentially employing, but I don't want to know how you take your tea and toast in the morning. Say whether you're in school/college or not, whether you drive, mention if you want a  full time job or just something for the summer. Things I actually need to know. By all means chuck in that you enjoy cycling or whatever, but this isn't the time to say that you are always going off to take part in events or that you travel alot. I wont employ you if I think you're going to be wanting time off every other week.
  • Don't take up too much space with 'education'. It really isn't necessary. Say where you went to school, what you studied and what grades. That's it. All I'm really looking for is if you passed English and Maths, the rest is just filler.
  • Use Bullet Points. The trick with a CV is to fit the most information possible into the smallest space possible. The longer your paragraphs, the quicker I will get bored and the higher the chance that you will miss grammatical and spelling mistakes when editing. Save us both the trouble.
  • Font. Something standard and not too small (or large.) Go for an 11pt or 12pt and I usually use Calibri or Veranda. 
  • Spelling and Grammar. This is the first thing that will get your CV tossed in the bin. Even if you failed all your exams under the 'Education' header, but you have a nicely turned out and grammatically correct CV, you're in with a chance of a job. It doesn't just show us that you can spell, but it shows that you have attention to detail, a sense of pride about your work, and that you know how to use spell-check in MS Word.

So what exactly do I need to include?Right, I need contact details for you so that I can get in touch. I want to know whether you're looking for full or part time work, permanent or just over the summer. I also want to know whether you have any other commitments like children, school or college. Mention what you studies in school and what grade you had. List where you have worked in the past. More Tips For an Awesome First Impression

  • Write a short covering letter to go with your CV, and present it with your CV in an envelope addressed to The Manager. You'll be taken much for seriously if you take yourself seriously. 
  • When you go to hand in your CV, be dressed smartly. Be dressed how you would turn up to work on your first day if you didn't have a uniform, or else if you are still in school, go in your actual school uniform!
  • Attract attention to your good points. This is something for your covering letter. Point out previous experience which is relevant to the job you're applying for. 

A quick read-through of your CV to make sure it's coherent is usually all that's needed. Make sure you aren't saying too much, which is nearly always the problem, and you should be fine!Happy job-hunting!Do you have any job-hunting or CV tips? Have you been told you have an awesome CV? Comment away below!