You are here: Home » Careers » How to write a CV

How to write a CV

 

Once you’ve got all the information you want to include on your CV, you’ll need to decide how you want to lay it out. Here’s some tips:

  • use plain English – including fancy words will make it harder to read. You want the reader to be able to pick out your good points easily.

  • Stick to one font – again, it’s harder to read if the style looks too busy! You can always use bold to highlight certain bits. Avoid using the fonts which look like handwriting or are very curly.

  • Use a font size that’s easy to read (no smaller than 10 point)

  • make your CV follow a logical sequence so that the reader doesn’t have to go backwards and forwards.

Here’s an example of one way you could set your CV out;

  • Personal details

  • Education (school/college you went to)

  • Qualifications

  • Career history

  • Interests

  • Referees

What’s the right length? Most people say that a CV should be two pages long. If you’re just starting out, it might be hard to fill two pages, so don’t try. Employers would much rather have a one page CV which tells them what they need to know without any extra padding and waffle.

Useful links

Directgov has useful tips to help create your first CV (www.direct.gov.uk/en/YoungPeople/Workandcareers/Gettingyourfirstjob/DG_066151) and a resource for creating your CV online (http://www.cvbuilder-advice-resources.co.uk//).

| Help & Accessibility |
| Medway Council Website |