CV Clinic
The workplace is becoming ever more competitive. Parents and Carers who have gaps in employment can be at a disadvantage so it is really important to have a great CV and Cover Letter
The aim of a CV is to get you in the front door and in front of that prospective employer for an interview or informal chat. Therefore it needs to be a brief, succinct and factual account of your employment history to date and qualifications. It is your opportunity to demonstrate what you have to offer the organisation. You also want let the Employer or Recruitment company know that you can do the job you have applied for and that you will fit in with the company's culture. Below is Working for Parents guide to creating a great CV. You will also find links to other organisations and further resources and articles.
Content
Don't simply type a chronological list of your working life, it is important to be focused on what is relevant to the particular job you are applying for. The Job Description and Person Specification will help you decide what goes into the CV and Cover Letter and in an order which is relevent. You need to read the Job Description and Person Specification carefully and taylor your CV as appropriate.
Please see example below:
- Your Name, Address, Telephone Number and Email Address
- Your Personal Profile
- Organisations and Recruitment Companies have a large number of CV's hitting their desk, so yours has to get the message across quickly and be eye catching. An eye-catching summary about yourself and your work experience will provide the recruiter with an idea of what you are looking for and will help your CV get noticed.
- Skills
- Five Bullet Points detailing your skills i.e. Self - Starter, Team player
- Employment history
- Starting with the most recent job and then working backwards, list your career to date. Include the name of your employer, the start and end dates and your job title. Try and quantify your achievements where possible and show what you accomplished in each position.
- Education, University and College, School qualifications do not generally need to be included once a person has been in employment for long period.
- Personal Interests, list only those about which you are genuinely enthusiastic or relate to the position you are applying for.
- Your CV should also be tailored to the organisation you are targeting. This may involve only changing a small part of the CV, but it lets employers know you are interested in the organisation and have carried out some research.
Appearance
Presentation is important. The easiest way for prospective employers to screen CV's is to find reasons to reject them. Poor presentation is one reason to reject your CV. Use the following information as a check list.
Do:
- Use clear, simple language and avoid using jargon unless relevant to the position.
- Use short, indented sentences in each part of the CV.
- Bullet point.
- Ensure it is fewer than two pages long.
- Ensure there are no spelling errors or grammatical errors.
- Use good quality paper.
Don't:
- Be too brief.
- Have a disorganised and inconsistent layout.
- Make it difficult to read due to poor typing or layout, Use correct font, no lower than size 12.
- Enclose a photograph, unless specifically asked for one.
- Include referees at this point.
- Give previous salary details or expected salary details unless requested.
- Be too artistic, unless you are applying for a job in the creative industries where this might be acceptable.
- Covering Letter, a lot of people tend to send only CV's without a cover note. This can be a mistake. In order to show you have made a real effort you need to write a relevant covering letter to accompany your CV. Your CV has taken a lot of effort to make perfect, however, it is general and formal. The cover letter is your only chance to really explain why you are right for that particular role and show a little of your personality.
Sample Chronological CV
Sample Skills based/Functional
The cover letter should:
- Be addressed to an individual or Recruiter.
- Explain why you want to work for them and why you are applying for that particular role.
- Summarise key points on your CV to fit with the job for which you are applying.
- Be clear and concise.
Sample Cover Letter
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Candidates 
