The Dos and Don'ts of CV writing

In the world of recruitment and people being placed in their perfect job, it all starts with the CV. Here at Sellick Partnership, I proof-read and format all the candidates' CVs. Almost every day I am surprised by something I see. Don't get me wrong…I'm no expert on the art of writing a CV but, through doing this job, I have picked up some of the basic Dos and Don'ts…

DOs

Do SPELLCHECK and PROOFREAD! There's nothing more frustrating than seeing a CV with red squiggles all over it that the candidate has not bothered to check. Of course, Word is not always accurate and, sometimes, the squiggles have to be ignored, for example, business names and names of IT systems etc. However, any words that you're not sure how to spell, look them up…do not submit a CV with spelling mistakes, it's so easy to make sure they're right. Get someone to proof-read your CV; it's hard to notice your own mistakes because your mind fills in the blanks so a fresh pair of eyes is never a bad thing.

Do put your name on the CV (I know it sounds obvious but it's happened!). Make sure all the information the employer will need is there i.e. name, telephone number and e-mail address.

Do keep things concise. Get to the point you're trying to make quickly but using relevant information and avoid 'waffle'.

Do use bullet points to keep the information concise and readable. Avoid talking in long-winded paragraphs.

DON'Ts

Don't talk in the first person, i.e. don't use the word 'I'. Use concise and descriptive phrases to talk about responsibilities and achievements.

Don't get too personal. For example, it's not a good idea to talk in too much detail about your personal circumstances, i.e. having to leave a job because your 'girlfriend got pregnant'…that's really of no concern to the employer. Be discreet.

Don't put a photo on the CV. It may make your CV stand out…but for the wrong reasons!

Don't use fancy fonts and styles and odd formatting to 'make your CV stand out'. It's off-putting and takes attention away from what should really make your CV stand out...the content. Just keep things simple.