CV Writing Tips

CV writing tips for finance and legal professionals

The purpose of a CV is to secure an interview. Your CV should sell your achievements in about 30 seconds. An employer will have a number of CVs to look through so you need to grab and hold their attention.

The most important thing to remember when presenting your CV is that it is a flexible document that should be tailored to suit each application.

Assembling and writing your CV

When collating the information for your CV, question the relevance of everything that you include, and make sure that everything that you claim is true. Don’t leave any unexplained gaps when listing your experiences - show that you have travelled or been out of work for a period of time.

It is important that the first page of your CV excites the reader, and illustrates why you are the best person for the job. Make an impact and get your personality across by using appropriate adjectives and terminology.

Structure and Content

Include the following:

• Personal Details
  • Name, address, home telephone number, mobile, date of birth, driving licence
• CV Summary
  • A short paragraph highlighting your key strengths and abilities, which should be tailored to the job that you are applying for
• Major Achievements
  • List four to five of your major career achievements, quantifying them if possible
• Professional Qualifications
  • Include a chronological list of your professional qualifications and training
• Educational Qualifications
  • Include both university and school qualifications in chronological order
• Employment History/Work Experience
  • Start with your current or last employer and work backwards. You should provide the following information for each previous employer:
    • Name of employer
    • Nature of the business and turnover
    • Job title
    • Accurate dates of employment
    • Responsibilities and duties - explain where applicable in bullet points
    • Achievements - be specific
    • Reason for leaving in one line
    • If you have extensive experience, your early career can be described in less detail
• Other Experience
  • List any computer systems, software or skills you have
• Interests/Hobbies
  • List interests, hobbies and any sports you play, as well as any positions of responsibility held in any club or organisation
• References
  • State that references are available upon request

Top tips for formatting your CV:

• Always word process your CV
• Use appropriate headings and section breaks
• Use good quality A4 paper
• Keep your CV limited to a maximum of two pages
• Use bullet points to highlight information and keep sentences short
• Organising the information on your CV - make it as comprehensive and as easy to follow as possible
• Do not squeeze too much information onto the page
• Do not use a font size less than point 11
• Re-check spelling and grammar
• Never lie
• Do not include photographs
• Ensure that it is well presented, easy to read and visually pleasing

Covering Letter

A well-written covering letter will make your application stand out from the crowd. This is your introduction to your potential employer and is designed to complement your CV. A covering letter must:

• Be concise
• Outline the main points from your CV
• Sell yourself to the potential employer
• Convey a positive and confident attitude
• Avoid grammatical and spelling errors
• Be addressed to a particular named individual
• Highlight the specific job that you are applying for