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Writing my first CV....little guidence needed

Hi there. So im writing my first CV today while i've got free time and so its prepared for uni and i need a little help. I've looked at various templates on the internet but theres no way of knowing what the best choice is.
Im really good at writing in general (eng lit student) but i want to make this reaslly good. At 18 i know im a little late to be starting but i haven't needed one for either of my previous jobs.

I've made myself a list/plan of what i really need to include and think would be effective but im unsure of format (bullet points or prose? organisation , what goes with what?). These topics are as follows:
-Personal Details :name,DOB , contacts
- formal qualifications and informal awards (for example i was A-level sociology college student of the year).
- Previous Job History ---+ i need to work in that i have done voluntary work , does this go here , perhaps in a concise paragraph with loose details of my placements?
-Key skills :such as computer literacy , interpersonal skills etc.
- Personal paragraph: detailing my motivations , my career interest (i think i would talk alot about my less formal childcare experiance here cos those are the sorts of jobs i'd go for).
- Bullet points or paragraph on hobbies and interests. ( but should this go with the previous paragrpah
- Referees : at the end.

Is this an appropriete order for these headings? Any thing i've missed?
What do you think? Suggestions...hints?

Sorry for such a long post.

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Reply 1
LizzyLizzy
Hi there. So im writing my first CV today while i've got free time and so its prepared for uni and i need a little help. I've looked at various templates on the internet but theres no way of knowing what the best choice is.
Im really good at writing in general (eng lit student) but i want to make this reaslly good. At 18 i know im a little late to be starting but i haven't needed one for either of my previous jobs.

I've made myself a list/plan of what i really need to include and think would be effective but im unsure of format (bullet points or prose? organisation , what goes with what?). These topics are as follows:
-Personal Details :name,DOB , contacts
- formal qualifications and informal awards (for example i was A-level sociology college student of the year).
- Previous Job History ---+ i need to work in that i have done voluntary work , does this go here , perhaps in a concise paragraph with loose details of my placements?
-Key skills :such as computer literacy , interpersonal skills etc.
- Personal paragraph: detailing my motivations , my career interest (i think i would talk alot about my less formal childcare experiance here cos those are the sorts of jobs i'd go for).
- Bullet points or paragraph on hobbies and interests. ( but should this go with the previous paragrpah
- Referees : at the end.

Is this an appropriete order for these headings? Any thing i've missed?
What do you think? Suggestions...hints?

Sorry for such a long post.



I can send you mine if you like to copy format from... Tis fairly good.
Reply 2
That would be really lovely if its not too much trouble.
can any one help me write my CV i have a prob the only work experiance i have done is my trident work experiance with school. does this matter? also how should u lay out a cv my looks well just throwen together please can any one help me

thank u
Reply 4
random_dude_66
can any one help me write my CV i have a prob the only work experiance i have done is my trident work experiance with school. does this matter? also how should u lay out a cv my looks well just throwen together please can any one help me

thank u


I just put on my schools work experience, if your only going for a part time job they don’t usually contact for past employers anyway, but encase they do just subtly mention its works experience ie write works experience instead of employment history and always tell them if they ask, but like I say is shouldn’t matter.

PS included is my first CV that got me my first job (with all identifiable info removed :wink: ) feel free to use it
What worked very well for my CV was that I quoted some of points made in testimonials from companies with whom I had done work experience.

A woman from a recruitment agency also agreed it was a good idea.
Reply 6
LizzyLizzy
Hi there. So im writing my first CV today while i've got free time and so its prepared for uni and i need a little help. I've looked at various templates on the internet but theres no way of knowing what the best choice is.
Im really good at writing in general (eng lit student) but i want to make this reaslly good. At 18 i know im a little late to be starting but i haven't needed one for either of my previous jobs.

I've made myself a list/plan of what i really need to include and think would be effective but im unsure of format (bullet points or prose? organisation , what goes with what?). These topics are as follows:
-Personal Details :name,DOB , contacts
- formal qualifications and informal awards (for example i was A-level sociology college student of the year).
- Previous Job History ---+ i need to work in that i have done voluntary work , does this go here , perhaps in a concise paragraph with loose details of my placements?
-Key skills :such as computer literacy , interpersonal skills etc.
- Personal paragraph: detailing my motivations , my career interest (i think i would talk alot about my less formal childcare experiance here cos those are the sorts of jobs i'd go for).
- Bullet points or paragraph on hobbies and interests. ( but should this go with the previous paragrpah
- Referees : at the end.

Is this an appropriete order for these headings? Any thing i've missed?
What do you think? Suggestions...hints?

Sorry for such a long post.



Since your work experience is likely to be minimal/non-existant, put your skills after your qualifications.

You dont need a paragraph on your motivations as this goes in a covering letter.
Reply 7
aalish
If anyone is interested in a more graduate-style CV, here's mine. It's a little out of date (I hastily touched it up a bit before putting it here), but you should get the general gist. I've removed any identifiable content.


Its too long. For non-graduates or recent graduates, one page should be sufficient, two at the max if youve got alot of significant work experience. Id cut those paragraphs into bullet points and save some of the material for a covering letter.
Reply 8
i have just posted mine in a seperate thread- take a look at that it may help :smile:
Reply 9
Wondered if someone might be able to have a quick look over my CV and give me some feedback? Could you PM me if you'd be willing :smile:
Jenn xx
Reply 10
JennLlama
Wondered if someone might be able to have a quick look over my CV and give me some feedback? Could you PM me if you'd be willing :smile:
Jenn xx


Go on then.
Reply 11
yeh i'd be willing to help JennLlama.

came across some good websites too. let me know if you would like them
Reply 12
:rolleyes: My computer is being a bit stupid about formatting today so here is my CV, formatted rather stupidly! Apologies - it looks fine on my other computer and does definitely fit on 2 pages, so please ignore formatting if it's silly :smile: Have removed the names of schools, etc.
Thanks very much.
Jenn xx
Reply 13
JennLlama
:rolleyes: My computer is being a bit stupid about formatting today so here is my CV, formatted rather stupidly! Apologies - it looks fine on my other computer and does definitely fit on 2 pages, so please ignore formatting if it's silly :smile: Have removed the names of schools, etc.
Thanks very much.
Jenn xx


hehe, I assume this is a template you plan on using?
Reply 14
Vienna
hehe, I assume this is a template you plan on using?

Ummm... no that's my CV! Is it that bad?! Like I said though, apologies for the formatting :redface:
Jenn xx
Reply 15
JennLlama
Ummm... no that's my CV! Is it that bad?! Like I said though, apologies for the formatting :redface:
Jenn xx


No, its a good start, I was just surprised to see a 17 year old doing a Masters.
This is the layout I've used on mine. My dad was very impressed by it saying it was so good that they would think I got help on it which I didn't (obviously mine has my info on it) but I have yet to get a job :frown: . I don't mind if you used the layout. You can alter it a bit if you don't like it, but it is a simplistic way of showing an employer what you have to offer them :smile: . Hope this can help someone not spend the hours I did thinking of ways to layout the bloody thing, CV's take forever :mad: .
Reply 17
Vienna
No, its a good start, I was just surprised to see a 17 year old doing a Masters.

Ah it's an MEng so it's an undergrad masters course. And I'm from Scotland so turned 18 in the January of my first year, which is a little more usual up there than down in England! Am a little unusual I must admit...!
Jenn xx
Reply 18
JennLlama
Ah it's an MEng so it's an undergrad masters course. And I'm from Scotland so turned 18 in the January of my first year, which is a little more usual up there than down in England! Am a little unusual I must admit...!
Jenn xx


Well its very impressive, I did something similar myself. I'll have a look at the CV and give you some comments later, otherwise Ill have to dust mine off again!
Reply 19
Vienna
Well its very impressive, I did something similar myself. I'll have a look at the CV and give you some comments later, otherwise Ill have to dust mine off again!

Thanks very much :smile: much appreciated.
Jenn xx

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