What tips would you give people to write a great CV?

I'm sure a lot of us find the concept of writing a CV quite daunting, especially if you're not sure how to start. Or if you've got an outdated CV, or lots to include, it can be difficult to know how to structure it, and what's the most important things to include

So, what advice would you give people looking to write a great CV? And what are the common mistakes you think they should avoid?

If you're here looking for help, what areas are you unsure of? And what are you most concerned about, with regards to your own CV?

For those of you who already have a CV, and are looking for tips on how to improve it, check out the CV Help forum and get some more specific advice! :work:

Reply 1

Programstarter

Nice thread, thanks for starting it! I have some examples on how to write a killer CV.

1. Layout
Your goal here is to make sure whoever is reading your CV reads it all the way through (or at least, most of it). Three aspects to focus on:

Readability: This is an all-encompassing term that involves the design, spacing, font size and arrangement of content for maximum legibility. Disorganised sections, inconsistent spacing, margins that are squeezed too tight - you may think these are minor - but I think it's a representation of your professional self! Subconsciously it shows the amount of attention you pay into crafting a professional summary of YOURSELF, and if you can't even do a decent version of that, how can you do that for the hiring company? A sharp, neat and concise CV crafted specifically for the job is what hiring managers look for.

Objective statement: This is the first thing a recruiting manager reads after your contact information at the top, so make sure it counts and intrigues them to read the next line! It should be short and concise, maximum 3 (short) sentences long. It should describe your current role, field of experience and why you're the right person for the role. Yes, this needs to be customised for every single role you apply for, there's no one size fit all here.

Length: Your CV should be at maximum 2 pages long, with normal margins and a legible font size. So be concise, every word counts. Everything you write has to have a purpose to demonstrate why you're the perfect candidate for the job, if not, it shouldn't be there.

2. Education and qualifications
The next section is straightforward, it should be a short, brief and relevant. List your professional qualifications first (if any), then degree and name of educational institution, in reverse chronological order. It should be up to 3 items at maximum, so just list the recent 3, such as a CFA qualification (see here on how to state your CFA status), university degree and college results. You need most of the space for the next important section.

3. Experience
Here's the section to focus 80% of your energy on, where you list and describe your past/current roles, and what you actually did for that job. The problem is 90% of people write this part of their CV in a task-based format, highlighting things they did with loads of buzzwords - that's a lot of waffle with negative value.

Instead, be like the rare 10% that make it by writing what you've accomplished by stating what is the (measurable) impact of your work. My rate of interview invitation jumped upon making this change. You must prove that you're a great hire not only because you get things done, but you also deliver measurable results and are worth the investment.

So instead of saying " I did Task A, B and C for Project X", go for "I did Task A,B and C for Project X which led to PS15 million upfront savings". You know which is more impressive and convincing. Of course, that is not saying you should make up numbers or fake things you didn't do (never do that, we will know during the interview), but for every task you do, you'll now be more keen to find out why you're doing it, and what impact does it have.

Another example, even if you're a Powerpoint monkey (like me then), instead of saying "Research and prepare presentations for clients" which is task-based, I said "produced succinct marketing materials and clear explanations of complex products to target client audience". There's ALWAYS a purpose and value-add of what you're doing, no matter how menial it may seem, else why would be in your role if it's insignificant?!

Oh, and please, please avoid buzzwords like "managed teams" and "coordinated strategies," there are waffles that don't mean anything. Always focus on the results on what you did to demonstrate your value to your potential new employer.

4. Skills and achievments
Here is last section where you can list both work and non-work related skills, make it relevant to the job you're looking for though! It's meant to be a boost to your current work experience while show a little bit of your individuality through your achievements. It could be that you're very proficient at using Bloomberg, speak Chinese and Italian, or used to be tennis champion - use your judgment here. Just a few bullet points on this section will do.

Oh, don't forget to leave some space for "references available upon request" too! And make sure you found 2 willing references who has worked with you in a professional capacity for this ready.

5. Edit, edit and edit....
You never get it right the first time, there's a lot of revise and editing to craft your CV to be perfect for the role. Like writing, it's better to flesh out all your thoughts and ideas in one go, section by section, before rephrasing and cutting it down to what's relevant and most important to highlight. You'll get there after a few iterations.

Always, remember though, a good CV is just the first step. Even having a CFA qualification doesn't guarantee you a job because experience counts. You need to be awesome at interviews too to snag that job! But these are the magical ingredients for a successful job search, and the good news is you get better with more interview practice.

Reply 2

Smack

Volunteer Team

Mainly to understand that there is no such thing as a generic CV; it has to be tailored to the job you are applying to.

Students (and recent graduates) really ought to use their careers service to help them draft and create CVs. They're already paying lots of money to universities, so they should make as much use as possible of the services provided.

Different sectors may have slightly different norms with what they expect with regards to a CV (e.g. 1 or 2 pages, do you need a personal statement or not, etc.), so be careful about generic advice or transposing advice from one sector to another.