TIPS FOR BUILDING YOUR CV

When you’re applying for jobs you will usually need a Curriculum Vitae or CV. Sometimes called a resume, a CV is basically a summary of your skills, achievements and education. (Curriculum Vitae is Latin and translates roughly as ‘the course of your life’.) Of course it can be challenging to sum up your fabulous life on a couple of A4 sheets. To help out here’s a list of the basics you should include. Keep it simple and to the point and check, re-check and check again to make sure there are no typos!

• Your name – no surprises there
• Your contact details - address, phone and email (make sure your email address is appropriate for the situation – if your current email is not, think about creating one that is. Same goes for your voicemail message)
• Education – where do you go to school, what year are you in?
• Availability – when are you available to work?
• Experience – what have you done before now? Include details like job title, company name, when you worked there and a brief list of your responsibilities in the role. The usual format is like this:
  • Position, Company
    Month and Year began – Month and Year finished.
    • Responsibilities
    • Responsibilities
    • Responsibilities
    • Responsibilities
  • Computer Proficiency – less how awesome you are at CS:GO, more how awesome you are with word processing, design programs, video editing or coding.
  • Awards & Achievements – how awesome you are generally. Maybe you were on the SRC, received an award for community service, won a creative writing competition or have been a member of your local surf club for 4 years. List it all here.

Use this handy CV builder to get you started

Your CV is usually accompanied by a cover letter. Try these tips for writing a killer cover letter

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