What Should I Include in My CV?

• Make sure your CV is clear and concise so that it is easy to read and understand.
• Ideally keep your CV to 2 sides of A4 paper.
• Avoid exaggerations and do not go over the top. You can oversell yourself!
• Honesty is definitely the best policy. Don’t forget you will have to expand on what you have written in your CV in an interview.
• Make sure that the CV you write conjures up the right image of you and your skills, capabilities and achievements. If you do not match the picture you have painted with your CV at the interview, then your application will not be taken further.
• Bullet points are useful to highlight relevant skills and experience and help break up long paragraphs.
• Don't mention things that you are bad at or say negative things about yourself in your CV.
• Explain any breaks in your employment i.e. periods of unemployment, maternity leave, and long term sickness.
• Focus on information which is relevant to the job you are applying for.
• If you are making a career change, stress your transferable skills to support your new career objectives.
• Be careful when you use abbreviations - they can be misunderstood especially if you are changing career.
• Ensure all dates are accurate.
• Check for grammatical and spelling errors as these will not give a good impression of your accuracy/attention to detail.