How to Write a CV From Scratch
As a student, your CV is your most important tool - think of it is the key to your future. This is why it is so important to get your CV right and to effectively and quickly communicate all of your best skills and attributes to potential employers.
Start with having a master CV and tailor it to each job you are applying for so that it really is selling the best of you. If you’re stuck on how to begin crafting your CV, here are some top tips on what to include and how to format it.
How and where to present your information
1. Your personal details
Your personal details should be included at the top of front page of your CV. Include your name, a professional email address and phone number. You may also choose to include a hyperlinked URL to your LinkedIn profile. Stay away from providing information that might create an unintentional bias like date of birth, suburb, gender etc. Also avoid selfies and unprofessional pictures.
2. Your profile
Your profile should be a short paragraph that outlines your career objectives and what you could add to the role in question. It should be meaningful and and should be tailored to each job application so that you can sell how your experience matches the requirements of the role.
3. Your education
Under your profile should be your education. Here you should list your education (qualification, year, school and GPA) and any noteworthy academic achievements in reverse chronological order
4. Your work experience
Next, you should list any work experience or internships you’ve had. Be sure to add in your position title, dates of employment (including the month and year) and a brief description of the company. Use bullet points to highlight your main responsibilities, achievements and the skills you gained. Again, these should be tailored per job application and be in reverse chronological order.
5. Volunteering and Community Involvement
Next, list any community or volunteering networks that you belong to that may boost to your application. Show how you are being proactive, add volunteer work, social projects and how you are tapping you’re your passions and getting real life experience. This is especially good for those that are new to workforce and have limited work experience.
Formatting and style
Hiring managers look through hundreds of CVs, so it’s important that yours is professional, easy-to-read, and is free of spelling and grammar errors. Aim for 2-3 pages in length and be succinct and selective about what you include.
Keep your CV slick and professional by opting for a clean and simple font. Focus more on content and less on style and use bold font or headings to break up your roles.
Remember: your CV will accompany your covering letter where you will have more room to elaborate and express your personality. Therefore, keep your CV concise, clear and professional.
Good luck!
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