Career CV

Your CV is your "advert" to sell yourself to an employer.

What is a CV?

• CV stands for "Curriculum Vitae"
• Curriculum vitae is Latin for "Life Story"
• A CV is a formatted version of one's master experience document

What to Include in a CV

A CV should at least include the following:

• Your personal information
• Your work experience
• Your skills
• Your education
• Your personal profile and interests
• Your references

Your Personal Information

Personal information should include name, address, telephone, and email. I will suggest you put this information at the top of your CV and make it look like a letterhead:

Save other personal details for a later paragraph.

Your Work Experience

List what you have done - most recent work experience first.

Include a short job description and your responsibilities:

Make sure your work experience is on the first page of your CV. This outlines your skills and selling points. Additional information should be added later.

Your Skills

Skills are best described with a list.

List your skills - most important and relevant first.

Don't forget to include responsibilities. Responsibility is a very important skill.

Your Education

Education is best described with a list.

List what you have studied - most recent education first.

Don't forget subject options, special project, courses, or diplomas.

Your References

List only a few names - like a teacher from your place of study, and a superior from a work situation - and make sure they can easily be reached and are willing to give you a good reference.

Your Personal Profile

Your personal profile should include additional information about your age, status, interests and other relevant information that can produce a positive picture of your character. I will suggest you put this in the last paragraph of your CV.

Employers will be interested in this paragraph because it reveals your character, but be careful. Don't overdo the description of your interest and don't describe interests that might distract your job. If you are coaching a football team, don't count the number of wins. Let them ask you about details in a later interview if they are interested.