Dos and Don'ts of Setting Out a CV

What Information Should be Included on a Professional Resume

Sep 26, 2008

Writing a Curriculum Vitae can seem a daunting task, but it helps to keep in mind the words of Bing Crosby and just "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative".

In Britain it's known as a CV, in America a Resume, but it all boils down to the same thing -- a concise history of skills and experience used to inform and, hopefully, impress a prospective employer.

Many companies offer a professional resume service, and several computer packages also exist to help in the creation of a high quality CV. Such assistance can be a tremendous asset, and will certainly help with presentation, but the bare bones of information will still need to be prepared by the client.

Essential Information for a CV

This is usually set out under a heading such as "Personal Information". Additional personal information can include:

It is a matter of personal choice whether any of the above information is included or not. It is not essential information, but can be useful.

It is also becoming increasingly common to begin a CV with a short, punchy personal profile statement. This should succinctly sum up skills and achievements. It is not a detailed section (there's plenty of space to elaborate later) but it should aim to grab the reader's attention.

Example of a Personal Profile Statement

“A highly proficient team player with excellent interpersonal skills, a reliable, dedicated attitude and an analytical approach to problem solving. Responsible for implementing procedures that improved customer base by over 20% last year.”

Ideally, with a statement such as the above, the client will be able to give examples later to back it up. For instance, how the company increased the customer base after the client introduced a recommend a friend initiative. Such examples can be mentioned in Previous Employment.

Other Sections of a Professional CV

CVs also usually contain a combination of the following sections, often introduced by a bold or underlined sub-title:

It is essential that information is presented in an accurate, easy to read fashion. CVs can be laid out in many different ways, but the most important thing is that it they are easy to read. Employers do not have time to sift through and accidentally discover relevant information, so make sure the most important facts are highlighted.

How Long Should a CV Be?

A CV should be no longer than two single sided A4 pages. There are several ways to condense information if it's hard to keep to this limit. A simple line at the bottom of the CV that says "References available", can help reduce space. Also, it is not essential to title your CV "Curriculum Vitae". Other than that it's just a case of choosing information carefully. Every CV should be targeted at the specific job being applied for, with all skills and experience mentioned worded with that in mind.

Even if a CV is just being sent out on spec, still think of it as a foot in the door. It does not have to contain vast amounts of information, but what it does contain should be carefully tailored to appeal to the prospective employer.

Is it Acceptable to Embroider the Truth? Doesn't Everyone Tell White Lies on a CV?

A CV should present all information in the best possible light, so it's not advisable to dwell on acrimonious work history, but neither is it acceptable to lie. Many companies will double check facts and figures quoted in your resume, so make sure they're correct.

However, don't worry too much about the exact start and leave dates of jobs from tens of years ago. Don't just make it up, but remember that the further back in time work history on a CV goes, the less important is the need for absolutely precise dates.

It's still worth noting that if there are gaps in your work history, employer's will want to know why. It's much better to be up front and honest. People who lie on their CVs will find it difficult to remember specifics at an interview, and imagine how excruciating it would be to get called on it then?

In short, focus on the positive and try to put a glossy spin on any negatives, but don't lie.

Further reading: Check out the great advice on Suite101's Writing Resumes topic.

The copyright of the article Dos and Don'ts of Setting Out a CV in Writing Resumes is owned by Michelle Strozykowski. Permission to republish Dos and Don'ts of Setting Out a CV in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.