CV Formatting - The Inside Track
How to get the most out of your CV, to make sure it stays out of the trash and to make it easier on the eye.
Online, September 8, 2009 (Newswire.com)
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Many people make the mistake of having a massive CV. This guarantees you two things.
Any information that the reader wants will not be found and therefore it will not be read.
There are various mistakes, but here's the inside track on what to avoid and how to make your CV stand out, without being considered flashy.
Size
Any more than three pages and you're in trouble, unless you've been asked to submit a CV for a very specific role.
Two pages is best, but be aware of "spillages" from one page into another. Each page should end and begin as separate parts of your career history.
Contact Details
Whatever you do, get yourself a decent and formal email address. There's no easier way of giving the wrong impression with an inappropriate handle.
Content
Don't assume the reader knows all about your employers so best to follow the format below.
Name
Contact details
Career Summary
Career History
Dates
Company (website if appropriate
Your Job Title
Brief overview of company followed by your initial role and your current role.
Bullet your responsibilities but make sure that each one has an outcome or demonstrates a positive impact your work has done.
Repeat for each relevant employment.
Gaps
Don't leave gaps in the CV, but address them if you were away, unemployed, at college, but a gap suggests a lie which gets the document in the bin!
References
Don't mention contact details of your referees, ideal is "Excellent references available on request" but if you're in a small industry this is a chance to name drop whilst still retaining control of the reference check as without contact details, they'll have to go to you.
In future articles I'll address each point in more detail but feel free to get in touch for specific questions that you may have.
mynewcv.ie is one of the leading CV and Resume writing organisations in Ireland and provides clear directions and advice to our clients. We help you get the interview, you get the job.
Ruadhri McGarry is Managing Director of mynewcv.ie and can be contacted on [email protected].
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