How to write a cvIt may seem weird to write a cv when you haven't yet had a job but a cv is simply a way for someone to quickly gain a picture of who you are, where you come from and what you are doing with your life.
There are some basic tips to help you with writing your cv 1. What to include The most important information is your name and realistic contact details (ie: how you can be most immediately be contacted if somebody wants to get in touch). At this stage in your life, it may be worth including a short statement about what you are aiming for/ why you are looking for work experience. Keep it very concise. Record your education to date. Where have you studied and what educational qualifications have you already gained? What qualifications are you currently studying for and where? If you have had any work experience or been employed - make sure this is recorded. You should state what the role was, where it was and underneath bullet point the duties/ responsibilities you had. Include extra curricular interests and achievements. If you are a member of a school society, part of a sports team, preparing to go the Gambia or Kenya, a prefect, involved in activities outside of school, holder of awards, preparing for your Duke of Edinburgh silver award or anything else - make sure it gets listed! This is a crucial way to show a prospective employer that you are a reliable, motivated, interesting and capable individual. You don't have years of job titles so it is important that you include as much as you can in this section. 2.. Keep it short and immediate Pages and pages of information is not a good idea. No-one has time to pore over your cv. Instead imagine a busy person glancing over your cv in a matter of seconds (3 to be precise) - can they get the most important information about you? What will stand out? Is it clear what you have been doing? You shouldn't need to go over a page of A4. 3. Word perfect please! Nothing will launch your cv quicker in the office bin than poor grammar, spelling mistakes and odd formatting. Make sure your cv is proof read carefully by you and then again by an adult. Print it out on good quality paper without any printer ink blots, smudges or other inconsistencies. 4. It's not a wish list Your cv should be a record of what you have done or are actually doing - not what you'd like to be doing or plan to do one day. 5. And finally... Be obvious. Simply writing 'Mertens House Mentor' doesn't tell your reader anything! So by all means give the title but then give precise details of what that role/ trip/ experience/ position involved. For example, 'Co-ordinated timetable of fellow 6th form students to provide homework assistance to 35 boys in Mertens boarding house'. Wow! Now your prospective employer is impressed! See the cv template on the right hand side for help with this. |
SO WHAT DOES A CV LOOK LIKE?
Download this template to help you write your cv. Remember formatting has to be exact and spelling perfect so be extra, extra fussy!
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