Your CV
Remember: you will only get invited to a job interview if you write a solid CV describing your work history! Employers reject as many as 75% of candidates based on a poorly prepared CV!
A good CV is the most successful way of winning the trust of your future employer!
Professional photo
Tips
- It is not a requirement to include a photo with your CV. You may want to include one if you want to give your CV a more personal look and stand out from other candidates.
- Make sure the photo you attach is professional as it will create the first impression about you. A professional photo should be clear and have a natural backdrop, and you should be wearing formal clothes in subdued colours and a classic hairstyle. The photo should show your face, not the whole figure. A smile will slightly warm up your image. Note that a selfie is absolutely unsuitable for a formal document.
Peronal datas
Tips
- Provide your first and last name, telephone number, address and e-mail address, making sure you spell them correctly. The employer will try to contact you, so this information is very important and must be legible. If you come from a different place than where you are currently looking for a job, it is a good idea to provide both addresses.
- Make sure you have a professional-looking email address. A simple email address featuring your name and surname looks best. Adding any extra information such as your year of birth, nickname or pet name will not look good. Similarly, using an email domain such as @kissme.com or @fantasyfans.com will not look professional.
- Make sure to only include key information about yourself in the initial section of your CV. Your employer will not be interested in your maiden name or marital status.
Education
Tips
- Provide the names of the schools and universities attended in chronological order. You don’t need to list all stages of your education, only those where you learned things that could be important for the position you are applying for.
- It is very important to describe your education, especially if you are applying for a position that will rely on the knowledge you have acquired. Employers are more likely to hire candidates with specialist knowledge in the field. If you graduated with honours - mention it.
Professional experience
Tips
- List the names of the companies you have worked for in chronological order.
- Present your achievements based on specific facts, which will allow the potential employer to assess how hiring you for the position is likely to benefit them.
- The successes and professional achievements you describe should be relevant for the job you are applying for, in line with the specific industry. Items on your list should only concern your specific functions and responsibilities in previous places of work.
- The work experience you put on your CV can also include volunteering, internships and even odd jobs. It is best to list the tasks and responsibilities you performed in detail, suggesting what they taught you and what skills they helped you acquire.
- Other experience such as community service, sports achievements or memberships of organisations - write about your achievements outside of school and work in areas such as sports, volunteering, grassroots organisations etc. This kind of experience can be very helpful in showing your competences and skills.
Skills
Tips
- Break down your skills into: soft, hard and sensory-motor skills. Soft skills are personal competences which have to do with your personality (such as good coping with stress or time management skills) as well as interpersonal skills (ability to persuade and motivate others or teamwork). Hard skills include specialist competence, motor knowledge in a specific field or industry, as well as all practical skills such as programming languages, very good Photoshop or Office suite skills, Category B driving license etc. Sensory-motor skills are the skills related to your senses as well as your physical, manual abilities. Examples include good fitness and health, perceptiveness, good articulation etc.
- In this section, it is a good idea to include skills that you actually have, but also with special emphasis on ones that were mentioned in the job post (and you have them). As a result, a recruiter looking through your CV will know you are the candidate they are looking for.
Interests and hobbies
Tips
- Don't underestimate this section when compiling your CV. Leaving it blank or giving a general answer (e.g. my hobbies are books, sports and music) is not a good solution. Elaborate on your description to include the specific subject of the books you like to read, the sports you are most interested in and your favourite music genre or artists. The employer will pay more attention to people with passions and diverse interests, but you have to make it easier for them.
- It would be best if your passions and interests had something to do with the position you are applying for.
EUROPASS
If you are applying for a job in the European Union, use the general CV template available on:
Tips for writing a CV
- Before you get down to writing your CV, do some reading and gather the necessary information. Ask your career counsellor, teacher or someone else who is knowledgeable about these things. Your CV must look and be written in a professional and appealing way!
- Do not copy ready-made templates available on websites as this shows the lack of creativity, a trait every candidate for a job should have.
- Choose a format that is interesting and easy to read. If you are applying for a position that requires special creativity, work on a unique design. Even the texture of the paper and the type of font you use matter.
- Plan more time to work on a really good CV template, as it may come in handy on a number of occasions in the future. Keep in mind that a compelling and convincing CV is your fastest and most effective tool in getting an invitation to an interview!
- List your work experience in reverse chronological order (place your most recent experience first).
- Check for spelling mistakes as they will disqualify your CV in spite of all your hard work on it. Read it carefully to make sure everything you wrote is important and you did not forget anything. The employer will only know as much about you as you say in your CV.
- Get to know your reader - find out what the company you are applying to does, who will read your documents, what department you are applying to and so on.
- Make sure that everything you write is true (it will most likely be checked) and all your descriptions and statements are justified.
- A personalised CV is the best way to find your future employer. Match your CV to each specific job offer, highlighting your experience, skills, training and professional goal that may be of particular interest to the recruiter and your potential employer.
- Remember that a CV should be concise, so reduce items that may be irrelevant from the perspective of a specific recruitment process. On the other hand, do not try to fit everything on one page - if your experience happens to be more extensive, nobody will be surprised to see a CV that is 2 or 3 pages long.
- If there is anything else you want your employer to know that will have a positive impact on your application, put it in your CV.
- A well-written covering letter, which is a formal document, is also a good complement to your CV. A covering letter’s primary purpose is to provide a better presentation of the candidate against the background of other people applying for the same job.
How to prepare for a job interview?
- Practice the interview on your own or with a friend or family member. There are some simple ways you can practice (for example using flashcards). You can change into your interview outfit or make a video of yourself practicing for the interview to then see how you did
- Practice answering job-specific questions. Review interview questions for different professions, types of jobs, and types of interviews. Examples of the best answers to interview questions are available and they can inspire you to find ideas for your own answers.
- Practice interviewing with a career counsellor. This will give you feedback and guidance on how to improve your interviewing skills, so you'll be well prepared for the real interview.
How to get your first job after graduation?
- Start with places that are available to you as a student or recent graduate. Visit a career office and meet with a career counsellor. You can also use a career guidance service. A career counsellor can help you compile your resumes and covering letters, prepare for job interviews and develop a job search plan tailored to your interests. Look for job fairs organised by universities.
- Create a LinkedIn profile. Not only is it a great space for networking, but it also offers one more way of applying for jobs and connecting with recruiters and potential employers. You can also join any LinkedIn group of your university and reach alumni working in fields your are interested in. Even if you don’t have work experience, you can still use LinkedIn to highlight your skills, education, extracurricular activities, internships and volunteering opportunities.
- Join a professional group devoted to your field or industry while you are still studying, and become a professional member after graduation. Many such groups organise conferences where you can meet experienced professionals. They will often happily help newcomers in their field.
- Find companies you would like to work for and visit career sections on their websites. Some will list job offers for students or graduates
