e-how: How do you write a Resume |
A Resume or C.V. (Curriculum Vitae) is a brief overview of your work history, experience and qualifications. A good resume is vital when looking for work and is worth spending time getting it right!
You must understand that there is no perfect template, each resume will be different dependant on the person and the job. However, according to several experts, there are a set of basic rules on how a resume should be written and what it should contain.
Your resume should:
- Be neat (preferably typed).
- Be short, usually no more than two sides of A4 paper.
- Be positive. You should emphasise your achievements, strengths and successes.
- Make a good first impression.
Your resume should include:
- Personal details including: name, address, phone number, email addresses (if you have one). Note: Due to age discrimination rules, you no longer need to include your date of birth
- Career history, putting your most recent job first (Including dates). If you don’t have much work experience, you could include any temporary or voluntary work
- A personal profile which shows off your qualities, skills and experience, tailored towards the job you are applying for. You should include positive words such as ‘confident’ and ‘adaptable’ etc.
- Achievements from previous jobs. (Make sure these are relevant to the job you are applying for
- Qualifications and training from previous jobs e.g. First Aid training, Health & Safety certificates etc. (Put in most recent first)
- Interests. List only those that are relevant and may support you application e.g. activities which highlight relevant skill and responsibilities
- Any other information, such as reasons for a career change or reasons for gaps in career history, such as caring for children or elderly relatives.
- References. It’s good to have two or more people who can provide a work or personal reference. Ideally, one should be your most recent employer. If you haven’t worked for a while it could be someone who has known you for a long time.
The Directgov website has resume example templates for you to download. Click on the links below (Requires Acrobat Reader):
Each resume needs to be tailored towards your own skills, experiences and your job application.
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