Curriculam Vitae Tips

Resumes and CVs are tools used to introduce job seekers to potential employers. A resume is a relatively short listing of a candidate's qualifications, employment history and achievements. Resume basics tend to dictate that this marketing tool favor brevity, although resume styles can vary. CVs, on the other hands, call for more details about a candidate. Here are some tips which will be helpful to prepare a prefect CV to impress the employer

Some curriculam vitae tips

Pay attention to presentation of your CV

Before you start, choose the right structure for your CV. Have a look at an example of a Graduates CV. You will need to write an attractive, targeted CV with evidence of particular interest(s) in the position you are applying for.

Make it look good

Don't get too fancy, don't go over the top with colors and graphics. Make your CV as tight and simple as possible. Clear, attractive presentation is also important if your CV is to stand out. Ensure that it's uncluttered, with key points easy to spot. Use bullet points and keep the sentences relatively short. Plenty of 'white space' around the borders and between each section keeps the document easier on the eye, avoid using flashy fonts and paper. Your CV is a formal document. Chose a formal and legible font like Verdana, Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri.

No 'CV' or 'Resume' at the top

This is absolutely unessential.A recruiter knows that the document he/she is reading is a CV, and does not need to be informed of the same. Moreover, it occupies prime real estate on your CV, space that you could have used in a better way.

Do not use 'I', My, 'He', She

Use the "third person" 'I's are assumed, for example use 'Captained the school football team' rather than 'I captained on the school football team'.

Keep it short and clear

The most important information, such as your key skills and recent experience, needs to be near the top, where it can be seen immediately. Sections you usually need to include are your Profile, Achievements, Experience, Special Skills (languages / computers), Education, Training, and (if you wish) Interests. Your CV should normally be two pages in length (unless you have a very long career span or have a lot of projects).

Most recent first

Put your employment history in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent first. Avoid leaving any gaps, so if you've had time out for some reason, do mention this. Don't go into detail about positions you held over 10 years ago. Include details of holiday or temporary work only if it's relevant to the job you're applying for.

Include facts

List your job duties beneath each position. List your achievements, responsibilities and results You should demonstrate a practical application of what you have studied, such as any project work or work experience preferably with an employer. what difference did your presence make? Use numbers for achievements wherever possible, e.g. "Boosted sales by 20% in first year".

Leave out unnecessary details

Any details that do not help a recruiter recruit you are unnecessary details. These include sex, passport number, father's name, mother's name, etc.

Contact details

Provide your contact details at an obvious place (preferably at the beginning of the CV) as recruiters will want to contact you if they shortlist your CV. If they are not able to find your contact details, they might move on to the next CV. These contact details should be of a place where recruiters can talk to you and not your father, mother or friend.

Use a formal e-mail address

Many students create 'funky' e-mail addresses in college but remember that your CV is a formal document. So make sure that you send your CV from a formal e-mail address which is preferably an amalgamation of your first name and last name.

Avoid spelling mistakes and grammatical errors

Always check for errors. Run a spelling and grammar check and ask someone else to read it for you. Else read it aloud. The employer isn't going to believe you're a good communicator if your CV is full of mistakes. Spelling and grammatical mistakes in your CV convey a lazy and "I don't care" attitude to recruiters. At times they may even put you in an embarrassing situation. So, proofread your CV well before you send it to a prospective employer. Use the past tense for previous jobs and the present tense for your current job. Also, make sure to use the same tense throughout your CV to make it read well.

Adapt it

You don't have to use the same CV every time. Update it regularly, You can have two or three versions, each for a different kind of job. Or you can tailor your CV to suit the job you're applying for. A CV cannot be a case of one size fits all. Also be sure to send a covering letter. Unless the advert tells you not to, always send a covering letter which is specifically tailored to the job at hand. This should highlight two or three areas of experience from your CV that are most relevant to the advertised job.

Expected CTC

This is a controversial point as some people feel that mentioning an expected CTC helps the recruiter decide whether or not to call you for an interview. In this case to the freshers is not to mention expected CTC in your CV unless you are specifically asked for it. Let the recruiter see you first and form an opinion. This gives you a chance for negotiation as well.

References

Provide references when you are asked for them. Do not include them in the CV

Be truthful

Tell the truth and avoid exaggeration although you obviously want to present yourself well, don't go too far and embellish the truth. It can easily backfire on you.

Check the CV

Read your CV again check it twice and see if you have made any of these mistakes. Prune them out to reach your final CV.