| Your CV is an invaluable mechanism for creating a | | | | and grammatical errors cannot be stressed enough. |
| positive impression to organisations that you are | | | | Despite wide agreement that spelling, punctuation and |
| interested in working for: it is the foundation on | | | | grammar must be perfect when writing a CV, almost |
| which their perceptions will be based, so it is | | | | half of the survey respondents regularly encounter |
| important to take the time to make sure your CV | | | | this type of error. |
| contains everything that is needed in order for the | | | | This suggests that applicants are either over-familiar |
| recipient to decide that they would like to invite you | | | | with their own CVs having spent a lot of time |
| for an interview. | | | | compiling them, or are over-reliant on spell-checkers. |
| Your CV serves as a special kind of autobiography, | | | | The simplest way to avoid submitting a CV containing |
| offering a short written account of your | | | | these types of mistakes is to ask someone else to |
| achievements and experience. To make it as | | | | read over it. |
| effective as possible, imagine yourself in your | | | | Tailor your CV to a specific role: |
| potential manager’s place and think about the | | | | Tailoring your CV to a particular role will generate a |
| skills and qualities they may wish to invest in and | | | | much more positive response from employers than |
| why. You can then organise and present the | | | | mass-mailing a standard CV to a large volume of |
| information in your CV in a way that is most likely to | | | | recipients, according to NES recruitment consultants. |
| interest potential employers. | | | | In the survey, 50% of consultants cited failure to |
| Easily avoidable errors are common among the CVs | | | | tailor a CV to a specific role as something they most |
| put forward by engineering personnel, according to | | | | frequently came across. While this relates primarily to |
| the results of a recent survey by specialist technical | | | | permanent or long-term expatriate positions, |
| and engineering recruitment firm, NES. The company, | | | | contractors should tailor their CVs according to the |
| which places technical, engineering and IT personnel, | | | | specialist area of the organisation for which they |
| has issued five top tips for maximising the impact of | | | | would like to work. |
| a CV, based on the errors identified: | | | | Explain gaps in work history: |
| Pay attention to the layout of your CV: | | | | According to the same survey by NES, large gaps in |
| The way in which you present your CV requires | | | | work history were also cited as frequently |
| careful consideration. Over 70% of the recruitment | | | | encountered among technical and engineering CVs. |
| consultants questioned in the survey by NES cited a | | | | Almost half of NES recruitment consultants said that |
| poor layout as one of the most commonly occurring | | | | this acted as a deterrent to hiring managers. |
| errors made by candidates when composing their | | | | People who leave gaps in their work history leave |
| CVs. | | | | employers with no alternative but to question why |
| Uniformity, clarity and flow of information are | | | | they have done so. By explaining that you spent time |
| particularly important when you bear in mind that an | | | | travelling or had a career break, you will eliminate the |
| employer only needs to look at a CV for a few | | | | need for this: seemingly fragmented careers are |
| seconds before deciding whether or not to continue | | | | unlikely to create a positive impression; although with |
| reading it. | | | | contract roles, greater potential for career gaps |
| Information should be presented under clearly labelled | | | | means that it is only necessary to explain significant |
| sections, with education and employment history | | | | breaks in continuity. |
| documented in reverse chronological order – with | | | | Document the responsibilities of previous positions: |
| the most recent position first. Contact details should | | | | The fifth most frequently encountered CV error, |
| always be clearly visible at the top of the CV. The | | | | according to over a third of respondents, was failure |
| most effective way to present your CV is with bullet | | | | to list the responsibilities of a role. NES advises |
| points, bold headings and underlining. These simple | | | | candidates to be specific and, wherever possible, tie |
| methods can achieve a clear and structured style. | | | | in responsibilities to achievements. The company |
| Check (and double-check!) for spelling and | | | | insists that, when composing your CV, there is no |
| grammatical errors: | | | | time for modesty: self-promotion is imperative. |
| The importance of checking over your CV for spelling | | | | |