How to Create a Winning CV Your essential guide to building CV and cover letters.

Employers will use your applications to decide whether you will be invited for

interview. If you are submitting a CV, application, covering letter or portfolio,

your applications are a critical part of job hunting success.

For more support visit Careers in The Base on

Alexandra Square.

Drop-in and receive CV feedback, information

advice, queries and questions

- no appointment needed (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri –

10-12, 2-4pm)

Visit TARGETconnect to book an appointment with an advisor or attend a CV

workshop:

careers@lancaster.ac.uk 01524 592767

What is a CV?

A CV is a summary of your professional experience which is part of every job application

and, if done right, it should attract future employers and secure an interview. With this

in mind, it is essential to have a well presented CV that highlights your skills and

achievements in an easy to read format.

A CV should be tailored toward the role you are applying for and contain information that

is wholly relevant to that position. You can find out what is needed by using the job

description and person specification. If these are not available, you can use the internet

and other resources found on the last page of the guide to help you understand the key

skills required for various roles.

Essential Content: All CVs must contain:

Contact details – full name, phone number and email address (consider including your LinkedIn address if you have one);

Education – all previous education, listing the most recent first. Include any professional qualifications;

Work experience – this can be internships, voluntary roles or previous jobs. Add the most recent/relevant positions and examples of tasks.

Skills – for example, the ability to work in a team, manage people, customer service skills, or specific IT skills;

You do not need to include your date of birth, nationality, gender or a photograph of yourself.

CV Language: Language should be professional and skills focussed. Where possible, avoid using a list of duties.

Highlighting skills that are specific to the role as well as transferable skills will have greater impact. Try

to avoid over using ‘I’ and steer clear from large blocks of text. Make it as easy as possible for

employers to see at a glance what you have to offer.

Presentation: CVs should be clear, easy to read and have a consistent style throughout. Use of headings and a clear

font will enable you to highlight key pieces of information to an employer. Using bullet points can be

really effective.

Make a good first impression! 50% of CVs are rejected due to bad grammar and spelling;

76% of CVs are rejected due to an unprofessional email address;

55% of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on

their social media profile.

Skills-Based CV orChronological-Based CV:

Your CV can be organised in whichever way suits

your situation best. See the Example CV template

for ideas.

If you have little experience but want to showcase

your potential, you may choose to make more of

the skills section and move that section above your

employment/experience section. The key is to

ensure that the things that are most relevant to

the job you are applying for are nearer the

beginning of your CV. As a graduate, your recent

education is likely to be very important if you are

applying for graduate schemes. However, if it is a

while ago since you graduated, and you have

acquired other skills and experiences through work

or travel which are directly relevant to the role,

you may find that your education section comes

further down your CV. Everyone’s CV will be

different and uniquely tailored to the role you are

applying for.

One page or two? Sometimes there is confusion about whether to

create a one or two page CV. Most companies are

comfortable with and expect a 2 page CV. The

main exceptions to this are sectors such as finance

or IT where there may be a specific requirement

for a one page, skills-focused CV. Your technical

skills will be the most important aspects to

highlight in these situations. Academic CVs and

Medical CVs maybe much longer and there will be

other expectations about what should be included.

If unsure, check with the company you are

applying to or speak to a careers adviser.

How creative can I be? A traditional format CV might feel a bit plain and

you may be tempted to make it look more

interesting. However, avoid creating a document

that makes it harder for the employer to read. If

you are applying for a role with a strong, creative

element, you may wish to use your CV as a way of

demonstrating your creative flair. This is fine as

long as you keep the main principles of creating an

easy to read document firmly in mind.

You might also want to create a video CV. The

Careers team also has information to help you

make a Video CV.

Providing Evidence: Once you have identified the employer’s

requirements, you need to provide clear evidence

on your CV that you have the skills, experience and

knowledge they are looking for. Employers look for

relevant transferable skills e.g. communication,

team work, commercial awareness, problem

solving etc. They may also be looking for technical

or specific specialist skills: e.g. laboratory

techniques, specialist IT/programming languages,

project management, or knowledge/research

specific to the role.

The recruiter is likely to have a shortlisting pro

forma to complete when assessing your

application. Some large recruiters use software to

scan CVs as part of the initial sift where the

software is programmed to detect key words as

found in the job description and person

specification. You will need to provide evidence

that you have the skills you claim to have.

For example:

Avoid: “In my role as … I developed

communication skills, time management skills and

team working skills.”

This is a vague statement that doesn’t tell the

recruiter how effective you were in using these

skills or how you actually used them. You need to

provide more information. For example: Who did

you communicate with – customers, public,

managers, children? How effective were you and

what difference did your communication make?

Consider using the elements of the

STAR Model to evidence your

experience.

The STAR Model: Situation: What was the situation?

Task: What task were you required to carry out?

Keep it brief, but specific. Information detailed in

your job title/employer often provides this context.

Action: What did YOU do? What actions did you

take? Use active language. Avoid ‘we’ when

referring to teamwork; focus on YOUR

contribution.

Result: What was the outcome? What impact did

your contribution/action have? What was

improved? Qualify and quantify where you can.

*TOP TIP: For extra impact, also reflect on

any insights gained or what you learnt

from the experience.

Be specific: Avoid overuse of general descriptive

words e.g. various, some, many, lots, several. Instead

quantify your achievements: if you met a target give

the numbers; if you delivered presentations say how

many; if you raised money say how much.

Use active language: See table for a list of active verbs that you could

use in your CV. Important: to be effective, use

them carefully and in context. Quantify your

examples too. For example:

“Enterprising Politics student with 6 months’

intern experience in business management.”

“Co-ordinated a team of five students, delegating

the workload in an engineering design project

which was awarded a first class mark.”

“Spearheaded a marketing campaign for a charity

ball raising over £1500 for charity; twice the

amount raised last year.”

Covering Letters: A covering letter should be no more than one side

of A4. This is your opportunity to link your

personal skills and attributes to the key criteriathe employer is seeking. Focus on why you want

to work for the company, why the job appeals to

you and why you are the right candidate for the

role. See the next page for an example cover

letter.

Powerful dynamic verbs to demonstrate your skills and qualities:

Leadership Skills: Coordinated, Planned, Oversaw, Directed, Operated, Organised, Motivated, Administered, Delegated, Supervised, Directed Co-ordinated, Motivated, Led, Managed, Represented.

Problem Solving & How you made something better (don’t forget to quantify!):

Customised, Integrated, Overhauled, Redesigned, Consolidated, Decreased, Reduced, Upgraded, Streamlined, Strengthened, Improved, Increased, Generated, Saved, Delivered, Resolved, Transformed, Doubled, Edited, Refined, Visualised.

Team Work skills: Volunteered, Collaborated, Supported, Facilitated, Participated, Co-led , Assisted, Mentored, Encouraged, Forged, Energized, Balanced, Fostered.

How you take the initiative: Engineered, Implemented, Launched, Pioneered Spearheaded, Established, Initiated, Created, Designed, Developed, Devised, Introduced, Volunteered, Suggested, Hypothesised, Showcased.

Shared knowledge or taught someone: Facilitated, Coached, Informed, Advised, Clarified, Empowered, Enabled, Guided, Trained, Tutored, Demonstrated, Mentored, Instructed, Disseminated.

Analytical/data handling skills: Analysed, Assessed, Evaluated, Reviewed, Researched, Interpreted, Discovered, Identified, Interviewed, Investigated, Audited, Budgeted.

Organisation and planning skills: Arranged, Co-ordinated, Organised, Planned, Maintained, Prepared, Scheduled, Revised, Processed, Produced, Classified, Prioritized.

Communication skills: Authored, Briefed, Composed, Conveyed, Documented, Presented, Persuaded, Advised, Promoted, Edited, Clarified, Listened, Summarized, Explained, Suggested, Mediated.

Ability to influence others: Negotiated, Mediated, Persuaded, Presented, Liaised, Encouraged, Promoted, Guided, Influenced, Interviewed, Critiqued, Officiated, Recommended.

Achieved something: Mastered, Nominated, Achieved, Awarded, Selected, Won, Attained, Earned, Outperformed, Exceeded, Showcased, Surpassed, Succeeded.

Customer Service Skills/Interpersonal Skills: Convinced, Influenced, Built Rapport, Proposed, Supported, Negotiated, Valued, Publicised, Assisted, Demonstrated, Familiarised, Resolved, Promoted.

Your personal qualities: Enterprising, Adaptable, Resourceful, Proactive, Experienced, Practical, Versatile, Driven, Dependable, Hard-working, Ambitious, Accomplished.

Jo Jones

Use your name as a heading, do not use ‘CV’.

Your contact details inc. address, 45 Any Street, Lancaster, LA1 1AB email/ mobile number.

Use a professional email address.

Profile

4-6 lines to summarise1) who you are 2) yourkey skills (that shouldmatch the onesemployers in the jobsector you are applyingfor are looking for) and3) what you are lookingfor.

The profile might be the only thing an employer reads; it has to capture their attention. Think of it as your trailer; just as a film has a trailer (with all the best bits to encourage you to watch the film) this is your trailer to entice the employer to read more!

A highly motivated, multilingual, 2nd year English Literature student at Lancaster University who welcomes challenges and working under pressure. Proven skills in working with and motivating others to achieve targets. Seeking an opportunity to further develop skills and gain experience through a placement in the …………………… sector.

Education In reverse chronological order; the most recenteducational achievements starting with your present one Lancaster University Sept 2019 – June 2022

BA (Hons) English Literature (Currently on track for 2:1/ First) Relevant modules include: List some modules that have some relevance to the job role or perhaps ones you have done particularly well in (aim to keep to 2-3 lines max).

Show how your degree is relevant to the job

Any Town Sixth Form College Sept 2015 – June 2017 A levels: Maths (B), German (A), Geography (A).

Anytown High School Academy Sept 2010 – June 2015 8 GCSEs A*-C incl. Maths (9) and English Language (8);

Experience Pay attention to your formatting- make sure it is neat and all in line

TESCasda, Marketing Assistant Sept 2015 – Aug 2017 Conducted market research and analysis projects for all the Group’s businesses; food, bank,insurance, funerals, travel and pharmacy.

Disseminated customer insight through initiatives such as creating a Customer Strategy newsletter,producing standard customer summary reports, presenting research back to internal clients.

Designed and constructed the department’s web pages increasing the ease of colleagues locatingcustomer insight information.

Consulted with and presented to senior personnel and the board of directors.Collaborated actively with a small team to analyse the customer insight information in order to shapefuture marketing strategies.

Funky Fashions, Senior Sales Advisor Jan 2014 – Sept 2015 Provided excellent customer service in a large and very busy retail store.

Built strong rapport with customers to assess their needs and make suggestions.

Won salesperson of the week award after positive feedback from customers andbundled sales.

Developed interpersonal and sales skills as well as an understanding of how marketing translates tostore level.

Use bullet points that start with strong verbs and give some evidence of how effective you were in doing these things. See the Powerful Dynamic Verbs list to help you find words to clearly demonstrate what you did and how well you did it.

ABD Solutions, Office Assistant June 2013 – Jan 2014 Audited accounts under supervision of manager, enabling me to understand the importance of cash flow for making business decisions.Constructed client databases and updated filing systems, improving business efficiency.

Relevant Skills

o

This is an opportunity to highlight how you have developed and gained other skills that the job description asks for. Make sure you provide evidence, don’t just list skills.

Motivator and team player: Player and Coach for the Lancaster University Netball Team, developing team strategy and encouraged team members. Won 'Players' Player of the Year' award in recognition of my commitment to the team.Commercially Aware: Member of the Enterprise Team; developed and implemented a successful marketing strategy to promote the Enterprise Society, increasing membership by 25%

Leadership: Lancaster University Societies - several positions of responsibility:

Team Leader, representing Lancaster University in the NW Universities debating competition.Elected President of the Young Enterprise Group at school for which I was nominated for the regional Young Enterprise achiever of the year award by a consultant overseeing the scheme.

Supervisor and Influencer: Qualified as a netball referee up to county level and have refereed over 100 games over the last 5 seasons supervising, influencing and staying calm when making decisions.

Mentor: Course representative for my degree and mentor for several younger students on the course providing advice and support leading to increased confidence in their studies.

Competent knowledge across a variety of computer programs: Completed the IBT 2 (Information Business Technology 2) qualification on programs including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Access and trained in website construction and Microsoft publisher.

Event Organiser: Elected Event Organiser of Lancaster University Eco-life Society and organised various events, including concerts and treasure hunts to raise money for our chosen charity. During the year we raised nearly £2000 the highest yearly total ever.

Other skills and interests Show there is more to you than work and study – what else excites you – link it to the role.

Wall/ Rock Climbing: Completed instructor training and run 2 evening sessions a week foramateur wall climbers; evidence of my ability to communicate clearly and calmly with authorityand be attentive and observant during activities to ensure safety of all involved.

Musician: Active member of Lancaster University House Collective as guitarist and have beenproduction engineer. Confident to perform in public

Member of St John’s Ambulance: Have been a trained member of the large events teamproviding first response care for two years. Trained and mentored new recruits in first aidtechniques. Demonstrating my commitment to a cause and ability to share knowledge.

Driving licence: Full and clean

reqRefer

uesenc

t es available upon You do not need to provide names and contact details of your

referees at this stage. This statement is a good finishing point for a CV

o

Cover Letter Example Jo Jones, 45 Any Street, Lancaster, LA1 1AB, 15th February 2018

Your name, address and current date.

Ms. Joanna Green Lancashire County Council Social Services. County Hall, Preston PR2 1 TG

Full name and address

of organisation, even if

submitting online

RE: Trainee Social Worker.

A sub-heading can make it clear which role you are applying for, particularly if they have several opportunities available.

Dear Ms. Green, Addressing your letter to the hiring manager personally can be helpful.

I am writing to apply for the role of Trainee Social Worker that is advertised on the Lancashire County Council website. I am a recent Social Work graduate looking to begin a career supporting children and young people. Please find attached a copy of my CV which outlines how I meet the requirements of the role.

Introduce yourself, what you are applying for and where you saw the role advertised.

My studies have equipped me with the relevant theory and practice to pursue a career in social work. Through my NSPCC placement, I have had the opportunity to directly support vulnerable children and implement safeguarding and child protection practices. I am eager to take on this challenging career to make a difference to individuals and the local community.

Choose two or three key skills required by the employer and demonstrate your

knowledge/experience and any achievements, where applicable opportunities available.

Throughout my degree I have specialised in children’s social work, developing in-depth knowledge of the laws and legislation to protect vulnerable children. As a result, I have an excellent understanding of correct policy and procedure and its implementation in the workplace, including confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Research the employer and any key projects. Highlight why you are interested in working for them specifically.

Lancashire County Council Social Services has constantly been displayed as a beacon of support for children and families within the community. I have a particular admiration for the ‘Children inCare SIB’ project that has supported the most vulnerable young people within foster and residential care. My knowledge, skills and passion for supporting children and young people would make me a valuable addition to your team. Remind them why you would be a great candidate.

I would like to thank you for considering me for this opportunity and I look forward to discussing my application with you further.

Yours sincerely, Jo Jones

Dear Sir/Madam – Yours faithfully Dear Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss – Yours sincerely

CV Checklist: Here is a quick check to help you decide if your CV is up to scratch. It’s split into the main categories that

can be used on your CV. Tick Yes or No.

Circle yes or no for each item on the check list Yes No

Heading:Your name (not the words Curriculum Vitae) is in a bold format at the top of the page. Yes No

Personal contact details:Have you included accurate information so that you can be contacted easily?

Is your email address included and professional in nature?

Are your personal details spread over a maximum of 3 lines?

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Personal Profile/Career Objective Section:Does it clearly highlight key skills and experiences relevant to the role?

Is it between 4-6 lines in length?

Is it short, punchy, strategic, highlighting your current situation and outlining your future career plans (career objective) or outlines key skills and experiences (personal profile)?

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Education SectionDo the details have your course first and then work back? (reverse chronological order)

Do you include the name of each institution attended and start and end dates?

Do you give the full title of the courses e.g. intercalation degree?

Have you given details of your key achievements or relevant modules to show how your degree is relevant to the role

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Employment Section:Do you use subheadings to organise and differentiate between Professional experience and other work experience Do your details start with your most recent experience? Start and end dates are always given

You name the employer

You give some evidence using bullet points to show actions taken in the role/learning gained to show how relevant to the role applied for?

You give details of any particular achievements

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Other Headings - optional:Relevant skills - give full details and evidence of success in these areas too.

Teaching Experience – details with evidence of effectiveness

Developmental activities such as presenting at conferences, management and leadership courses

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

References:References upon request, unless specified. Yes No

:

Final Check:The sections of the CV are arranged in a way that draws attention to the important information.Your CV is well presented and easy to navigate around using logical headers.The font is professional looking and appropriately sized (10 minimum to 12 maximum).You have left a blank line between categories.

You have avoided long paragraphs of text.

You have avoided generalisation and have supported statements with specific examples. You have not used jargon or abbreviations that would confuse the reader. You have used phrases throughout that indicate your enthusiasm for the job.

Is error free?

Have you checked there are no gaps in your history?

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Would you want to read it? Yes No

If your score is

35-46

It suggests:

Your CV seems to be in pretty good shape.

21-34 Your CV could benefit from some further work and development.

0-21 A score in this range suggests that your CV may not be up to the standard expected.

CV self-assessment:

What works well.

Areas for Improvement.

CV and Covering Letter Support.

The Careers Service offers a range of CV and Covering Letter support to Lancaster University students and graduates, come in and see us in The Base to get started.

Careers Drop-In: Available Monday-Friday, 10-12 & 2-4 in The Base to offer individual CV, coveringletter and application support services. To make the most of this service please ensure you have attempted to draft your CV before attending.

CV & Covering Letter Workshops: Ever wondered what the difference is between okay and winning CVs? We run a

variety of workshops offering guidance on different CV formats and covering letters, and the key qualities employers look for that will make you stand out from the

crowd and secure yourself an interview.

Ask Careers – E guidance: Whether you would like initial feedback on your CV or have questions about an application, this service allows you to ask your question at any time and receive

support via TARGETconnect; https://lancaster.targetconnect.net

Prospects.ac.uk: Prospects.ac.uk offers detailed CV and covering letter advice including step-by-step

guidance and various sample CV and covering letters.

You can also call in with quick queries on 01524 592767