tell me about yourself: how to write a cv in english
TRANSCRIPT
What is a CV?
Did you know that one of the earliest résumés was written by
Leonardo Da Vinci to Ludovico il Moro (Duke of Milan) explaining his abilities?
Obviously résumé writing has progressed and it’s important to have
a well-presented CV
CURRICULUM VITAE: an outline of a person's educational and
professional history, usually prepared for job applications.
So you want to present yourself in the best possible way. You are
marketing yourself!
There is no “best way” to construct a CV. It can be structured how
you wish within a basic framework.
Making an impact
Often employers/headhunters read CVs outside working hours. They
may have a pile of hundreds of CVs from which to select a few interviewees. If your CV is difficult to read: unclear, badly laid out,
boring and containing irrelevant information, they will just move on
to the next one.
Treat the employer like a child eating a meal. Chop your CV up into
easily digestible bites (bullets, short paragraphs and note form) and give it a clear logical layout, with just the relevant information to
make it easy for them to read. If you do this, you will have a much
greater chance of interview.
Some employers may spend as little as 45 seconds skimming a
résumé before branding it “not of interest”, “maybe” or “of interest.
When should you use a CV?
When an employer asks for applications to be received
in CV format.
When an employer simply states "apply to ..." without
specifying the format.
When making speculative applications (when writing to
an employer who has not advertised a vacancy but
who you hope may have one).
For postgraduate applications (if requested by the
school).
What information should a CV
include?
1. PERSONAL DETAILS
name, address, place of birth, telephone number
and email address.
British CVs don't usually include a photograph unless
you are an actor (as this goes against equal
opportunity legislations).
Some European countries require a passport sized
photo to be attached to the CV e.g., France,
Germany, Belgium…
2. Education qualifications
All of your education information
Your degree subject, level of degree and the university name (with dates).
Your high school diploma/ A-levels/ GCSEs or
equivalents.
Mention the grades you obtained in each of these
(especially university)
I like to include my thesis/dissertation title too (it gives a bit of info regarding your specialties)
Equiparazione dei titoli di studio:
Titolo Italiano Titolo Inglese
Laurea Triennale Bachelor’s Degree in…
(Undergraduate)
Laurea Specialistica Master’s Degree in… (Post graduate)
Master Master in… (Post graduate)
Dottorato di Ricerca Phd (Post graduate)
110 e lode -magna cum laude
-with honors
-full marks with honors
-First Class with distinctions (specie in
Australia)
3. Publications
If you have published/written any academic
articles/books/chapters/abstracts/conference
proceedings then mention these.
It’s good to specify where they have been
published and the date. If possible add the DOI
so the employer can find your work online easily.
4. Professional/Work experience
This is where you add all the work experience you have completed
that is pertinent to your application.
o Use action words: developed, planned, organized, coordinated
o Even work that you have carried out for example in
bars/restaurants shows that you are willing to work and can work
as a team.
o Try to relate the skills you leant to the job you are applying for.
Make sure you add the specifics: dates of when you worked, where you worked, who your employer was and what your job involved.
Make sure you write your work experience in chronological order
(most recent first)
5. Interests and Achievements
Keep this short and sharp. As you get older this section will diminish in length and your professional experience will take precedence.
Add any sporting or creative activities (but don’t just state them, make sure you specify why they are related to your application)
Why do they make you a better candidate?
Show a range of interests to demonstrate you are an all-rounder
Add hobbies that are a little out of the ordinary. It will make you stand out from the crowd!
Relate your interests to the job position e.g., “I enjoy reading articles about food or gastronomy on chowhound and visiting the CibusInternational Food exhibition” if you are applying for a food science position.
Show evidence of leadership: were you the captain/coach of a sports team? Student representative? Head of a society?
Don’ts
Don’t do the following:
Don’t use clichés, e.g., “I’m very enthusiastic” Enthusiasm alone
doesn’t qualify you for much. What, precisely, are you enthusiastic
about?
Don’t add activities such as: socializing with friends, going out, having
fun, watching TV. They don’t make you look professional.
Don’t add too many passive solitary hobbies: reading, stamp
collecting, playing computer games, going to the cinema, etc.
You may be perceived as lacking people skills.
Don’t just state the fact: I like travelling.
State why: I travelled through Europe by train this summer, visiting
historic sites and practicing my French and Italian.
6. Skills
Add what languages you speak and to what level. E.g.
English-fluent or Spanish-conversational and Japanese-
beginner.
Or you could use the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages (level A1-C2)
Any computer skills should be mentioned here: e.g.,
good working knowledge of MS Access and Excel, plus
basic web page design skills.
Driving license? “full current clean driving licence”
Musical / Acting certificates? Other awards?
7. References
Some people prefer not to add references and
therefore state “references available on request”
I personally prefer adding them as it shows you are
willing for the new employer to contact your old
employers/colleagues.
Normally two references are enough: either 2 academic,
or 1 academic and 1 from an employer.
Don’t get one of your friends/family members to be your
reference!
What makes a good CV?
Common rejection problems:
1. Spelling mistakes or typos (e.g. form rather than from)
2. Copying words from the job description (no creativity)
3. Inappropriate email address
4. No list of skills
5. More than 2 pages long
6. Decorative paper
7. Too much text
8. Lying
9. Using abbreviations/slang
How long should a CV be?
If it's not working, ask people to look at it and
suggest changes.
There are plenty of example CVs online.
There is no absolute rule as to how long your
CV should be.
In general we say no longer than 2 sides of A4
but if you have many publications (academic
or technical CVs) then it may be longer.
Employers are getting more and more CVs, they tend not to have the time to read long documents!
Did you know you can get help
online?
You can create your Cv very quickly by using programmes such as :
Resume Builders.
They have prompts that can help you add all the information you
need. You can choose different layouts and formats.
Some tips to keep the CV within 2
pages
Adjust the margins to 1.27cm
Change the font of the main text to 10pt.
Use tables for your academic results.
Use bullet points rather than long paragraphs of text.
Set line spacing to single spacing.
If after all these tricks you are still on 3 pages you have to
be meticulous with your content: read every single word
and remove it if it doesn't add value to your CV!
The writing rules of George Orwell
1. Never use a long word where a short
one will do.
2. If it is possible to cut a word out,
always cut it out.
3. Never use the passive voice (e.g.
"Bones are liked by dogs") where you
can use the active voice ("Dogs like
bones").
4. Never use jargon if you can think of an
everyday equivalent.
Presentation
carefully and clearly laid out - not too cramped but not with
large empty spaces either.
Use bold and italic typefaces for headings and important
information.
Be positive - put yourself over confidently and highlight your
strong points. For example, when listing your A-levels, put your
highest grade first.
Use Times New Roman or a similar plain font (Arial).
Unnecessary use of complex words or hard to read fonts gives
a bad impression: people who use simple, clear language are
rated as more intelligent.
Using bold for job titles and schools
Research shows that:
Graduates send out 25 letters per interview
gained.
The average graduate will send out about 70 CVs when looking for their first graduate job.
There is a direct link between the number of
CVs sent out and the number of interviews
gained
Applicants who include a covering letter with
their CV were 10% more likely to get a reply.
CVs are often sent to the wrong person: usually the managing director.
How to send your CV?
The most common mistakes made via email include:
Accidentally clicking send before the email is ready;
Embarrassing spelling and grammar mistakes;
Accidentally sending a kiss at the end of a message;
Copying a client into an internal email about them;
Forwarding an inappropriate email trail;
Forgetting an attachment.
Cover letter
Your covering letter demonstrates your writing style
better than your CV
It points out to the employer the information showing
that you have the qualities the job calls for, and makes a
statement about yourself and your suitability for the job.
It should give the personal touch that your CV will
intrinsically lack.
Most employers prefer it to be half a page.
Content and layout are far more important
Keep it clear, concise and to the point.
Cover letter Answer the question "Why should I see you?"
Use your own words not formal long-winded clichés.
Action verbs can help to make it sound better.
Make the person who reads it feel special: that it is addressed to them personally and not one of fifty identical letters you are sending out without thought or care.
Spell-check and then double-check your spelling and grammar. Spell checkers won't pick up or sex instead of six!
You might include your understanding of the work/knowledge of the company, and how you fit the criteria required.
Relate your skills to the job. Show the employer that you have obtained the communicating, teamworking, problem solving and leadership or other skills that are appropriate for the job.
Cover letter
Say when you're available to start work (and end, if it's a placement): be as flexible as
possible.
Who should you address your
letter to?
Try to find the name of the person
to write to. Use aither Dear Mrs/Mr
Smith, or to whom it may concern
or, Dear Sir or Madam.
Suggested structure for your
covering letter:
First Paragraph
State the job you’re applying for.
Where you found out about it (advert in The Guardian newspaper
etc. - organizations like to know which of their advertising sources
are being successful)
When you're available to start work (and end if it's a placement)
Second Paragraph
Why you're interested in that type of work
Why the company attracts you (if it's a small company say you
prefer to work for a small friendly organisation)
Suggested structure for your covering letter:
Third Paragraph
Summarise your strengths and how they might be an advantage to the organisation.
Relate your skills to the competencies required in the job.
Last Paragraph
Mention any dates that you won't be available for interview
Thank the employer and say you look forward to hearing from them soon.
If you start with a name (e.g. "Dear Mr Bynes") you should end with "Yours sincerely". If you start with "Dear Sir or Madam" you should end with "Yours faithfully".
Here are the most common opening lines from a
sample of covering letters by University students
I have just completed my final year at the University of
I am a final year law student at the University of
As a law undergraduate at the University of X I am looking for
Currently I am pursuing a degree in .... at the University of
My name is .... and I am a final year student at the
My name is .... and I am writing in response to your advertisement
I am writing to apply for the post of .... in your company
I am writing in response to your advertisement in/for
I am writing to enquire if you have any vacancies for ....
Linked In
It's a good idea to have your profile and CV (without
personal details such as your address of course) on
LinkedIn.
In 2011, 89% of businesses planned to use social networks
for recruitment and LinkedIn was by far the most popular
one for this purpose with 86% of companies wishing to
use it, 60% were considering Facebook and 50% Twitter.
Make sure that your Facebook page doesn't carry
evidence of any of your indiscretions that employers
might view - making your page private and viewable
only by friends and family is wise!
Cultural
context
These tips that I am giving
you are for English-speaking countries but may not have
universal validity. If you are
applying for a job outside
your own cultural context or
an English-speaking context
then find out as much as
possible about what is
expected before you apply.