The company where you would like to apply for a job has asked you to send them a curriculum vitae, but you don't even know what that means? Don't panic! Curriculum vitae (CV) in Latin means "course of life" and it is just that: it is a summary document in which you list your past work experiences, those present, your professional skills and your skills. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that the writer possesses the necessary skills (and also the complementary ones) to perform the job for which he is applying. In other words, you are "selling" your talent, skills, competencies and so on. Follow the tips in this tutorial to write a perfect CV.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Think about the CV Content
Step 1. Know what general information each CV should contain
Most CVs contain personal information, course of study and academic qualifications, work experience, personal interests and goals, skills and references. In addition, highly experienced people customize the document based on the type of job they apply for. Choose a modern but professional format. Currently, it is recommended to use the European format, which you can also download from the internet for free.
Step 2. Consider the job you are applying for
Do some research on the company. A good CV must be tailored around the position and company you are proposing to. What is the sector of your prospective employer? What is your mission statement? What do you think an employee is looking for? What are the skills needed to fill the position you are applying for? These are things you need to take into consideration as you build your resume.
Step 3. Read the company website to find other useful information
Check if there is a list of data that the company requires within a CV. There may be detailed directions on the application page. Always check carefully.
Step 4. Compile a list of the jobs you have done
This space of the CV should contain both your current employment and those you have held in the past. Remember to indicate the start and end date of each job position.
Step 5. Think about your personal hobbies and interests
Special activities will make you stand out from the crowd. Remember that conclusions about your person could be drawn from your own interests. Emphasize those activities that present you as a group work oriented person, rather than a lonely and passive one. Companies are looking for people who know how to work with colleagues and who can take responsibility when needed.
- Hobbies and personal interests that can outline a positive image of you: being the captain of your football team (or any other sport), organizing charity events for an orphanage, being an institution representative in your school.
- Hobbies that paint you as a passive and lonely person: watching TV, doing puzzles, reading. If you have decided to include one of these activities, then also provide a reason. For example, if you are applying for a job in a publishing house, then it is worth pointing out that you like American writers like Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway, because their works provide a particular perspective on the American culture of the period.
Step 6. Compile a list of your relevant skills
Include computer skills (are you a wizard with Word? Excel? InDesign?), Foreign languages you know or specific skills the company is looking for, based on the open position.
Examples of specific skills: If you are applying as a journalist for a newspaper, then it emphasizes your ability to respect a journalistic style. If the company is looking for a computer scientist who deals with coding, then add in the CV that you have worked in the past with Java script
Part 2 of 3: Writing the CV
Step 1. Create a format
You can consider subdividing each section of the document with a blank line or boxing it in a table. Also, decide if you want to enter every single piece of information or leave out some of it. Do some research on the internet to find the format you like best and that looks professional. Try not to make a CV that is longer than an A4 sheet written on the front and back.
Step 2. Write your details (name, address, telephone number and e-mail address) at the top of the page
Remember that it is important that the name is written in larger characters than the rest of the text, as it is essential for the recruiter to know who the information they are reading belongs to. The format in which you decide to present this information is entirely up to you.
The standard format requires the name to be in the center of the page. The address, on the other hand, should be entered in a block near the left edge of the sheet, followed immediately below by the telephone number and e-mail address. If you have another domicile (for example that of the school campus where you live), you can write it on the right of the page
Step 3. Write your personal profile
This is an optional part of the CV, but it gives the recruiter a deeper description of your person; is the section where you "sell" your skills, experiences and individual qualities. It should be an original and well-written paragraph. Use positive terms like 'adaptable', 'confident' and 'determined'.
Example of a personal profile of a CV written for a publishing house: willing and enthusiastic new graduate looking for an entry-level job where he can implement his organizational and communication skills developed as a trainee at Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore
Step 4. Create a section to describe your level of education and qualifications
This should be at the beginning of your CV, but you can also decide to insert it after other sections. The order of the various parts is left to your discretion. Start at university, if you have attended or are attending it, and then list the other qualifications backwards. Remember to mention the name of the university, the date you graduated, the complementary non-compulsory courses you attended, the title of the degree thesis and the grade.
Example: University of Milan, Faculty of Italian Philology and Literature, 2009-2014. Complementary courses: Medieval Literature, History of Religions and Critical Analysis of Poetry. Thesis: "The bestiary of Dino Buzzati". Rating 105/110
Step 5. Develop a section about your work experiences
Here you will be able to list all the jobs, relevant to the application, that you have already done. Remember to enter the name of the company where you worked, the years you worked and a description of the duties. Always start with the most recent work and work backwards. If you have a long list of previous jobs, make a selection and enter only those relevant to the position you are applying for.
Example: Diablo Magazine, Milan, March 2012-January 2013. Assistant editor, proofreading, writing articles for the corporate blog, finding material for articles
Step 6. Write a section dedicated to your skills and achievements
In this part of the CV you can list everything you have achieved in your previous jobs, and the skills acquired through experience. You can also add the title of works you have published, conferences you have given and so on.
Example of results obtained: I selected a manuscript that turned out to be a best seller at national level and I followed its development until publication; I received the certification of editorial curator from the Ca 'Foscari University of Venice
Step 7. Add a part about your interests
You should describe your hobbies and personal interests that paint you in a positive light. Choose from the list you created during the brainstorming your passions that best suit the position you are applying for (read the first part of this article).
Step 8. Create a paragraph for additional information
If there are any data that you would like to enter, but which are not perfectly relevant to the CV, then you must write them in this section. For example, you could indicate that you left your last job to take care of children, to join the Peace Corps, and so on.
Example: I suspended my career in publishing to organize literacy and Italian courses at immigrant reception centers. The cultural exchange that I inevitably enjoyed allowed me to better understand the nuances of our language and how to express concepts that are far from my background
Step 9. Enter a section for references
This is a list of people you have previously worked for or collaborated with, such as your former employers or college professors. These people add credibility and support to the information you have described on your CV. The company you are applying to may contact them to find out more about you and your past duties. Make sure you ask these people for permission in advance, before entering their contact details on your CV. Also, check that their phone number hasn't changed and that they remember you! Write their full name and add the contact details (phone number and e-mail address).
Part 3 of 3: Concluding the CV
Step 1. Check spelling and grammar
A resume full of spelling errors is immediately thrown away. If your CV is sloppy and has a lot of mistakes, then the recruiter will have a bad impression of you. Check two or three times that you have correctly spelled the name of the company you are sending the CV to, as well as all those of the companies you have worked for in the past.
Step 2. Reread each sentence and change it so it can be more concise
A concise and well-written CV generates a better first impression than a long, redundant and “baroque” document. Make sure there are no repetitions - it is better to list many different characteristics than to repeat the same traits over and over.
Step 3. Read the resume putting yourself in the recruiter's shoes
What do you think about the format and the information you read? Do you give the impression of being a professional?
Step 4. Ask someone to take a look at your CV
Is there anything that should be removed or added? Would he hire you if he were the personnel manager of a company?
Step 5. Check the application page of the company website once again
Check if there is other material that you should send attached to the CV. Some companies require a cover letter or examples of your work (such as an article you've written in the past).
Advice
- Be honest. If you have the skills to perform that particular job, you shouldn't lie to get the job.
- The content of the CV should be relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you propose yourself as a computer technician, the employer does not care that you worked in different bars at the beginning of your career. If you are applying to operate in a call center, then the recruiting manager will be pleased to learn about the customer dealing skills you have acquired by working in contact with the public.
- Write clearly and concisely. Employers don't want to have to read pages and pages of useless words to extrapolate the points of greatest interest.
- Show passion about your work and hobbies.
- Don't waste all your work by submitting a good resume written on poor quality paper. Make sure it is printed on thick paper, preferably with black ink.
- If you have decided to use bullets instead of the bullet line, be aware that the bullets are more pleasing to the eye than multiline items that create visual clutter.
