WRITING YOUR VERY first CV can be a daunting process. And it doesn’t help to know that recruiters spend an average of six seconds reviewing a CV before they make the initial decision on candidates, according to research conducted by US site TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals.
“Many students don’t know what should and should not be included in their first CV,” says Amanda Augustine, career consultant and career management expert for TheLadders.
While there are no hard and fast rules when writing a CV — it really depends on what content you have to work with — there are some preliminary guidelines all students or new professionals should follow.”
While your CV may look different, depending on the industry you’re in, the one below should serve as a useful guide for entry-level professionals with very little work experience:
What makes this an excellent CV for someone with no experience? Augustine outlines the following reasons:
1. The layout is clean and easy to read.
The same font type is used throughout the document. Dates and locations are consistently represented, so it’s easy to scan and pick out the important information.
2. It includes a link to the job seeker’s professional profile.
While it may seem a little premature, it’s important for students to develop good social media habits from the get-go. “Create one professional profile dedicated to your future career,” she suggests. “If you’re studying to work in a more creative field, consider developing an online portfolio to display as part of your contact information. In addition, increase the security settings on your personal accounts so they’re hidden away.”
3. The job seeker’s goals are clear.
Maria’s professional title and summary at the top of the resume clearly indicate her interest in securing an internship in advertising or public relations. “If her resume was passed along to someone by a friend, the reader wouldn’t have to guess,” Augustine says.
4. It plays up the job seeker’s selling points.
Maria is pursuing her first internship and doesn’t have any relevant work experience to speak of. “As a result, we’ve shifted around the components within her resume to showcase her strengths: her relevant coursework, leadership activities, achievements, and skills,” Augustine explains. “Her work experience is moved to the bottom of the resume because it’s not directly tied to her goals.”
5. It includes some references to school.
If you’re pursuing your first internship, it’s all right to incorporate some information about your high school career. This includes any awards, honours, or scholarships you may have received or sports you may have played. If you held an office in an honour society or relevant club, include it in your first CV, Augustine says.
6. It lists her social media skills.
“If you grew up with Facebook and other social media channels, it may seem silly to add these to your resume — doesn’t everyone know their way around Instagram today?” she says. “But the reality is that this knowledge is an asset to many employers, and not everyone in the job market possesses it.”
7. It doesn’t include a list of references.
You do not need a line at the bottom that reads: “References available upon request.”
“Employers don’t ask for that information until you make it to a face-to-face interview, and they know you’ll provide it if they request it,” Augustine says.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say