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CVs and cover letters
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CV stands for curriculum vitae, which means a brief account of your career. CVs are used to explain to recruiters what you can do and what you have done, so a good CV looks forwards as well as accounts for what you did in the past.
A CV should present your knowledge, learning, skills and competencies in a positive, honest way. Despite what you might have seen on The Apprentice, falsifying information on a CV gets you nowhere.
A CV needs to include enough information for the recruiter to decide whether you are likely to be a suitable candidate, so you should include:
It's important to tailor your CV to the needs of the recruiter and the particular job. So, if there is a job specification or job description, show how you are a good fit by giving examples of how your experience, knowledge and skills fit the requirements of the job, paying particular attention to the ones marked 'essential'.
If you list your previous jobs and there is a gap between them, it's often best to explain why. An unexplained gap can be interpreted adversely.
Reasons for gaps may include:
Ideally, a CV should be no longer than two sides of A4. Overlong CVs may not be read to the end or at all.
It's not essential and choosing whether or not to add one to your CV comes down to personal choice. If you do decide to include one it should ideally be no more than four lines long and follow immediately after your personal details at the top of your CV.
Personal summaries should be written in strong, positive language and include information on who you are, what skills you can offer and generally what you are looking for in your next role.
This depends on the type of CV you are creating and how much work experience you have. If you have recently graduated and don't have much work experience it is probably best to start with your education. For more information see example CVs.
It's not necessary to include hobbies in a CV but if you do, use them as examples of specific achievements, such as supervision of teams, organisation of rotas, collation and analysis of documents, etc.
Aim to put your most attractive feature towards the beginning of your CV where it will be noticed by a recruiter. Similarly, construct a strong finish with a closing remark that is positive and enthusiastic.
Don't be tempted to keep the length of your CV under control by using a small font or closely packed lines of text. Instead arrange text with space around it. Use tables or text boxes and an easy to read font such as Arial or Verdana to ensure a clear layout; use bold font and capitals sparingly and avoid the use of underline.
If you're not a confident speller, have your CV checked by someone you trust. Often computerised spellchecks don't pick up every error.
If you need to post a hard copy of your CV, use good quality paper, staple rather than clip pages together and use an envelope large enough to keep the CV flat in transit. Unless you are advised otherwise by the recruiter, your CV should be accompanied by a cover letter.
Yes, a cover letter will enable you to further tailor your comments to the requirements of the job role. It also helps to highlight any aspect that you want to draw to the attention of the recruiter. To find out more see cover letters.
The most common mistake when creating a CV is to prepare a standard CV and then send it to all recruiters and for all types of job without amending it to suit the particular job or recruiter.
This can be problematic because you risk your CV looking impersonal and standardised. It could also lead to you not presenting your learning, skills and interests in a targeted way.
To find out more see how to write a CV and cover letters.
The traditional CV, sometimes known as a chronological CV is used to match your qualifications and work experience with the requirements for the job role. The CV is structured in reverse chronological order i.e. the most recent qualifications and experience are listed first.
This type of CV makes it easy for employers to identify potential candidates. This format allows you to provide clear details of your qualifications, work history and responsibilities which match the criteria provided in the job description.
It's important to include:
See our example of a traditional CV.
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A cover letter accompanies a CV (and/or completed application form). It's an opportunity to highlight what's in your CV and to provide real examples to support your ability to do the job. Some recruiters place more emphasis on the cover letter than the CV so it pays to take care with it.
Unless you are asked to apply by letter of application only, a cover letter should be brief and drive home the key aspects of why you are a good candidate. It should summarise what's in your CV, by emphasising your key strengths in relation to the job.
A cover letter should include a heading to make it clear which job you're applying for and, following the introductory paragraph, it can take the form of bullet points or short statements. It should also include your own name, address and contact details. For more information, see our example of a cover letter.
Make it clear which job you're referring to by using a heading and an opening line such as, 'In response to your advertisement on the Prospects website for the role of XXXXXX, I write to enclose my CV'.
If you're given a named person you should address the letter to that person and begin the letter, Dear Ms Jones, and end with Yours sincerely, Justin Smith.
If you don't know the name of the person, but have a job title, such as the HR manager, you should address the letter to the HR manager, and include Dear Sir or Madam, and end with Yours faithfully, Justin Smith.
A cover letter should always end positively and look ahead to the next stage, for example, 'I would be happy to provide further information at interview' or 'I look forward to hearing from you'.
This kind of letter is sometimes referred to as a 'speculative letter'. This means that you're writing to find out if there are likely to be any vacancies in the future. Your speculative letter should be welcoming and enthusiastic.
It's more difficult to write a speculative letter because you're not responding to a specific vacancy but, with some research about the company, you can find out about previous job advertisements and angle your letter accordingly.
If you've undertaken work experience at the company, you can draw on your knowledge of that.
See our example cover letter for a speculative application.
You're not legally required to do so but you shouldn't lie and say you don't have a disability if you do, as this would amount to giving false information and could result in you losing a job offer. If you decide to disclose a disability, you need only share information as far as it relates to the performance of the job.
If you need adjustments to be made to help you carry out your job, your employer may receive extra funding to make reasonable adjustments to the job role or the work environment.
The cover letter is an opportunity to explain your abilities and emphasise your job-relevant skills, experience and knowledge. Some applicants find that their disability has given them opportunities to learn additional skills or insights.
If you choose not to disclose a disability at the application stage, you may do so at a later stage.
See our example cover letter for disclosing a disability or read more about equality and diversity.
In general, the guidelines for how to write cover letters apply equally if you are a UK-, EU- or non-EU domiciled student. However non-EU students need to declare whether they are eligible to work in the UK or whether they are looking for an employer to sponsor them.
The employment regulations for non-EU domiciled students and graduates are complex and subject to change and you should get up-to-date advice from the international office within your institution about whether any restrictions or special requirements apply to you. Giving false information about your employment status could result in a job offer being withdrawn.