When you decide to change jobs you have to produce a Curriculum
Vitae (CV)
Most people are not professional job seekers so producing a CV can be a daunting exercise - it need not be if you bear in mind the following points which we have learnt over many years.
A CV is a sales document designed to gain
the interest of the potential employer. When preparing your CV
try to think about what attributes and experience you have that
would tempt you to interview yourself if you were recruiting.
When constructing your CV always have in mind:
clarity, content, positive emphasis and quality, not quantity.
It should not be too long (ideally no more than 2 - 3 pages) and
should be punchy with minimal use of prose. Busy recruiters do
not want to plough through pages and pages to find the elements
of your background that may be of interest. If it isn't easy to
read it is unlikely that anyone will spend enough time reading
it to do it justice.
If preparing a hard copy, ensure you use only
the best quality white paper and avoid gimmicks such as unusual
fonts, graphics and other such adornments, which serve only to
undermine the credibility of your application. In the UK employment
market it is not necessary to attach a photograph!
Put personal details first outlining education
and professional qualifications with emphasis on anything positive
like being a prize-winner or qualifying with first time passes.
If currently studying, indicate which stage you are about to attempt
and at which sitting. Follow this up with your career history
in reverse chronological order i.e. most recent job first. Ensure
that any gaps are fully explained, as readers will assume the
worst. Summarise older less relevant roles and emphasise the more
recent ones.
Do not overlook foreign language ability but
remember to mention your degree of fluency. It is essential to
include a section covering your IT skills, as computer literacy
is an integral part of modern day accounting.
It is worth describing the size of each of your
employers and the sectors in which they operated as this can help
paint a much more detailed picture of your background. Also describe
the scale of the department you worked in e.g. if you had 5 direct
reports in a department of 20 you should mention it.
Aim to make an impact on the reader. It is useful
to highlight your achievements in each employment by use of an
achievements section.
Bullet points are much easier to read than prose.
Don't assume that whoever is reading your CV
knows what you do because of your job title. Responsibilities
vary between organisations and bear in mind that not all readers
of your CV will be accountants.
Avoid personal profiles, which are of little
value, after all who would write anything other than a glowing
report of themselves on their own CV? This is best left to an
employer's reference, which can be made available upon request.
Anything you specifically wish to highlight should be pointed
out in a short covering letter or email.
Whilst it is essential to be positive be wary
of using too much poetic licence as you may be found out at interview
stage!
When making applications direct to employers
tailor your CV to each job application. Emphasise relevant experience
asked for in an advertisement for example - this may be the difference
between getting an interview or not.
It is unnecessary to provide personal information
such as weight, height, and place of birth. You may wish to include
information about your interests, but keep it short and it is
also worth mentioning any major achievements outside the working
environment.
Do not include your expected remuneration or
give details of current package unless required. It would be better
to discuss salary requirements during the interview stage.
In summary, your CV should be clear, concise,
well presented and contain all the relevant information. Poor
presentation can be an indication of an untidy worker so make
sure that you check and check again for errors and that dates
are correct etc.
For a sample CV click
here »
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