How to write a CV

A CV should not be a list of everything you have ever done. It is a document

that a recruiter should be able to scan quickly and see how your skills and
experiences make you the best person for the job.

Steps to building a great CV

1. Start with the job specification
3. Brainstorm your skills
The starting point for CV writing should always be the
skills and experience the recruiter is seeking. Think of the skills you have gained and how you
acquired them. Draw examples from your work,
You will find this on the list of job requirements in the internships, volunteering, study, and interests.
job advert, job description or person specification. If
you are applying speculatively and there is no job Match these skills to those required for the job you
description, search for similar roles to work out what are applying for, where possible reflecting some exact
skills are likely to be the most attractive to this skills words from the job details. Use the examples
employer and for the kind of role you are looking for. you have thought of to back up your points.

You should clearly evidence each of these

requirements on your CV, and use examples to 4. Attention to detail
demonstrate what you are saying.
One spelling or grammar error can be all it takes for a
CV to be rejected, as many employers regard it as an
2. Active language indication of poor attention to detail.
Make sure to use active language in your CV to Triple check all spelling and grammar and ask
convey your achievements (see table below for someone else to proofread your final draft. Reading
examples), and avoid using passive terms like “I had it out loud to yourself is a useful technique that can
to”, “I was involved in” and “I was required to”. help you identify any errors.
You should also consider starting some sentences
with active verbs rather than always using pronouns Guidelines on CV length
like “I”. This makes them much more interesting to
There is no one rule about CV length, but in general
read!
two pages is the norm for a UK graduate CV.
Exceptions are –
Examples of active words • Investment banking where a one page CV is
generally preferred (see second example)
• Achieved • Improved
• Academic CVs tend to be longer (see the
• Coordinated • Increased
title CVs for PhDs for guidelines).
• Developed • Planned
• Evaluated • Prioritised
Always follow the recruiter’s instructions on length!
Example job advert: Part time Marketing Assistant
In 2019 Frog Marketing helped over one hundred clients grow their brand through creative communication of values to the
consumer. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about marketing and building brands.
To support our projects you will be well organised and a problem solver. Excellent client service and communication skills
are essential. Experience of writing creative content is desirable.
To apply send your CV and a covering letter by 15th September to b.coan@frog.co.uk

You don't have to include a profile. Jo has

Jo Sharma
41 Great Queen Street, London, E1 8QP
used hers to make a strong first
07700 900717 jo.sharma@yahoo.co.uk linkedin.com/josharma
impression by highlighting some of her
most relevant and impressive examples.
PROFILE
• Passion for marketing and building brands: created new Facebook page and
events programme resulting in 20% growth in membership for University
Geography Society
• Client service: exceeded sales targets two months running at Curry's through
For most students and graduates, up-to-date product knowledge and quick response to needs of clients
“Education” comes before your work • Organisation skills: won the Wapping Community Award 2016 for my
history. However if you have a lot of management of a children's football summer school
relevant industry experience, you might
choose to swap these sections. EDUCATION
BA Geography, King George University, London 2018 - 2021
• Focus on ethics and the consumer: interest in this area developed through
Focus on the elements of your degree Year 1 project on the developing role of Corporate Social Responsibility in
most relevant to the job. Include the same businesses (grade A achieved)
terms for skills that the employer has used • Writing skills: researched and delivered 5000 word essay on how CSR can
to attract their attention e.g. "client build brand loyalty for presentation in Business Ethics Workshop (82%
service" and "problem solving". achieved)
• Problem solving: managed the analysis and interpretation of complex data
using SPSS statistical package

Don’t take up too much space talking Hart Secondary School, Poole 2011 - 2018
about school. It is less relevant than A Levels: Geography (A), Business Studies (B), Biology (B) AS Level: Maths (B)
university. 10 GSCEs including Mathematics (A*) and English (B)

MARKETING EXPERIENCE
If you already have experience in the
Marketing Officer, Geography Society Jan 2019 – present
field, draw attention to it in the section
heading e.g. "Marketing Experience". Responsible for ensuring Society is promoted across both university campuses
• Passion for marketing and building brands: surveyed members to analyse
Otherwise group all of your experience
preferences, and using results built brand of Society through three new
together using the title "Work
alumni networking events and a Facebook page. Resulted in a 20% increase
Experience" or "Work History”.
in membership and events series is now part of annual Society programme.
• Writing creative content: set up and maintain society Facebook site
Quantify and show results where www.facebook.com/kggeogsoc, which now has 330 active users. Develop
possible. These details help to persuade engaging content and post twice a week using Hootsuite.
the employer of your skills.
 Start with the most recent activity and
FURTHER WORK EXPERIENCE then work backwards.

P/t Sales Assistant, Curry's, Wapping Dec 2018 - present

Responsibilities include handling financial transactions, advising customers, dealing
with complaints and ordering products.
Use your part time jobs and volunteering
• Client service: exceeded sales target in June and July through actively listening, to give evidence of the skills the employer
responding quickly to needs of client and staying up-to-date with product is looking for.
knowledge.
• Communication: received positive feedback from client after negotiating with Add a third party endorsement if you can
external supplier to speed up late delivery. Invited by line manager to train new (e.g. grade, promotion, or as listed here
staff.
added responsibility).
Volunteer, local children’s football team, Wapping Summer 2018
 Organisation skills: booked pitches, arranged transportation and equipment for This experience only lasted a few weeks,
Summer School. Promoted closing tournament, liaising with community groups.
but is still a useful showcase for one of the
Attendance was over 75, a 25% increase on the previous year. Won the Wapping
skills the employer is looking for
Community Award 2014.
(organisation).
OTHER SKILLS AND INTERESTS
• IT: intermediate level Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint
• Languages: conversational Spanish Even hobbies and interests can
• Music: write creative content for a friend's music reviews blog once a month. demonstrate relevant skills.
• Organisation skills: scheduling concerts and weekly practice sessions for the
band I play with.
• Travel: planned independent travel around Spain this summer to develop
language skills and cultural awareness.
Ask your referees before you list their
References available upon request. details. If you do not wish to disclose
names or don't have space, you can state
instead: "References available upon
request".

How to write persuasive, evidence based, examples

When writing a CV it can be useful to put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter. Imagine you are looking to hire a graduate with strong team
working skills. Consider the excerpts from two CVs below. Who would you choose?

Candidate A Candidate B

“Teamwork - supported team of four to achieve full stock take of STL

“Demonstrated strong team working skills during Retail in 16 hours by: arriving early to receive briefing on behalf of team;
stock-taking at STL Retail”. taking on extra tasks for a colleague who was unwell, and organising a
night out to keep us motivated."

The second example is more persuasive. You can achieve this by:
• Placing the skill word at the start to make it easy for the employer to pick out after a quick scan
• Allocating maximum space to how you applied this skill
• Using action words to convey achievement and impact
• Adding quantifiable data (e.g. numbers, timescales) to make your examples more concrete and convincing
Including a tangible outcome e.g. grade, increased responsibility or hours to prove the impact of your contribution (in this example a
completed stock-take)
Example job advert: Porticum Investment Bank
We are looking for someone who is a confident communicator with strong analytical and project management skills, together
with the drive to succeed under pressure. We are looking for innovative individuals who think creatively and are able to build
relationships, both across internal teams and with external clients. To apply please send a one page CV and cover letter outlining
your suitability for the programme. Application deadline 10th November.

Sam Chester
You don’t need to add the title
Curruiculum Vitae, as it is clear 41 Great Queen Street, London, E1 8QP Mobile: 07797 345621 Email: sam.chester@yahoo.co.uk
what the document is. EDUCATION
MSc Banking and Finance, Queen Mary, University of London (2.1 expected) 2020-2021
Modules include: Commercial and Investment Banking, Investment Management, Quantitative
Consider whether certain modules Methods in Finance, Financial Derivatives
in your masters are particularly  Dissertation topic: Impact of low interest rates on global asset prices (72%)
relevant to the job you want to
apply for. Is your final BSC Economics, Queen Mary, University of London, (2.1) 2017-2020
dissertation/project on a topic Modules include: Corporate Finance (80%), Econometrics and Macroeconomics (75%), Mathematical
related to the area of work you are methods in Economics and Business (70%)
trying to get into? If so, include the
title and the type and scope of the Hart Secondary School, Poole 2010-2017
research involved. A Levels: Mathematics (A), Business Studies (B), Biology (B)
AS Level: Psychology (B)
10 GCSEs including Mathematics (A*) and English (A)

Avoid simply listing skills. Use WORK EXPERIENCE

examples to provide evidence that Associate Member, QUMMIF September 2020-Present
you have used a skill successfully in  Developed theoretical and practical understanding of financial markets, trading strategies and
the past. Recruiters will look for risk management
this to confirm your ability to do  Demonstrated analytical and technical skills, carrying out the research and valuation of chosen
the job. equity stock
 Analysed vast amounts of data on Bloomberg Terminal and other resources
 Worked in a team of four to compile detailed investment report
 Developed strong communication skills, presenting to Senior Fund Management
 As a result of research and presentation investment proposal was included in fund’s portfolio
Draw out the skills listed in the job
advert, providing examples of P/T Sales Assistant, Topshop, London September 2017-Present
exactly what the recruiter is  Ensured efficient running of shop area in highly demanding and busy environment
looking for.  Provided excellent customer service – awarded Customer Service Star award after three months
 Collaborated with colleagues in order to ensure constant stock replenishment during peak times
 Demonstrated strong ability to multitask, dealing with customer queries while keeping shop area
organised
Use part time work as another way POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
to demonstrate ability to use the
skills the recruiter is looking for in a  Economics Society Committee member: Role involves working closely with a team of five to
increase society membership, organise and run social and careers events and liaise with the
professional context.
department. We currently have 100 members and I have worked with two others to run three
events off-campus with a turnout of 40-50 at each.
 Football coach for local youth team: This position involves organising training and matches,
teaching, motivation and encouraging young people aged 12-14

OTHER SKILLS
 IT: MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint), Bloomberg Terminal
 Languages: Conversational German
Clear section headings make the
REFERENCES
document easy to read.
Available on request
Example job advert: Graduate Field Operations Engineer (Mechanical)
To work at locations around the UK and overseas, installing and commissioning structural health monitoring systems.
Principal Accountabilities:
- Compile Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS)
- Lead installations onsite and install a wide variety of sensors and logging systems
- Compile technical reports based on system measurements
Job Requirements:
- Ability to adapt to changing technical and business needs
- Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
- Good organisational skills, self-motivated to learn, successful experience working as part of a team.

Mike Canics
25 University Road, London, E4 2LD | Mike.o.canics@googlemail.com | 07700 900418

Education
MEng Mechanical Engineering - Grove University, London 2015 - 2019
Relevant modules: Mathematical Techniques for Engineers, Computational Risk Grades for relevant modules have been
Assessment and Mechanical Sensory Feedback added to show achievement in these
topics.
Second Year Project: 76%. Combustor testing for a microgas turbine in
collaboration with Rolls Royce. Technical report presented to senior engineers.
Industrial Visits: Independently arranged a visit to Merstham Design.
Work shadowing highlighted the importance of adaptability as the firm Use your degree to emphasise skills
restructured its efforts away from alloys to composites for sensory systems. relevant to the job.

Technical Systems Used: MATLAB, Creo and AutoCad

International Baccalaureate Diploma - St John’s School, Bahrain 2012 - 2015
Grade: 37 points (523 UCAS points); Bilingual Diploma (English and French) Allocate space on your CV according to
importance and relevance. For
British International School of Instanbul, Turkey 2006 - 2012 example, your degree is more relevant
11 GCSEs (including A*s in Mathematics, Sciences and Languages) than your GCSEs so should take up
more room.
Work experience
JCB - Reliability Engineer Summer Internship, UK July-September 2018
− Adaptability: After six weeks of compiling risk assessments for new sensory
installations, observed that client team was overloaded, so volunteered to take
on weekly client caseload alongside installation duties. Also used knowledge
gained as secretary of the Commerce Club to draw up strengths and weakness
business case and replicate this for all clients.
− Communication: Liaised with upwards of 30 clients to better understand
increases in their failure rates. Compiled and presented a report to senior
management recommending changes to sensory circuits. Clear and consistent formatting makes
the document easy to read. Bullet
− Organisational skills: Maintained an accurate timeline document to include all point lists make best use of space and
relevant information and milestones for Russian, Kazakh and Global Marketing keep sentences concise.
teams.
− Second Year Project: 76%. Combustor testing for a microgas turbine in
collaboration with Rolls Royce. Technical report presented to senior Rolls
Royce engineers.
Essilor - Marketing and Sales Intern, France June-August 2018
Quantifiable results have been used
− Self-motivated: Interpreted feedback reports from a product-training scheme throughout the work experience
for opticians using meaningful statistics and graphics to identify most section to communicate the impact of
successful marketing approaches. actions and prove successful use of
− Written communication: Wrote a scientific pamphlet to inform a community of skills.
400 ophthalmologists of the latest innovations at the company.
Indianna Cafe Restaurant - Waiter, France Summer 2015
− Communication: Liaised with upwards of 400 customers a day in one of the
busiest districts of Paris. Engaged with queuing customers from diverse
international backgrounds.

Leadership and team experience

Commerce Club - Secretary, Grove University 2017-2018
− Established and led a six-person committee to ensure the smooth
development of the club. Oversaw a 26% membership boost compared to the Extra-curricular experience has been
previous year used here to demonstrate relevant
− Coordinated two charity fundraisers, and single-handedly organised a four-day skills.
team trip to Paris, where we competed in the “Les Parisiennes” international
commerce convention

Additional information
Languages: French (native), English (fluent), Spanish (business proficient)
Applications: MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Minitab
Interests: Travel, sports

References available upon request. Usually employers will want one

academic reference and one from a
former employer, but you can also use
a personal referee. It is advisable to ask
your referees in advance.

Final checks
• Look at your CV as if you were the recruiter. After a quick scan, can you pick out evidence of each of the job
requirements?
• Check that it is formatted correctly. Make sure your CV fits the guidelines this specific employer has set in
terms of length. Make sure your sections are correctly formatted and that the information is evenly spread
across both sides of the page.
• Proofread Double check you have no spelling or grammar mistakes. It’s always useful to have somebody else
proofread your CV too.
• Have your CV checked by your careers department. Ask if somebody from your careers department can check
what you have written is suitable for the role that you are applying for.
• Update your Linkedin. If you have a Linkedin profile, upload your updated CV so that any employers who
search you on there can see it.

© All information copyright The Careers Group, University of London 2020.