Greg Lettington, Director at Hays Construction & Property, offers some tips on how to make your CV stand out from the rest when you look for that elusive first rung on the industry ladder
Are you starting to put a plan in place for life after uni? One of the first steps will be to make sure your CV is up to scratch. Employers are busy people and need to be able to view the relevant info easily and quickly. So, how should it look?
1. Name: You don’t need to write Curriculum Vitae at the top, make sure that the first thing an employer sees is your name.
2. Contact information: Name, contact details and personal information should come first on a CV. Make sure these are up-to-date. You don’t want to miss out on a job because the letters are sitting in you’re a deserted uni mailbox.
3. Career statement: Write a brief statement about what you are looking for from your career, what you want and why you are interested in the industry. Employers will want to know what elements of your degree you liked and why you have chosen the particular career path.
4. Qualifications: Now list the schools/colleges that you have attended along with the dates and your grades, or expected results.
5. Work experience: At such an early stage in your career, you won’t be expected to have lots of relevant work experience, but you may be able to show customer service through a part-time job or you may be able to demonstrate relevant skills such as teamwork through your studying.
6. Interests: Finally, briefly list any interests or hobbies that you may have, including sports, extra-curricular activities and travel – it can be a great icebreaker. This is your chance to make your CV more personal and to give an employer a chance to get to know you a little bit better.
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