Harcourt Matthews Recruitment Solutions
Curriculum Vitae template
NAME
ADDRESS
TELEPHONE
EMAIL ADDRESS
NATIONALITY
VISA STATUS
RELOCATE
CANDIDATE PROFILE
EDUCATION
PROFESSIONAL
QUALIFICATION
Full Name
Town/City
Postcode
Work/Home/Mobile
[email protected]
British/Australian etc
Visa Status eg: Ancestry Visa etc
Visa start/end date if relevant
Yes/No – this can also be included in a covering letter
Position sought – this can also be included in a covering letter
Start Year – End Year
University/College name
Degree/Diploma subject and grade attained
Start Year – End Year
School name
A Levels (or equivalent) & grades attained
GCSEs (or equivalent) & grades attained
ACA, CIMA, ACCA etc
Qualification date or current stage of study – if ALL exams were passed on 1st attempt
then highlight this
LANGUAGES
IT SKILLS
BASIC SALARY
BENEFITS PACKAGE
NOTICE PERIOD
CAREER HISTORY
(reverse chronology)
French/German etc & level of fluency
Word/Excel, SAP etc & level of proficiency
Current gross annual/daily/hourly salary
Pension/Bonus/Car allow etc
e.g. 1 month
Date e.g.January 2001 – date
Company Name (nature of business, size & dimensions & financial turnover –
provide some context)
Job Title
Reporting level of position and overview of the role (briefly describe the purpose,
the context and stakeholders - who you work closely with or liaise & support)
Outline of responsibilities (these need to be clear and relevant for the role you
respond to and will change accordingly i.e. tailor your CV to each job you apply for)
˗ Specific daily, weekly and monthly tasks
˗ Where the position influenced business decisions, direction, strategy etc
˗ Make sure you give examples which demonstrate personal initiative, drive and
self-motivation, going the extra mile (see adjective list)
˗ Outline Project work or Key Achievements (give examples of SOAR: Situation,
Objective, Action, Result) http://tinyurl.com/SOAR-Technique
CAREER HISTORY
cont’d
Demonstrate your capability: Remember to sell yourself to the reader, who will
want to see the benefits of employing you and the actual results or outcomes of the
actions you took. In each case demonstrate a saving, profit or margin improvement,
reduction in time, more efficient process or a reduction in the opportunity cost etc.
As a finance, procurement or other professional specialist try to pin down the no's or
%age increase / decrease in each case
Key Note: use adjectives which demonstrate your personality & character (see
addendum 1)
Addendum 1: Adjective List for CV
If you are interested in creating a strong first impression, you should consider using an adjective list for CV writing. This
will help you identify key words to describe yourself and your experience in a positive way. Using effective, targeted
adjectives in a strategic manner will showcase your capabilities and create a lasting impression.
Below is a list of adjectives that might work well on your CV. Choose those adjectives that most accurately describe
your personality and achievements.
Achiever
Articulate
Attentive
Analytical
Hard-working
Honest
Organised
Outgoing
Tenacious
Trustworthy
Capable
Commercial
Committed
Conscientious
Consistent
Independent
Industrious
Influential
Inquisitive
Passionate
Persistent
Personable
Persuasive
Proactive
Professional
Value adding
Detailed
Determined
Diligent
Driven
Dynamic
Leader
Loyal
Reliable
Resolute
Responsible
Robust
Energetic
Enterprising
Enthusiastic
Entrepreneurial
Methodical
Motivated
Self-starter
Skillful
Steadfast
Supportive
Focusing on a Positive Personality
Many people look through adjective lists for CV writing to market themselves as great potential colleagues. Make sure
that you showcase your positive personality, as well as the skills & capabilities required to excel at your job. Consider
that each adjective you use is a chance to show a company that you have a great outlook on life, and that you are an
optimistic team member.
Additional Things to consider
Ensure that you emphasise most your recent roles above older ones. As space on your CV is at a premium, don’t
waste it on a role undertaken 10 years ago. Use a bullet point format and keep each point clear and concise – long
paragraphs will lose the attention of the reader.
Length of CV
There is a plenty of debate on how long a CV should be – the commonly held belief is that it should be no more than 2
pages. This figure is a good guide but not an absolute. The key thing to remember is that if someone hasn’t made their
mind up after reading your CV for 2 pages, then they are unlikely to read the rest of it.
Any recruitment consultant / hiring manager / HR Manager will be reviewing your CV alongside several others, so very
lengthy & verbose CV’s are likely to be put to one side. Ensure you CV is precise, results focused and relevant to the
role you are applying for.
Keywords or Key Phrases
Keywords are the skills that applicant tracking systems search for to determine if your CV will be the first of many to be
read by recruiters & employers. Your job title is the first place on your CV where you can utilise keywords. Ensure your
job title is one that recruiters will recognise, if there are skills that are predominant and transferable, make sure they
appear throughout your CV.
Tailor your CV for each job application
Relying on only one CV is almost always going to restrict your chances of making multiple, successful applications.
Tailoring your CV for individual roles and employing appropriate, relevant keywords and phrases which mirror the job
advert or description, is critical to maximising your success rate.
Typically recruiters spend up to one minute screening a CV - so make it count and stand out from the
crowd!
Other helpful tips Check this free stuff out
http://tinyurl.com/HarcourtMatthews-advice