CV Writing Tips

We receive a number of CVs every month requesting jobs. Here are a few pointers from the submissions that we’ve received to date:

• Sign your name. A photocopied CV is sometimes a requirement of means, but photocopying it with your signature just makes it look as though you haven’t any desire to work for the company in question.
• Black ink, white paper. We have read CVs with pink writing on lilac paper and hearts over ‘i’s in the past.
• Try and address the covering letter to the company that you are applying to, even if the covering letter is not unique (which, ideally, it should be).
• Clarity of presentation is key. Even the most clear of communications are let down by superfluous spaces, apostrophes and inappropriate capitalisation.
• Use a spell checker. Make sure that it isn’t set to American English!
• Before sending out CVs en-masse, read it through, re-read it and get someone else to read it and comment on it.
• A CV is not a place for exclamation and question marks. Be assertive and remember - an exclamation mark in this sort of document is the literary equivalent of laughing at your own joke.
• We don’t expect your CV to come in a large envelope and you have to pay for large letter postage! We will happily accept a standard-sized envelope and then you get to pay standard postage. The packaging, whilst it stands out from the rest, will not affect the quality of the CV inside.
• Don’t lie.
• Be courteous and polite.

We always endeavour to provide a response to anyone who writes us a letter. Every letter sent deserves a letter back. Unless its a bill.