Your work history needs to include:. Use action verbs to describe your work history and skills. These are words like demonstrated, managed, lead, developed, organised. Include an achievements section in your CV if you have important achievements that aren't covered in the skills or work history sections. You need at least two referees. One referee should be your current manager, team leader or work experience supervisor. We are closed on all public holidays, including Wellington Anniversary.
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New to New Zealand. Courses Secondary school study and training options Study and training options Scholarships Funding your study and training. Tools and activities Planning career development Career practice and development Articles. Sign in. Plan your career Plan your career. Job hunting. Study and training. What's on this page? Skills-focused CV — useful for career changers, school leavers or people with gaps in work history.
Work-focused CV — useful for showcasing work experience and for people progressing to the next stage in their career. Use our skills-focused or work-focused CV templates. To make your CV look good: use a black, easy-to-read font in one size use short sentences and break up blocks of text use bullet points to list information keep the tone formal avoid abbreviations, slang or jargon avoid photos or images have strong headings and lots of white space keep your CV to two pages.
Label your CV files with your name, the application date, and the job you're applying for. If you update your Word document, remember to also create a new PDF. This infographic shows you an overview of how these sections are arranged into the structure of your CV. You need to make it as easy as possible for recruiters and employers to contact you, so put your contact details at the very top of your CV in big bold text. Take up minimal space with your contact details to save plenty of room to write the rest of your CV.
When apply for any job, your CV will usually land in the inbox of a busy recruiter or hiring manager. In order to grab their attention and ensure that they read your CV in full, you must hook them with a punchy introductory paragraph at the top — known as a CV profile or personal statement. The purpose of this section is to give the reader a quick overview of your skills and experience, and encourage them to read on.
If you really want to make a big impression in the first few seconds of your CV being opened, then you should include a core skills section just underneath your profile. This snippet of an example CV shows how it looks.
Essentially, a core skills section is a bullet pointed list split over 2 columns which highlight your most important skills and knowledge for the roles you are applying for. The effect this section has, is that it creates a very quick snapshot of your abilities — so that readers can get a great idea of your talents from just a quick glance. This will really help you to make a big impact when your CV is opened. Pack your core skills with factual skills and experience that recruiters will be searching for e.
In most cases, you should list your work history in reverse chronological order — starting with you most recent role and moving down the page as far back as necessary. Format your roles like the example below to create a pleasant reading experience for recruiters, and allow them to find the information they need easily.
Never delve into the details of your roles without setting the scene first — or you risk confusing readers. Write a quick intro to show recruiters who you work for, where you sit within the business, and what the overall goal of your role is. Bullet point your responsibilities to detail exactly what you do within your role, who you liaise with, and the skills and knowledge you apply.
Where possible, try to quantify these achievements with numbers so that readers can really understand the difference you make. Include your job title, the name of the company, how long you were with the organisation and key responsibilities.
If you have plenty of relevant work experience, this section should come before education. Skills and achievements - This is where you talk about the foreign languages you speak and the IT packages you can competently use. The key skills that you list should be relevant to the job. Don't exaggerate your abilities, as you'll need to back up your claims at interview. If you've got lots of job-specific skills you should do a skills-based CV.
Interests - 'Socialising', 'going to the cinema' and 'reading' aren't going to catch a recruiters attention. However, relevant interests can provide a more complete picture of who you are, as well as giving you something to talk about at interview. Examples include writing your own blog or community newsletters if you want to be a journalist, being part of a drama group if you're looking to get into sales and your involvement in climate change activism if you'd like an environmental job.
If you don't have any relevant hobbies or interests leave this section out. References - You don't need to provide the names of referees at this stage. You can say 'references available upon request' but most employers would assume this to be the case so if you're stuck for space you can leave this out. CV format Avoid titling the document 'curriculum vitae' or 'CV '. It's a waste of space.
Instead let your name serve as the title. Section headings are a good way to break up your CV. Ensure they stand out by making them larger font size 14 or 16 and bold. Avoid fonts such as Comic Sans. Use a font size between 10 and 12 to make sure that potential employers can read your CV. Ensure all fonts and font sizes are consistent throughout. List everything in reverse chronological order. Then the recruiter sees your work history and most recent achievements first.
Keep it concise by using clear spacing and bullet points. This type of CV layout allows potential employers to skim your CV and quickly pick out important information first. Name the document when saving - Don't just save as 'Document 1'. Make sure the title of the document is professional and identifies you, such as 'Joe-Smith-CV'. Unless the job advert states differently for example, it may ask you to provide your CV and cover letter as a Word document save with a.
PDF file extension to make sure it can be opened and read on any machine. If you're posting your CV, print it on white A4 paper - Only print on one side and don't fold your CV - you don't want it to arrive creased. How to write a good CV Use active verbs when possible. For example, include words like 'created', 'analysed' and 'devised' to present yourself as a person who shows initiative.
A good CV doesn't have any spelling or grammar mistakes. Use a spell checker and enlist a second pair of eyes to check over the document. Avoid generic, over-used phrases such as 'team player', 'hardworking' and 'multitasker'.
Instead, provide real-life examples that demonstrate all of these skills. Tailor your CV. Look at the company's website and social media accounts, look to see if they've recently been mentioned in the local press and use the job advert to make sure your CV is targeted to the role and employer.
Create the right type of CV for your circumstances.
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