CVs and Job Applications
The Successful CV
A successful CV is the product of careful thought and planning. The employer is looking for an applicant who has the right experience, skills, and personal qualities for the job. The person appointed is likely to be the one who not only possesses all these but also presents them in the most attractive way. The only way in which you can achieve this is by thinking very carefully about yourself and what you have done in the past and believe you could do in the future, given the right opportunity.
Preparation
Begin by thinking about these three areas:
? experience
? skills
? personal qualities
There are various ways in which you can do this. What follows is only one possibility. Whichever approach you choose, however, make sure that you make detailed notes of your ideas ? even if you think they may not be relevant. Also, keep all your lists and sheets of notes ?open'; go back to them from time to time and make sure that you haven't missed anything out. This preparation stage is essentially one of brainstorming. Selection and ordering come later.
Experience: Many people find it easier to start with this, because it is the most concrete. Begin by thinking of your life as divided into a number of stages. What these are depends on you ? the divisions between the stages may be marked by changes of job, moves from one place to another, or by key events in your life ? marrying, having children, buying a house, and so on. Your notes on your experience should certainly include:
? education
? any professional training
? periods of employment ? include part-time jobs and those which didn't ...