
What should I include?
Your CV should include your name and contact information, an overview of your education, your academic and related employment (especially teaching,editorial, or administrative experience), your research projects (including conference papers and publications), and your departmental and community service. You should also include a reference list, either as part of your CV, or on a separate page. Also, if you have a dossier containing confidential references available, you should mention that on your CV as well.
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Is there a standard curriculum vitae format?
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One of the most important things to remember when working on your curriculum vitae is that there is not one standard format. There are different emphases in each discipline, and a good CV is one that emphasizes the points that are considered to be most important in your discipline and conforms to standard conventions within your discipline.
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So how can you find out what these conventions are? A good place to start is to find as many examples as possible of CVs by people in your discipline who have recently been on the job market. You can find these by asking other grad students and junior faculty in your department if you can have a look at their CV's, and you can also make use of the our templates And examples to find CV samples.
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Generally used format of curriculum vitae.
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Step 1: Personal details
Step 2: Personal profile statement
Step 3: Achievements
Step 4: Education
Step 5: Employment
Step 6: Qualifications
Step 7: Skills
Step 8: Hobbies
Step 9: References
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Step 1: Personal Details
Guidelines:
The personal details section is located right at the top of your CV and it is the first thing that a prospective employer will see.
This section must contain the following information in chronological order:
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Your name: written in big bold letters and centred on the page
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Your contact details: address, mobile number and e-mail address
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Step 2: Personal Profile Statement
Guidelines:
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A personal profile statement is the second part of your CV, and it is a short statement that tells the prospective employer about the personal skills and qualities that you possess, the experiences that you have, and your career goals and ambitions.
When writing your personal profile, ensure it is:
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Short (no more than 5 lines);
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Relevant to the job you are applying for, and;
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Contains some real-world examples.
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Step 3: Achievements
Guidelines:
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Including a list of achievements on your CV is an excellent way of making your CV stand out from the crowd. Research has shown that the applicants with achievement-focused CVs are three times more likely to be shortlisted for an interview compared to candidates with duties-focused CVs!
What types of achievements should you include in this section? Well, any accomplishments that portray you in a positive light are worth considering, including:
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Awards won
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Promotions
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Trained or educated others
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Completed important projects on time and within budget
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Increased sales figures (by such-and-such %)
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Step 4: Education
Guidelines:
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This section should contain a summary of your educational background, and it is one of the most important parts of your CV. It informs the reader, in brief, the education you have received to date, starting with the most recent.
Courses that you can list here:
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Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees
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A-Levels, BTECs and other college-level courses
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GCSEs
It is also perfectly fine to list down any additional training/qualifications that you have received.
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Step 5: Employment
Guidelines:
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The employment and work experience section of a CV is another crucial part of your CV which is dedicated to the work experience that you have to date.
The following are some of the jobs that you can include under this section:
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Permanent and temporary jobs
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Full-time and part-time jobs
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Weekend and summer jobs
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Voluntary positions
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Industrial placements and internships
Each entry should be accompanied by the following information:
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The name of the company you have worked in
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The start and end dates (from-to)
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Your job title
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Your primary duties and responsibilities
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Step 6: Qualification
Guidelines:
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The qualifications section of a CV is usually combined with the Education section, but on this occasion, we have separated the two for readability and presentational purposes.
In this section, you can list down the names of the qualifications that you have achieved accompanied by the following information:
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The issuer/training provider
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The level of the qualification (if applicable)
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The validity/expiry date of the certificate (if applicable)
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Step 7: Skills
Guidelines:
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The skills section of a CV is an optional part where you can mention some of the skills and abilities that you possess which will assist you in the job you are applying for.
There are a broad range of skills that you can mention, such as:
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IT Skills – being able to use the computer to accomplish tasks
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Communication – being able to listen/talk to people in a constructive manner
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Interpersonal – The way you relate and interact with others
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Numerical – being able to handle numbers, maths, estimations, etc.
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Analytical – being able to give meaning to data, analyse information
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Problem-solving – being able to offer solutions to problems
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Teamwork – being able to work with other people to achieve a common goal
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Leadership – being able to take responsibility, lead/mentor others, etc.
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Organisation – being able to meet deadlines, plan and schedule tasks, etc.
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Step 8: Hobbies and Interests
Guidelines:
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You can use the hobbies and interests section of your CV to demonstrate that you’re well-rounded person who is engaged in extracurricular activities and in the community.
The following are some of the benefits of this having hobbies on your CV:
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It will give the recruiter a fuller and more complete picture of you
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Sporting interests indicate that you are fit and healthy
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Involvement in the community indicates good interpersonal skills
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Outside interests tell the employer that you can have a good time as well
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They form a great basis for discussion at the interview stage
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Step 9: References
Guidelines:
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The references section on your CV is the final part which cannot be entirely omitted. Your references should be two people who know you well and have worked with you in one way or another and who can vouch for you to the prospective employer.
One of your references should be your current or former employer, and the second referee can be any person who knows you well.
For each of your referees include the following details:
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Full name
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Title/position
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(Work) Address
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Telephone number
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Email address
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