If you’re job hunting one of the toughest tasks you’ll face is pulling together your CV. 

It can be really hard to know what to write or even where to start but as the first point of contact between you and a potential employer it is really important to get it right. 

To help ensure your CV stands out from the crowd we spoke to Ian Rowlands, our Employment officer on the Wolverhampton Skills Connect Project, funded by the Government and the West Midlands Combined Authority, for his top tips. 

This shows a yellow desk on which you can see a mouse and keyboard from a laptop computer, there's a CV next to it along with a clock and a little plant.

Grab the reader

Your opening statement is key, you want to intrigue the reader, make them want to know more about you and carry on reading through your CV. 

Make it easy to read and ensure it summarises your best skills. 

Basically try and sum yourself up in a couple of sentences.  

 

 

Make it relevant

Think about the job you’re applying for, highlighting relevant experience is key.

Ensure you tailor the section about your work or volunteer history to the role you are going for. Think about the skills needed in the post you want and how you have demonstrated them in the past.

 

 

This shows a typewriter with the words look for jobs

Keep it concise

You don’t need to tell your entire life story, keep it succinct but make sure you explain any gaps and the skills you have learned as a result.

Avoid acronyms or organisation related terminology and make sure you do a spelling and grammar check. 

Get someone you know to have a read of it before you send it anywhere. 

If you’re looking for free skills or employment support get in touch to see if we can help you. Call Beacon on 01902 880 111 or email enquiries@beaconvision.org