Advice

CV WRITING ADVICE & TIPS:

In addition to the provision of work experience placements, we take pride in offering up-to-date employment-related advice to aid your career development. This section of the website offers tips on forming your Curriculum Vitae., herein referred to as "C.V.", which will be updated as required and supported by articles in our 'Latest News' section.

The purpose of a C.V. is to provide your prospective employers with a summary of your academic achievements, skills and employment history. As a result, a C.V. is your first chance to impress your potential employer. Although it is unlikely to secure you a position in itself, it is an opportunity to put forward your own skills and place yourself amongst the preferred candidates.

In these economic times, there is a typically a great deal of competition for each job. As a result, it is important that your C.V. stands out to employers and, principally, it must be clear, concise and presentable. In order to further enhance your C.V., please take note of our tips below!

THE FUNDAMENTAL BASICS:

Whilst there are many variations in the presentation of a C.V., there are a few fundamental basics;

it should be printed on good quality and uncreased white A4 paper.
it should be typed in clear text, for example in ‘Times New Roman’ font in number ‘12’ font size.
it should not include photographs of yourself, garish colours or unusual decorative texts or designs.

Ultimately, the format of your C.V. will be dictated by the industry that you are applying to. If you're unsure, contact us at info@barclaysearch.com.

FORMAT EXAMPLE:

Section	Header	Suggested Content
1	Personal Details	Current address, date of birth, telephone number, mobile number, e-mail address
2	Skills & Achievements	Two or three lines of achievements and examples of when you have demonstrated each of the following skills: Teamwork, Effective Communication, Initiative-taking, Problem Solving and Technical Skills.
3	Employment History	Starting with your most recent employment, provide the following information; Firm, Date Employed, Position, Reference contact e-mail address and bullet points of the tasks that were required of you.
4	Academic Qualifications	Write a brief precee of your most recent academic qualifications, highlighting the skills that you have obtained. For all academic qualifications, from GCSE grades upwards, include the name of your School/College/ University, the dates upon which you attended the institution, the grades received and an academic reference contact e-mail address.
5	Activities and Interests	Write a very brief bullet-pointed list of a maximum of four of your activities and interests. Use these to highlight the transferable skills, if applicable.