CV Template

[bellavita]

I have seen a job that I would like to apply for, but I do not have a cv. I did not need one for my current job as I went to work for a neighbour of mine. Prior to this, I worked for ASDA and only needed to fill in one of their application forms.

Before the DS's were born, I worked for the same company for 13 years.

I am not sure what to put or what order to put it in.

Can someone pleeease help?

anyone

Ok, just list your jobs in order, beginning with your current one and ending with your first one.

Put the date you started and ended (eg: June 2006-March 2008), then your job title and the name of the company.

So...
June 2006-March 2008 Regional Manager Big Factory Ltd

You could put a line underneath each job explaining what you did, if you wanted.

If you have any qualifications, list them after the jobs list (leave a line or two in between), again with most recent at the top.

Put personal information at the top (name, address, contact number only, not 'married 3 kids age 37 favourite colour blue').

You could put a personal profile-type statement after that, just a couple of lines summing up what experience/skills you have to offer and the type of position/company you are looking for. Obviously make sure these tie in with the job you are applying for.

For each job, do what porpoise said, plus, especially if you've not had that many, put a list of bullet points of main responsibilites and/or achievements. Do this with the job description for the job you want in front of you so you can emphasise relevant stuff.

Then qualifications/training. List in most recent order, include relevant training courses and higher education if you have it. Don't put Home Ec O Level. Everything on your cv should help you get the job you are looking for, and school exams usually won't unless you are a school leaver or very early in your career.

Don't put photos or anything else annoying and irrelevant, don't put it in a folder or on pink paper, don't staple it. It needs to be easy to read and easy to copy. Put page numbers and your name in the footer of each page in case of mishaps with photocopying.

Thank you ladies - going to sit down tonight and do it and apply for the job tomorrow.

Someone I know who swears his CV has "never let him down" has two pages and it goes:

PERSONAL PROFILE

(2-line summary of career)

KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Worked as senior so-and-so
Instigated lah-di-dah-di-dah
Actively promoted doo-dah
Responsible for setting up major f-off blahblah
Created so-and-so...
etc.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Title and one-line desc. of jobs, in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent first)

EDUCATION & TRAINING
(again, most recent first)

OTHER
(e.g. driving licence & any other skills)

Hope this helps!

Thanks UnquietDad. Tis a bit daunting applying for new jobs - for me anyway. Things move on and what was relevant in "my day" ie. yonks ago probably is meaningless now.

My boys are getting that bit older now and I feel like I could perhaps move myself back into the sort of world I had before them IYKWIM.

To be honest it is damn near impossible to get a definitive answer about what constitutes a "proper" CV and/or application letter. There is a lot of conflicting advice out there.