Tips for drafting a CV
The CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a summary of your education and work experience. A good CV gives a prospective employer a quick and accurate impression of whether you are the right person for the job at hand. Therefore, it's crucial to enclose a well-drafted CV with your application. The CV tells the reader who you are and what you can do. In addition to your personal information, it should at the very least specify your educational background, language skills, IT skills and work experience.
In the section on your educational background should specify the name of the school you attended, the degree programme and the period of time you studied there. If you have done additional courses, you can also mention these in this section. In the section on language skills, specify your written and spoken skills for each language (excellent, good, fair or basic). Without your own assessment of your skill level, the reader will not get a sufficient understanding of your language abilities. In the section on IT skills, list the software applications you are familiar with. Be realistic, avoid underestimating or exaggerating your skills.
In the section on work experience, specify the employer, the position and the duration of employment down to the month. If you have taken parental leave or have been unemployed, you should also specify those periods in this section to give the reader a more accurate understanding of why there may be gaps in your work history.
Specifying references is also encouraged. Remember to check with the person you are putting in as a referee and specify their contact details in the CV. This can help expedite your job application process.
If you want, you can also specify your hobbies or other aspects that you consider important. However, bear in mind that the CV should not be excessively long in order to ensure that the reader doesn't lose interest and perhaps neglect to pay attention to the most important sections. If possible, use word processing software to create your CV and application. Run a spell check on the CV to eliminate spelling and grammar mistakes. Update your CV as you learn new things or accumulate work experience.
It pays to be honest in writing your CV, as it is likely to be reviewed in detail in job interviews.