How to write a successful CV?

Your CV is usually the first point of contact that a potential employer will have with you, and so it is imperative that when writing your CV, it reflects your skills, experience and accomplishments in an easy-to-read and engaging format. So, it’s essential to have a well presented professional CV, but still many graduates get this wrong. They don’t recognise the difference between a good CV and a great CV – which could be the deciding factor for you in securing an interview for your dream job.

Employers don’t have time to read between the lines, so the more you do to show how great you are for the job you’re trying to bag, the more chance you’ll have of getting it.

Remember, the reader will be asking themselves two very basic questions:

• Can you do the job?
• Will you suit their company?

Make sure the answer to both of these questions is ‘yes’ by:

• Moulding your CV to match what they’re looking for
• Making it clear where your skills meet their needs
• Pointing out the value you could bring to their organisation

Here are few tips for writing a great CV and effectively showcasing your skills and suitability to the professional world.

Mind your language

• Keep copy short and sweet
• Avoid lengthy sentences and use bullet-points
• Don’t refer to yourself as ‘I’ or by name
• Make sentences more direct with such phrases as ‘Major achievements include’
• Use the past tense to describe your career (‘Led a team of…’) but the present tense for your transferable skills and competencies (‘Offers experience in…’)

 Proof read

     It’s deceptively easy to make mistakes on your CV and exceptionally difficult to repair the damage once an employer gets it. A fresh pair of eyes can be super sharp when it comes to spotting the errors you  may have missed, so ask someone to double-check it for you

 Layout

• Try to keep your CV to two pages.All in all, your CV should be an introduction rather than a biography.
• Keep it clean and uncluttered
• Use the same font throughout and make sure it’s a simple one

Professionalism

CV’s with unprofessional email addresses are often ignored. Create a new email address with your name and a number – no nicknames, no random words. Choose a sensible email address!

 Personal statement

• Your personal statement is your big chance to sell yourself. Think of it as a sales pitch — you have one chance to grab the reader’s attention with how great you are
• Write a focused summary of what you have to offer, keeping it simple and snappy.

Work experience

• Use assertive and positive language under the work history and experience sections, such as “developed”, “organised” or “achieved”. Try to relate the skills you have learned to the job role you’re applying for.
• Start with your current or most recent position and work backwards
• Provide a job title, start and finish dates, company name, and a brief description of what they do
• List relevant responsibilities, achievements, duties and skills; describing the scope of your job, rather than giving a job description

Qualifications, education, training and development

• List professional and academic qualifications, degrees and executive programmes (giving the subject, awarding body and year)
• Include skills such as languages, technology, or vocational training.

References

Including references have to be from a person who has employed you within the past and might vouch for your talents and revel in. If you’ve never worked before you’re OK to use a teacher or tutor as a referee.

Future proofing

When you put together a CV it’s often difficult remembering the projects you have been involved with and the achievements you have made. To avoid missing important pieces of information out, revisit your CV every month adding anything of importance and cut any information that is no longer required.

University of Science & Technology Meghalaya is one of the top Universities in Northeast India. USTM have under graduate programs as well as post graduate programs. PhD programs of USTM are one of the most renowned in Northeast India.  We also have Engineering programs, BA LLB, PG, MBA, BBA, B.Ed. & LLB programs among others. Seminars & Placement in USTM is one of the best in entire Northeast India. http://ustm.ac.in/