Tips for CVs/Resumes

When you apply for a job, you are usually asked to send a CV
or resume. This is a history of your education and work
experience. Here are 7 tips for CVs and resumes in English:

Tip 1: Use design that demands attention
Employers don't have time to read through each of your job
descriptions to know if you have the skills they need. The
design of your CV must do it for them. Your CV should be
concise, well-organised and relevant. It should emphasise
the most important and relevant points about your
experience, skills and education.

Tip 2: Use 'power words'
To control the image that an employer has of you, use power
words that match the position you want. Certain words are
used frequently by recruiters in their job descriptions. You
should study recruiters' advertisements and job descriptions
and use these words in your CV and covering letter.

Tip 3: A number is worth 1,000 words
Numbers are alive and powerful. They create images in our
minds. General statements are easy to ignore. Be specific!
Use numbers when describing your duties and achievements.

Tip 4: Put important information first
List important information at the beginning of your job
descriptions. Put statements in your CV in order of
importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job.

Tip 5: Sell benefits, not skills
Holiday companies don't sell holidays. They sell relaxation,
adventure, sun, sea and sand (the benefits of a holiday).
You should not sell your skills (many other people have the
same skills). You should sell the benefits of your skills.
When you write your skills and past duties, you can explain
their benefits to the employer.

Tip 6: Solve the employer's (hidden) needs
Employers want people who can solve problems, not create
them! Your CV and cover letter should show how you can solve
the employer's problems and needs.

Tip 7: Target the job
You will have more success if you adjust your CV and cover
letter for the specific skills an employer is seeking. This
means that you would write one CV for one particular job and
a different, modified, CV for another job.

Why you need a good CV

Your CV's job is to get you an interview.

Your CV or resume is your visiting card, your ambassador, your shop window. It represents you and it has a specific purpose: to get you an interview! To do this, it must:

• attract
• inform
• persuade
• sell

A good CV is one of your most important tools in the search for employment.

What a CV or resume is not

A CV is not a book.

A CV is not an obstacle.

A CV is not a tombstone.

A CV is not boring or difficult to read.

A CV is not your life story or autobiography.

A CV is not a catalogue of your personal opinions.

A CV is not a list of problems with past employers.

What a CV or resume is

A CV is short.

A CV is seductive.

A CV is an important document.

A CV answers the question 'Why?'

A CV is interesting and easy to read.

A CV is a list of benefits for the employer.

A CV is as much about the employer as about you.

Why you need a good covering letter

Your covering letter must sell your CV.

Before even looking at your CV, an employer usually reads your covering letter. If it is badly-written, or untidy, or difficult to read, your CV will probably go into the nearest bin. If it is well-written, attractive, easy to read and persuasive, the employer will turn to your CV. It's that simple!

When you send your CV to apply for a position, you should also include a short letter. This letter is called a covering letter or (in American English) a cover letter. A covering letter sent with a CV/resume is also called a letter of application. Your letter of application is a sales letter. The product it is selling is your CV.

Content

The reader of your letter may be busy and unwilling to waste time on unnecessary details. You should therefore design your letter to be easy to read. It should be short, concise and relevant. It should not be too formal or complicated.

Your letter should:

1. confirm that you are applying for the position
2. say where you learned about the position
3. say why you want the position
4. say why you would be a benefit to the company
5. request an interview

Format

The layout of a modern business letter in English is very simple. Your address is at the top, on the right or in the middle. The rest of the letter can be in 'block' format, with each line starting on the left. Try to keep the whole letter on one single page, with plenty of white space.

Here is the typical format for your covering letter:

1 Your address telephone - fax - email
Put your address + your telephone number, fax and/or email address at the top in the centre OR on the right. Do NOT put your name here.	1 Your address telephone fax email
2 Date	Do not write the date as numbers only, for two reasons: It can be considered too official and therefore impolite All-number dates are written differently in British English (31/12/99) and American English (12/31/99). This can lead to confusion.
3 Destination name and address	This is the name of the person to whom you are writing, his/her job title, the company name and address. This should be the same as on the envelope.
4 Reference	This is the reference number or code given by the employer in their advertisement or previous letter. You write the employer's reference in the form: 'Your ref: 01234'. If you wish to include your own reference, you write: 'My ref: 56789'.
5 Salutation (Dear...)	A letter in English always begins with 'Dea...', even if you do not know the person. There are several possibilities: Dear Sir Dear Madam Dear Mr Smith Dear Mrs Smith Dear Miss Smith Dear Ms Smith
6 Subject	The subject of your letter, which for a job application is normally the Job Title.
7 Body	The letter itself, in 3 to 6 paragraphs.
8 Ending (Yours...)	Yours sincerely Yours faithfully Yours truly
9 Your signature	Sign in black or blue ink with a fountain pen.
10 Your name	Your first name and surname, for example: Mary Smith James Kennedy
11 (Your title)	If you are using company headed paper, write your Job Title here. If you are using personal paper, write nothing here.
12 Enclosures	Indicate that one or more documents are enclosed by writing 'Enc: 2' (for two documents, for example).

Should your letter of application be hand-written? Probably not. In some cultures employers require candidates to send letters written by hand. But in the English-speaking world, an employer would usually prefer to receive a letter of application that is word-processed (that is, produced on a computer and printed). A hand-written letter could be considered unprofessional. You must judge according to the country, culture and tradition.

The example shown on this page is a simple demonstration of a basic type of covering letter. Later on, you can view more covering letters in the Samples section.

26 rue Josef
75008 PARIS
France
tel: [phone]
email: [e-mail]

The Principal
Interplay Languages
77 bd Saint Germain
75006 PARIS

17 April 2006

Dear Madam

Director of Studies

I am interested in working as Director of Studies for your organisation. I am an EFL language instructor with nearly 10 years' experience to offer you. I enclose my resume as a first step in exploring the possibilities of employment with Interplay Languages.

My most recent experience was implementing English Through Drama workshops for use with corporate clients. I was responsible for the overall pedagogical content, including the student coursebook. In addition, I developed the first draft of the teacher's handbook.

As Director of Studies with your organisation, I would bring a focus on quality and effectiveness to your syllabus design. Furthermore, I work well with others, and I am experienced in course planning.

I would appreciate your keeping this enquiry confidential. I will call you in a few days to arrange an interview at a time convenient to you. Thank you for your consideration.

Yours faithfully

Rachel King