Steps:
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Set up your curriculum vitae page to have one-inch side margins and top and bottom margins of between 0.5 and 1.25 inches. Use a simple, professional-looking font such as Arial (if you want a sans serif font) or Times Roman (if you prefer a serif font). Consistency is key. Use the same font throughout. Use boldface and italics to add variety to your layout.
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Write your CV in a resume style appropriate for your experience. A chronological style lists your work experience in reverse chronological order. This style suits job seekers applying for jobs within their current field and with few or no gaps in their employment. A functional resume emphasizes experience and achievements and works best for those lacking relevant work history or for those with employment gaps. This style is also useful for job seekers with many promotions and advancements to showcase. A corporate or combination style combines aspects of both chronological and functional styles.
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Start your curriculum vitae with your personal information, beginning with your name (preferably in bold) and listing address, phone number and email. These elements can either be centered or left-justified. The remainder of the CV should be left-justified.
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Write an objective or personal profile. This essentially tells employers where you want to be on your career path. This statement should concisely outline the job you seek or the role you wish to fill. You should compose several objectives to use for different CVs
, depending on the job. For example, you might have one objective for a contract job and another for a managerial job application. -
Highlight your education with advanced degrees first, followed by undergradaute degrees. Include the names of the institutions, your degrees, graduation dates and associated honors or commendations. GPA is not necessary. List coursework related to the job you seek, especially if your degree is not directly related to the position. Also list any notable research projects, published articles or community service initiatives to your credit.
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Outline the jobs you’ve held and the duties you have performed. List employment dates and job titles as well as your responsibilities. Highlight the results you achieved in your job and what benefits you brought to the company. Your work history should be written to match the requirements outlined in job applications.
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Conclude with three references including their names, position titles, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. You may include more than three if you feel the references will provide significant impact on a potential employer.
Tips & Warnings:
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Maintain parallel construction of your descriptions whenever possible. This means if you use verb phrases to describe your work history at one job, use verb phrases in the descriptions for all your jobs. Highlight only the information that is most relevant to the job you seek. This will often be what makes you stand out from other job seekers. Allow someone else to review and edit your CV. Keep your email address professional-looking. Approximate your name as closely as possible without using numbers or odd phrases.
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Don’t sacrifice accuracy. Be truthful in your descriptions. Don’t go overboard writing your CV. Most curriculum vitae are kept to two or three pages. Don’t forget to include any certifications earned from associations, organizations or other non-school institutions related to your field. Don’t leave out any notable skills you possess such as speaking another language, operating a particular computer program, or organizing events.
<Source: eHow>
