How to Write a Winning Curriculum Vitae: 7 Key Sections.
What is a Curriculum vitae?
Curriculum vitae is a Latin phrase for ‘course of life’. A CV is a professional document that highlights your experience and life accomplishments. It contains your personal details, work experience, education and skills, relevant awards, scholarships, grants, research, projects and publications. A CV is a living document, which must be updated frequently to reflect the developments in one’s career and life. In this article, we highlight the strategies for writing an effective CV.
What information to include in a CV
The first details on your CV are your Name, professional title and contact information. You don’t need to include the words ‘Curriculum Vitae’ as your heading. The title of your CV, at the very top, should be your name, professional title and contact details. Contact details include your e-mail address and phone numbers. Your date of birth, marital status, nationality and age are not required.
1. Personal Profile/ CV Summary
A personal profile also called a personal statement or personal summary is the opening statement at the top of your CV which outlines your personal characteristics, attributes, qualities and your work experience. It is the first chance to introduce yourself to the prospective employer and therefore should create a good first impression. It must be able to attract their attention and interest to read the rest of your CV
2. Professional Experience
This section is where you market yourself. Describe your previous roles, experience, internship, or volunteering. These must be listed in reverse chronological order because your most recent role is the most important to your prospective employer. Here are some tips on what to include in this section:
- Job titles and employment dates: List your previous job titles and the dates of your employment, including the start and end dates.
- Employer details: Include the names of the organizations you worked for, their industry and sector, and their size, if relevant.
- Job description and responsibilities: Provide a brief description of your job and your key responsibilities.
- Achievements and contributions: Highlight your achievements and contributions to the organization, such as exceeding sales targets, launching a new product, or leading a successful project.
- Skills and knowledge: Mention any skills or knowledge you gained while working in this role that is relevant to the job you’re applying for.
- Quantify achievements: Whenever possible, quantify your achievements with specific numbers, such as “increased revenue by 25%,” to provide concrete evidence of your accomplishments.
Remember to focus on the most relevant and recent work experience and tailor your descriptions to the job you’re applying for. Use action verbs and be specific and concise in your descriptions. Also, highlight your achievements and contributions to the organization, as this can demonstrate your value as an employee.
3. Qualifications and skills
The Qualifications and Skills section of your CV is where you can showcase your education, training, certifications, and any relevant skills you possess that are directly related to the job you’re applying for. Here are some examples of what you could include:
- Educational qualifications: List your academic qualifications, including your degree(s) and any relevant certifications or diplomas.
- Professional certifications: Include any relevant professional certifications or licenses that you have earned.
- Technical skills: If the job requires specific technical skills, make sure to include them in this section. For example, if you’re applying for a job as a software developer, list the programming languages and tools you’re proficient in.
- Soft skills: Soft skills are non-technical skills that are important in many jobs, such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Highlight any relevant soft skills you possess.
- Industry-specific skills: If the job requires specific skills related to the industry, make sure to include them in this section. For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, list your skills in market research, data analysis, and social media management.
- Remember, when writing this section, focus on the skills and qualifications that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
4. Awards
Including an Awards section on your CV can be a great way to showcase your achievements and highlight your strengths. Here are some tips on what to include in this section:
- Relevant awards: Only include awards that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying for a job in marketing, include awards you’ve received for marketing campaigns or projects.
- Recent awards: Include awards you’ve received in the past few years to show that you’ve been actively engaged in your field.
- Awards that demonstrate specific skills: If you received an award for a particular skill or accomplishment, include it in this section. For example, if you received an award for leadership or teamwork, highlight it here.
- Name and date of award: Make sure to include the name of the award and the date you received it.
- Don’t overdo it: Only include a few of your most relevant and impressive awards. You don’t want this section to take up too much space on your CV or overshadow other important sections.
Remember, including an Awards section is optional, so only include it if you feel it adds value to your CV and strengthens your candidacy for the job you’re applying for.
5. Publications and conference presentations.
If you have published any articles, papers, or books, or if you have given presentations at conferences, including a Publications and Conference Presentations section on your CV can be a great way to showcase your expertise and accomplishments. Here are some tips on what to include in this section:
- Title and date: List the title of your publication or presentation and the date it was published or presented.
- Co-authors or co-presenters: If you collaborated with other authors or presenters, include their names.
- Publication or conference name: Include the name of the journal, magazine, or conference where your publication or presentation was featured.
- Link to publication or presentation: If possible, include a link to your publication or presentation.
- Emphasize relevance: If your publication or presentation is relevant to the job you’re applying for, make sure to highlight that.
Remember, only include publications and presentations that are relevant to the job you’re applying for and that demonstrate your expertise in the field. If you have a lot of publications and presentations, you may want to only list the most recent or most relevant ones.
6. Professional associations.
Including a Professional Associations section on your CV is a great way to showcase your involvement in your industry and demonstrate your commitment to your professional development. Here are some tips on what to include in this section:
- Name of the association: List the name of the professional association you belong to.
- Membership level: If you hold a specific membership level within the association (such as a board member or a committee member), make sure to highlight it.
- Duration of membership: List the dates of your membership in the association.
- Involvement: If you have been involved in any specific projects or events through the association, make sure to highlight them.
- Relevance: Only include professional associations that are relevant to the job you’re applying for or that demonstrate your expertise in the field.
Remember, including a Professional Associations section is optional, so only include it if you feel it adds value to your CV and strengthens your candidacy for the job you’re applying for. If you’re a member of multiple associations, you may want to only list the most relevant or most recent ones.
7. Licenses and certifications
Listing your Licenses and Certifications on your CV can help you demonstrate your qualifications for a specific job or industry. Here are some tips on what to include in this section:
- Name of the license or certification: List the name of the license or certification that you hold.
- Issuing organization: Include the name of the organization that issued the license or certification.
- Date of issuance and expiration: List the date that you were issued the license or certification and its expiration date.
- Description of the license or certification: Provide a brief description of what the license or certification covers and how it is relevant to the job you are applying for.
- Relevance: Only include licenses and certifications that are relevant to the job you’re applying for or that demonstrate your qualifications for the industry.
Remember, including a Licenses and Certifications section is optional, so only include it if you feel it adds value to your CV and strengthens your candidacy for the job you’re applying for. If you have multiple licenses and certifications, you may want to only list the most relevant or most recent ones.
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