How to write a Curriculum Vitae

When searching for a job, curriculum vitae or CV is an essential tool to help you land the position you desire. However, there is an art to crafting a curriculum vitae that will best showcase your skills and qualifications. Here are the basics of how to write a curriculum vitae.

Make sure you include all the relevant contact information. If the information is incomplete, this could ruin your changes. Include your first name, surname, address, email address, and phone number. This is optional, but you can also include your fax number.

This section of the curriculum vitae lists your skills. The goal here is to be brief. Only list the necessary keywords and avoid writing detailed descriptions. Make sure you list all the relevant skills that you have garnered, but especially the ones that are relevant for the position your applying.

The next step in writing a curriculum vitae is to craft your objective statement. This is the section where you communicate to your potential employer exactly what type of position you desire and the role you will play within this position. If your potential jobs vary, you will need to change this statement accordingly and have multiple copies of your CV on hand with the necessary objective statement changes. This section is sometimes called the "personal profile" section.

In the education section of the curriculum vitae list both your educational background and all your certifications. Include the school, the dates you attended, the date of graduation, the type of diploma you obtained, and/or the name of the certification you acquired. Also include contact information in case the potential employer wants to check your credentials. You should write your qualifications in descending order i.e. the most recent at the top and work your way down.

This is an important part of the curriculum vitae because it shows an employer that you've had experience. If you are new to the workforce, include any internships or part time jobs you may have had. List the job, your role and responsibilities, the dates you worked there, and any contact information. Tr y and indicate, where possible, any skills that you have gained from a previous job that will be relevant to the one your applying.

Other sections

There are two sections of the curriculum vitae that you may choose to leave out- the "awards and accomplishments" section and the "activities and interests". Only choose activities and/or accomplishments that pertain to the job you are applying for. Although not essential, these may put some light on your character away from work. It will tell the person analyzing your curriculum vitae what kind of a person you are. If you feel it will help your cause then include it by all means. If, however, you feel it will hinder then there is no need to add this.