01 May 2023
Want a quick summary of what should go in a CV? Read on for some handy hints and advice, to help you give your career a boost.
Q: What core information should I include on my CV?
A: Every CV should consist of four core subjects, which are:
Q: Should a CV be limited to one page?
A: No CV should exceed two sides of A4 (for Academics / Scientists and other similar careers - your publication list is a separate document) However, how much information is added to those two sides is completely up to you.
Inexperienced candidates might struggle to fill two sides of A4, in which case one side of A4 is perfectly acceptable. Highly-experienced candidates might have to prioritise what information they add to their CV to ensure that it does not exceed two sides.
Q: Is an objective statement essential?
A: In a word, no, an objective statement is not necessary, if you feel it wouldn’t add value. Some employers might be pleased to see a statement included which gives them an idea of how ambitious you are, or how you see your career going.
For some career paths, this might not be too relevant, so think carefully before you include one. This is simply a judgement call that you will have to make, depending on the job that you are applying for and whether you think an objective statement will be of interest to your potential employers.
Q: Should I include my hobbies and personal interests in my CV?
A: We don’t think these items add any value to your CV, and so would never recommend that they are included. If there are activities in your personal life which you think could enhance your chances of getting the job, then you should include relevant details in your cover letter.
If, for example, you have been dabbling with engines in your spare time since you were very young, this would be something relevant to mention in your cover letter when applying for a job as a mechanic. It wouldn’t be so relevant if you were applying for a job as an accountant.
Including outside interests and hobbies in the covering letter is all well and good but they have to relate to the position in some way or highlight a skill that could be of use in the job.
Q: Do I need to include references in my CV?
A: The majority of employers do not expect to see references included with your CV. If they were to offer you the job, they would usually seek references at that stage rather than before. On that basis, there’s no need to include them – just wait until you are asked to provide them.
It is perfectly fine just to say references available on request, unless you have particularly impressive referees who are known in the field you are applying for. In that case, name-dropping that they are your referees could actually help you to get an interview. If you were applying for an IT job and had Bill Gates from Microsoft as a referee, you shouldn’t hesitate to include his name.
Q: What information should I avoid including in my CV?
A: knowing what not to include is just as important as knowing what you should include. Giving the wrong information gives an employer a bad first impression. The main things to avoid are:
● Religion
● Reasons for leaving previous employment
● Sexuality
● Every school grade you ever achieved
● a Photograph of yourself
● Political Views
It should go without saying, of course, that you should never include anything that is not completely true. If you lie on your CV you could risk termination of any successful job applications and really damage your career.
In terms of political and religious views, and sexuality, in most cases these should not be mentioned but if you happened to be applying for a role with a political party, a religious organisation or an LGBTI+ charity, it wouldn’t do you any harm to let those groups know that you are a supporter, member or share their values.
Q: Should my Education always be near the top of my CV?
A: This depends on the job or the candidate applying. For example, if you are a school-leaver who is relatively new to the market, it would be advantageous to place your education higher up.
However, if you were a highly experienced candidate or the position being applied for required relevant experience the education would not be as important and should therefore be positioned further towards the end. Always include the most important information earlier in the CV so that even if they only glanced at the CV, that is what they would see.
Q: When emailing a CV, what is the best format to send the document in?
A: Most companies use Microsoft Office in their day to day business and so saving something as a word document is a good way of ensuring that it gets seen but is also formatted correctly. If you are concerned about a potential employer being able to read your CV, saving it as a .txt file will ensure that it can be read.
However, this will look a lot less professional as the formatting of these documents is very basic. Lastly, if you are confident with computers and want a visually appealing CV, saving it as a .PDF file will look the best, which could leave a good impression if you are going for a design or IT based job.
Q: How far back should I go with the information I put on my CV?
A: We suggest you limit the detailed information on your CV to the most recent ten years, or 15 at most if you’ve some relevant jobs you don’t want to leave it. It’s always fine to summarise your career up to that point with a paragraph near the end of your CV, covering your general career up to that point.
