Example of a classic CV layout & what to include.

NAME

Address inc. postcode/ (T): mobile number/ (T): landline number/

youremail@youremailaddress.com

___________________________

OBJECTIVE

Optional- If there is a particular role you are aspiring to, you can tailor your CV to that job. Use this space to state exactly what you want. Tip- This is a particuarly useful section for a recent Graduate looking to get into their chosen area of work to mention their studies early on in the CV.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

This section gives you the chance to sell yourself. Use positive keywords and again try and tailor your CV to the job type you are applying for. Don't be afraid to talk about how good you are!

If your personal statement is rubbish, the rest of your CV might get dismissed.

e.g.

"An adaptable and responsible graduate seeking an entry-level position in public relations which will utilise the organisational and communication skills developed through my involvement with various summer projects.

During my degree I successfully combined my studies with work and other commitments showing myself to be self-motivated, organised and capable of working under pressure. I have a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem solving and a drive to see things through to completion. I enjoy working on my own initiative or in a team. In short, I am reliable, trustworthy, hardworking and eager to learn and have a genuine interest in PR."

EDUCATION

Write in reverse chronological order. Don’t forget to include your degree(s) including the institution where you studied, your degree title(s) and the passes you achieved. You may want to add information about your secondary education especially if it shows skills such as languages. Stating your ‘A’ levels is a good idea but avoid lists of your GCSE’s.

Example layout;

[From- To]

University Name

Course

Grades Achieved

[From- To]

College Name

Course

Grades Achieved

[From- To]

Secondary Education

GCSE's achieved e.g. 9 GCSE's grades A-C

EMPLOYMENT

Again, write in reverse chronological order including your job title, the organisation you worked for and dates- If you can, specifiy the month and year. You could add relevant jobs you did as a student. This is the part where you can be more specific about what you have already mentioned in your Personal Statement.

[From- To]

[Company Name] [Job Title]

• Use Bullet points to specify your duties and acheivements.

• Be careful that you don't turn this into a job description- outline your duties, but focus on explaining what you excelled on in this role.

• Try to keep it 5-6 bullets long for each position.

If there are any gaps in between jobs, add a line to explain why you have a gap.

[From- To]

[Company Name] [Job Title]

• Again, use bullet points to outline your previous roles.

• It's important to remember to include relevant experience e.g. if you had an admin role 9 years ago and it's been pushed off your CV, put it back on if you are applying for admin-skilled roles.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Did you win any prizes or awards, have a position of responsibility, captained a team, organised an event or were recognised for anything else you have done? What about any other extra-curricular activities. You should include those which support your application/CV. If you have limited achievements to offer then leave this heading out and replace it with another heading more relevant to your experience.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

Optional- a good section to put in if your CV is quite short and you have other skills to offer such as languages. Use bullet points to outline your skills e.g.

REFEREES

If you need the space just write ‘References available on request’. If the individual reading your CV is interested in, you will be contacted for references anyway. If you have space, give all contact details including title if appropriate.

Feel free to copy & paste this layout into Word to use as a guide, or email contact@cassidycrane.co.uk for the template.