London Central branch: CV advice

The BCS London Central branch provides support to members with CV advice. It is important to get the sections set out correctly and the basic factual detail correct before asking for help.

General

Remember these key points:

Your CV should be no more than two pages, printed on good quality A4 white paper
Use a cover letter to highlight any relevant experience relating to the job you are applying for
Remember your CV is there to get you to the interview - you can go into further detail at that stage
Check your spelling and grammar

Contact Details

The CV should have your name at the top, (not the words "Curriculum Vitae"). Immediately below that:

Your contact details (telephone, mobile, email, address)
A profile sentence summarising your professional self in third-person
Follow this if necessary, by a few bullet points highlighting key skills

Work History

This section should proceed in date order, starting with the most recent.

List the employer, your job title and dates you worked there
Use bullet points, not a long paragraph
As you head backwards in time, thin out the details

Qualifications

This section should also proceed in date order, starting with the most recent.

Group the qualifications together by establishment or tier, as appropriate
Include dates
Include any ongoing study or pending examinations

Interests

Keep this section succinct but indicate any useful skills not covered elsewhere.

Add any team sports or organisations you take part in
Mention any positions of responsibility, for example being captain of a team
Volunteer work can be included here too

There is a very good section on CV advice on the BCSWomen website