Curriculum Vitae | CV Writing | CV Formats And Examples

The Curriculum Vitae more commonly called a CV is the first, and at most times is considered to be the most important part of applying for a job. It is the main document that tells the prospective employer what they will get if they decide to hire you.

Since potential employers have to whittle down practically hundreds of applications for every job advertised, to a few relevant ones, they will have to base their narrowing down efforts using the information (or lack of it) in the CV samples they have collected.

Many studies have shown that about half of the employers make their decision to accept or reject job applications based on the related work experience listed in the CV. A third of the employers decide to reject or accept these job applications based on the CV layout and design of these applications.

What that means for the employment candidate is that the Curriculum Vitae must be both strong on content and appearance.

Curriculum Vitae & Job Hunting

If you are job hunting or looking for any executive positions, then the Curriculum Vitae you are planning to send is the one thing you cannot afford to get wrong.

This is not just your life, education and employment history, it is your primary tool for advertising yourself to any interested buyers of your services, in other words the prospective employers and could mean the difference between whether they choose you or another 'supplier'.

Employing a professional CV writer may not be what you had in mind, but every day you will hear of people who were qualified but lost out because their own CV was not up to the job of 'selling' their skills professionally.

You would have to agree that the small investment involved in employing a professional CV writer, was cost effective if you won the job that you wanted and possibly increased your salary at the same time, wouldn't you?

Don't think that because you list 'Excellent verbal and written communication skills' on your Curriculum Vitae, that it makes you an excellent CV writer - it is an entirely different professional skill, developed and honed in a specific way.

My recommendation is that if you are job hunting or looking for any executive positions, then the Executive CV you are planning to send should be professionally written for you, by an expert executive CV writer.

Make Your Curriculum Vitae Stand Out

When preparing your CV, make sure your CV stands out among the rest. It should be the type that is appealing to the eyes, making the evaluating personnel want to read the CV. The best way to achieve that is to make sure the page is well spaced so that it is easy to read. The second part is for you to make sure your CV describes the relevant work experience you have had in relation to the job you are applying for.

Make Your Curriculum Vitae Concise and Relevant

Avoid making your CV too long and that means no more than two to three pages. See this CV Example. Including too much information may make it irrelevant to the evaluator. Remember that the employer is a person to whom time is important. If your CV shows that you value his/her time while showing the most relevant information in the least amount of time, you will have won one important battle.

Always Tailor Your Curriculum Vitae To The Job.

You may have had previous experience that may not be related to the job you are applying for. Some people keep many different versions of their CV for different job opening purposes. Makesure your CV is appropriate for the job.

The biggest mistake is to submit a one-size-fits-all CV since the employer will form the impression that your previous efforts have not been focused enough to produce any specialization on your part.

Write About Your Achievements

You may add your achievements, but make your statements factual and relevant. It does not do harm to advertise yourself, but make your advertisement matter-of-fact and not just hot air. You may want to skip on listing your weak points as the CV is not the avenue for such discussions.

Polish Your Curriculum Vitae

Your employer will know if you have put enough time producing your CV. If he/she sees that you have put sufficient and thorough effort into your CV, he/she will assume that you will do the same in your work. This is a big plus for you. It is not uncommon for some people to spend hours polishing and buffing their CV, but the time spent ensuring that your CV matches the employer's requirements will be worth it.

This Curriculum Vitae Example shows how you can make your CV very specific and create enough relevant detail to interest a prospective employer, without the document being too long.

When you lay out your own document like this, with lots of white space and the page well broken up, it makes it much easier for the reader, who may well be the hiring manager to discover the information they need.

Notice the use of 'action' verbs at the beginning of each 'achievement' statement rather than a continual use of 'I' which gets very tedious.

This Example will fit comfortably on 3 pages which is the maximum you should ever submit to an employer.

Executive Curriculum Vitae Writing Services

My Executive Curriculum Vitae Writing Services will give you the edge with a carefully crafted interview-winning Executive level CV from Your Career Change.com author, Peter Fisher.

As Managing Director of Career Consulting Limited which owns this site, my background includes over 25 years of executive and director level appointments as a business leader, a headhunter and international management consultant.

With my background and expertise you can be sure you will get the most effective, focused and professional looking CV possible.

For the more senior job positions such as Directors, Executives and Senior Managers, your CV will benefit from my own extensive experience as Managing Director and International Management Consultant. You can rely on my expertise to identify the most crucial issues which will focus your senior job CV like no other and align it precisely with your personal and career objectives.

My own expertise has covered financial services, manufacturing including food production, pharmaceuticals, engineering and retail, plus sales and marketing.

Following your order for your Executive CV Writing, I will contact you the same working day wherever possible and your CV will receive high priority. From the initial information you will supply, I will raise a list of specific questions to ensure a fully bespoke Executive Curriculum Vitae for you.

My Executive Service costs just £79.00 for a fully customized CV which is totally aligned to your career goals and objectives and will win you more interviews. With your new Executive CV you will be in that brilliant new job sooner than you thought possible.

Naturally you are covered by our 100% money-back guarantee, so there is no risk to your purchase. See Executive CV Writing for all the details.

P.S. If you prefer to write your own CV yourself, then I recommend you get a copy of my 'CV How To - Write Your Own CV - A CV Writing Tutorial' with all the details you need plus some great examples for just £9.99. You will also receive my 'Exceptional Cover Letters' pack with full cover letter writing instructions and sample cover letters as a free bonus when you order. This way you can be sure of the best results.