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Having recently organized a successful CV workshop at an international conference for early career scientists, we became aware of the need for an article on writing CVs. This article will highlight some of the key elements of what is important in a CV and also important tips to consider when writing or designing your CV.

One key element in getting a job is the CV. So what exactly is a CV and why is it so important? Careerplanning.about.com describes a CV as ‘a written description of your work experience, educational background and skills.’ Whilst this is a good definition, I prefer to describe the CV in a more personal way as – ‘the reflection of your professional self on paper representing you in front of a potential employer’. Thus, what should be documented on your CV should be what you would be happy to show to a potential employer and also what you can objectively defend if necessary.

So what should be included in your CV? Firstly, generic identifiers such as your name, address, email and phone contact details. In Nigeria, other identifiers are usually found on the CV such as age, date of birth, local government area and/or state of origin. In the UK and other countries with strong employment and anti-discriminatory laws, identifiers such as age and place of origin are not required on the CV.

Next, write a short profile that clearly states the objective of your CV. An example of this from prospects.ac.uk “Highly numerate finance and accounting student with experience working in an international finance company. I am seeking a career in financial advice and planning.” The profile section should be tailored to suit the job or company you are applying to.

Amara’s tip: Remember you literally have about 2 minutes to make a great impression with your CV! Show you have created this CV specifically for the job role advertised by including the job title and organisation name in your profile.

Another important section of the CV is your professional experience. This should be an outline of your previous employment (if any) and a brief description of the roles you performed and any notable achievements. Voluntary and non-paid work can be used to show professional experience if you have not been in paid employment before. However, you will still need to describe what you did in the job. Also remember, your industrial attachment a.k.a IT or placement undertaken during your studies is professional experience. In cases where you have little or no employment experience but you have undertaken an independent project during your degree, then highlight the skills you developed whilst performing the project as employers usually consider this; however it needs to be articulated correctly.

Following on from this is your educational background starting with your most recent qualification. In the absence of any work experience, your educational background can be shown immediately after the profile.

Moving on, several CVs I have received from Nigeria, have displayed ALL their educational history i.e. nursery, primary, secondary and post-secondary.

Emmanuel’s tip: If you have that much space on your CV to put your nursery, primary and even your secondary school, then you stand very little chance of getting a job especially if you have sound post-secondary education, certifications, training, employment and volunteering experience!

As mentioned earlier with the CV definition, skills are a central aspect and key element of the CV. For more information on identifying and developing your skills we will upload subsequent articles on the topic! How you display or articulate your skills can strengthen or weaken your CV.

Many prospective employees are selected based on what they display on their skills section. There are many examples to give but I will highlight the key themes:-

Job content skills (the skills required to perform the job you are interested in – for example, if you are applying for the job of a Pilot, then your CV should highlight the skills that suggest you are fit for the job such as – the ability to fly a plane (hopefully you’d have the experience flying a real plane). The other theme, is that of Transferable skills – we will address this in more detail later, but several skills are transferable such as communication, management etc. these are skills that are applicable in different environments.

Now the key elements of the CV are in place, other things like length of the CV (no more than 2 pages), font sizes (use legible font and a formal typescript), and spacing are also important. Remember someone will critically assess your CV and if it difficult to read, too lengthy, too wordy and filled with errors then you will not get the job.

Finally, remember the saying ‘there are many ways to skin a cat’ i.e. there is no one format for a CV. If you are in the habit of sending the same CV to every job advert then your chances of being successful in finding your dream job is very limited. So, be ready to adapt your CV to suit each job you are applying for. Hence, live a little, make your CV aesthetically appealing but ensure the key elements are there. Always remember though what your CV represents – YOU.

Last tip: Your CV is akin to your passport. Just as you require perfect documentation to travel abroad, you also require perfect documentation to get you into a job.

About the authors:

Dr Emmanuel Adukwu is a University Lecturer, Researcher, Educational Consultant and Motivational Speaker with experience working in large international organizations. He is interested in creating partnerships and keen on people development. (Twitter: @EmmanuelAdukwu)

Dr Amara Anyogu (@amaratweets) is a Research Scientist and Education Consultant providing teaching and learning solutions in Further and Higher Education. She is passionate about enabling others achieve their true potential through education and motivation. Forget the sky, aim higher!