Writing a CV

Introduction
Your CV is a marketing tool –an advertisement promoting your skills, qualifications and
experience. You may need different versions of your CV if you are aiming at more than one
industry, for example, a CV for a part time retail job will differ from an Artist’s CV.
There is no universal blueprint for how to set out your CV as every employer will have different
tastes. However, your CV will be effective if it:

• Has visual impact to capture an employer’s attention

• Reflects your personality and strengths

• Fits the industry and organisation you are aiming for

• Shows that you have the specific skills needed to do the job

Target your industry, target your job

It is important to tailor the CV layout to the industry you are aiming for. Employers in different
industries will respond to different types of presentation. For example, a design consultancy may
look for an edgy, innovative idea, which showcases your design skills, while other organisations
will prefer a neatly presented CV in a traditional format.
‘The design of your CV is almost more important than the actual content. CVs start to look
the same after a while so it helps if you can distinguish yours with a little –but not over the
top –design flare. In particular if it is a design-related job’

Before you create your CV it is worth asking yourself the following:

• What do I know about the employers I am writing this CV for?

• What are the requirements of the position/s I am applying for?

• How do my skills / experience match the ‘person specification’in the job description?

A creative resume is fairly important. Not only it resembles your personality, it also speaks your capability and creativity. Putting more effort and thoughts into creating an impressive resume is definitely worthwhile, as it is usually the first thing any employer sees before flipping through your entire portfolio.