CV - Your marketing literature. Review on Tips for Writing the Perfect CV

Ever seen those glossy ad's in magazines or that catchy jingle that made you want to find out more? A CV (or resume) is something similar.

It is a document specifically designed to catch the employers eye. There are books written on this subject, experts out there who will writ

e up your CV for a fee ...but herez my take on this whole jig, a few basic tips on how to that interview call.

A CV by definition is a summary listing of professional skills and achievements.That said, one needs to make it something more than that so

that it stands out from 50 other resumes on the recruiter's desk.

The CV can be divided into the Necessary and the Supplementary parts.

Lets begin from the beginning ...

Contact Information

Basic details like mailing address, email and voice mail information.

Title

Single sentence describing your main skill. e.g: 3D Animator with 10 years experience in Maya. This is the line that is seen on online job

sites and gets that initial mouse click. Its important to word this carefully.

Profile

Use this line to summarize who you are professionally. While it is tempting to make a living epitaph about yourself, it is good to be modes t and concise about your skills. If you have industry experience make sure you use that word in the summary. You can also use this area to describe your caliber when it comes to teamwork, project management, leadership and so on if the position demands it.

Objective

Its quite common to write that you are looking for a job to benefit the company with your skills etc.. is passe.

An objective statement is best when it refers to personal objective. Thus something like ''Seeking a dynamic, growth oriented position in Personnel Management'' conveys energy and optimism at first glance. Objective statements are best if kept under 12 words without too many conjunctions.

Skills

Briefly summarize your skills in various areas. If it is an IT-centric resume,

this is a good place to list your grasp over various software applications and platforms. Its good to list it in the following format:

Name Experience (yrs) Skill Level Last Used

This will avoid awkward gaffes during the interview if you are questioned about a long forgotten skill.

Separate your experience into: areas in which you have hands on experience, areas that your have read about or aware of, areas that you are learning about. If the jobs demands a skill you dont have, its ok not to mention it. Sell on your strong points.

Experience

Reverse Chronologically list the various places that you have previously worked. The duration, your position and your contributions. Dont hide it if you have any gaps when you were unemployed, it will be revealed in your background check should there be any.

For fresh grads, this is a good place to list out various projects or activities done during their academic years.

Education

Same as above.

This ends the Necessary part. Your resume has to be the strongest in the above areas.

The Supplementary categories, merely serve to supplement the notion that you are a good fit for the position.

Publications

If you have any publications in reputed journals or conferences, they can be added here.

Awards

If you have received any awards (both academic and industry) be sure to cite them here.

X Factor

Senior management positions frequently require the X factor that says that the candidate is capable and motivated. Thus if you do something special or extraordinary, this is a place to list it. For example: if you teach night school or are a organized a voluntary blood donation drive or you ran the 10 mile marathon for the children's hospital make sure you mention it here. It will get a lot more eye than merely listing out your hobbies.

References

List out atleast 2 references who are willing to put the good word for you. Make sure you have their permission before listing out their names.

Web Site

You can furnish a website URL in case you maintain one, that gives more information about you, your interests and activities.

Thats all I have to say about preparing a good CV. Also check out my article on interviewing skills. Thanks for dropping by.