Getting a foot in that door

A few pointers to sprucing up your CV

By Ayesha Inoon

It's a marketing tool that gets you the job you want. Call it a curriculum vitae, bio data, or résumé – its basic purpose is to present your education, skills and experience so as to win yourself a job interview. "The aim of the CV is to get a foot in the door," says Tof Nicoll-Griffith, General Manager, Operations, of a multinational company. "Once you've got that foot in, and landed an interview, then your personality takes over. In the meantime, your CV has to focus the reader on what you have to offer. It's important that achievements relative to what you are applying for are clearly stated."

If you're writing your CV for the first time, you may wonder what format to use, and how to present yourself in the best possible light. While there is no single 'correct' way to write and present a CV, there are some ways to make sure that the first impression you create is a good one.

What information should a CV include?

"Personal Details: This would include your name, date of birth and contact details. Make it easy for prospective employers to contact you by including your address, home and mobile telephone numbers and email address.

"A Mission Statement, or Objective: It helps to have a clearly stated job objective that is short and succinct. It shows focus, and can be changed to suit the job or company that you are approaching.

In one or two sentences, summarise what you have to offer and where you see yourself going in the organisation that you are applying to. It should answer an employer's question, 'what can this person do for me, and how will he benefit my company?' For example, someone applying for a teaching post might say, 'To obtain a position as a Primary School Teacher in which a strong dedication to the total development of children and a high degree of enthusiasm can be fully utilised.'

"Mission statements are great to have, but they must be sincere and you should speak on the same lines at the interview," says Rifki Mohamed, a human resource practitioner, adding that candidates are sometimes caught bluffing, by not sticking with their mission statement, and sometimes even contradicting it.

"Education and qualifications: In reverse chronology (starting with the most recent), list schools, colleges and qualifications. lso list any current courses that you may be doing, and when you expect to be qualified. Give brief, relevant details of your courses, particularly if they are important to the job that you are applying for.

"Skills and interests/extra curricular activities: Employers will particularly be interested in activities where you had leadership or responsibility, or those in which you demonstrated an aptitude for teamwork, such as sports in school. Other skills, such as languages and computer knowledge should also be listed. Any interests that are relevant to the job (for example, current affairs if you are applying for the post of a journalist) are also worth mentioning.

"Work Experience: Again, use reverse chronology, listing your current job first and then going back. "A good tactic is to provide the experience, however small you think it may be, in a strategic and operational breakdown," says Mr. Mohamed, explaining that this should be according to the job functions that you performed in your other jobs. "This part should be concise and in a form where the prospective employer gets to know what he wants to know about you." Try to relate previous experience to the job you are applying for.

If this is your first job, don't worry about experience – but do make sure that your objectives are clearly stated to demonstrate your aptitude for the job.

"References: "All referees should be non-related and former bosses are ideal," says Mr. Mohamed. "You don't want your father’s friend (even if it is Dr. Steven R. Covey) to tell your prospective employer that you are known because of so and so, and not on a working basis. Bad call." He adds that you need to make sure that your referee knows that he or she will be on your CV. Academic referees, such as the principal of your former school, are also a good idea.

Presentation

A CV should be clear and concise, preferably limited to two pages. Bold and italic typefaces can be used for headings and important information. Each page should be on a different sheet of paper.

You can be creative, depending on the job that you are applying for. "For those in the animation business, their CV is best delivered in electronic media where their profile is presented in an entertaining way," says Mr. Mohamed, adding that you should take care not to get carried away with the visuals. Still, he says, employers prefer creative thinkers in any field.

While a CV is a self-promotional document, it also predicts how you will perform in your desired future job. Remember to keep updating it every once in a while – it should be about the future and your ultimate career goals.