CV Writing

When applying for a role via a recruitment agency your CV is the tool that your agent will use to get you an interview. There are many ways to write a CV and, depending where you look, you will receive different advice on what information your CV should contain. Each client will have different expectations and depending on the role you are applying for you will need to include different information. The following is a guide to writing an effective CV whilst applying for a role via TRC.

The basics to consider

Contemporary CV templates can be found in MS Word or various software packages or alternatively, search the web or use internet job seeker sites. The main point to remember when writing a CV and your covering letter is that these documents are sales tools. They are generally a means to gaining an interview with the client. A CV should therefore be written with this in mind and should contain the key criteria of effective sales material. It should be;

Concise
Clear
Easy to read
Well presented
Accurate
Tailored for the intended reader
Proof read thoroughly, never rely on spell-checkers since spell-checkers correct misspellings but they don't correct wrong word usages such as using "sea" when you meant to write "see."

Your CV as a sales tool

It should contain information that you would find in any good sales material:

Feature – who you are, what you do?
Benefit – how will you directly benefit the client?
Advantage – what differentiates you?

Remember that your CV is a sales tool and you are the product that you are trying to sell. A poorly presented CV implies that you are a low quality candidate.

Things to remember:

The first few people to see your CV may not be the decision maker so make sure that all relevant information is included
Your CV will be viewed in softcopy so make sure it looks good on screen as well as in print
Sell your employers. By selling the companies you have worked for, by association you sell yourself
Keep it concise – somebody who cannot communicate their experience within a few succinct pages is not, by definition, a good communicator

Layout and content

If a CV is rushed then it is generally poorly presented. This reflects on you as a candidate. A CV that contains multiple grammar mistakes that have not been picked up by a spellchecker, eg "He asked for there advice", implies that you are not thorough and do not have attention to detail. The effects of a good CV can be negated by a few small mistakes so take your time and double check everything. A good general CV layout is as follows:

Personal details
Personal summary / profile
Education
Work summary
Career details
Technical skills (if applicable)

Visit our CV Do's and Don'ts page for tips on what and what not to include in your CV.

The Covering Letter

A good general covering letter layout is as follows:

Personal Introduction (education/background/skills)
Feature – match key competencies from job spec, then link to benefit
Benefit – specifically how you would directly benefit the client
Advantage – sell yourself as to why you are the best person for the role

A well crafted covering letter can be a powerful tool.

Use your agent

Your TRC agent is on your side and wants you to get the role. Utilise your agent's knowledge of the client and experience of the recruitment process to your advantage

Each client and role is different. Your agent should know of any particular format the client prefers
It is impossible to include all of your experience in a concise CV. Work with your agent to draw out the particular areas of your experience that will interest the employer
Remember your agent wants you to get the role and presents CVs everyday. Work with your agent to ensure that your CV is as effective as possible