Most people confuse CV writing with resume writing, but it is not true. CV writing is more complicated than writing a resume. CV writing is different because you have to take in account the format of the CV according to the position you are applying for. Other factors such as your location and your approach towards the post you’re applying for also differentiate CV writing from resume writing.
Before starting on to writing a CV as a writer one must understand the basics of CV writing. A CV is basically a “living document” that reflects the developments of one’s professional career.
A CV writer should keep in mind the following points when writing a CV for himself or anybody else:
1.The format of a CV should be either chronological, functional or combinational.
2.The CV format should include orderly a header, objective, education, honors or activities, work experience, research experience and finally the projects which you’ve worked on.
3.Make sure that you stick to the necessary information only. Do not flood your CV with unwanted details, it will weaken your chances.
4.Target the company’s perspective only while writing your objectives. Do not be over specific.
5.Make sure that you mention all the necessary personal information about yourself in the header section such as complete name, phone number, email etc.
6.Mention your educational qualifications in an orderly manner. Start from the highest to the lowest. Include your years in school and your high school.
7.Work experience should be listed in a reverse chronological order. Mention your position at work, the name of the organization you worked for, city you worked in, state and finally the duration of you work.
8.In the honors/activities section mention your all academic and professional awards. Focus on mentioning your leadership skills even if you don’t have any and do mention any related leadership position that you’ve been assigned to before.
9.In the research experience section focus on relevant research experience. It must include graduate level research. The writing style of this section should be in reverse chronological manner.
10.Show professionalism in your writing when working on a CV. Stick to the truth and focus on the achievements and results.
11.While writing a CV maintain a consistent writing style and avoid using the words ‘I’ and ‘me’ again and again.
12.Use an easy-to-read language while writing down your CV. Get your grammar and spellings right and proofread for any punctuation errors.
13.Avoid using fancy writing styles and templates for your CV. Keep it as simple and direct as you can. Do not use multiple fonts, stick to one only.
14.Do not focus your writing to your personal life and your needs. The employers are not interested in what you are, they are only interested in what you can do.
A CV writer should focus primarily on bringing the best out of his writing skills while writing a CV. Its not about what you write in your CV its about how you write it.