Which key headings will make my CV stand out?

Make your CV simple, clear and free of grammatical errors which often represent the lack of attention to detail. You can find useful tips online on how to format your CV. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Personal interests in a CV may be optional but they provide a useful added dimension to one’s profile.

  • For example, running marathons and climbing mountains, among others.

  • It is unwise to include unusual interests such as fascination with the citing of ghosts or a penchant for venomous reptiles.

Q. What makes a CV stand out in terms of content, length and design? What headings should I have? Would you advise an applicant to have their resume done by a professional or to write their own?

A well prepared CV can place you ahead of peers in the quest for a job by increasing chances of receiving an invitation to an interview. It is therefore important to prepare one’s CV, while acutely aware of its potential career implications. Although there is no universal CV layout that would serve every situation, it helps to craft one including the following elements.

Consider that your CV is essentially a marketing brochure of your profile and start with your personal details including your name, phone number, email and postal address. Leave out information that is unrelated to a job such as age, religion or sect unless this is specifically required. Include a short profile or personal statement that draws attention to your main strengths and career interest.

Another heading would be educational background and professional qualifications. It is best to limit academic details to tertiary education. Include a section on work experience and key achievements, arranged in reverse chronological order, as this provides recruiters with a basis for inferring a candidate’s skills and checking whether they fit the bill. Work experience could include internships and voluntary work assignments.

Personal interests in a CV may be optional but they provide a useful added dimension to one’s profile. For example, running marathons and climbing mountains, among others. It is unwise to include unusual interests such as fascination with the citing of ghosts or a penchant for venomous reptiles. You may also include as references two or three credible individuals who are capable of attesting to your performance and character.

Make your CV simple, clear and free of grammatical errors which often represent the lack of attention to detail. You can find useful tips online on how to format your CV. In any event, do not mortgage your CV to an agency. Develop your own draft and instead let such an agency or a HR professional check it for you. Remember that attending or passing interviews is not an ultimate goal and take interest in learning how to succeed at work and in your career.

Fred Gituku, Human Resources Practitioner