What your CV should include

Typically a CV contains all or most of the sections listed below:

· Name and contact details

· Personal statement

· Skills

· Work history

· Achievements

· Education

· Interests and hobbies

· Referees.

What sections you include in your CV and the order in which you display them largely comes down to your work history and personal preference.

However:

· name and contact details are essential

· a personal profile is recommended

· though including both a skills section and a work history section is recommended, depending on your circumstances choosing one or the other is acceptable (see the work history and the skills sections below)

· listing your education is essential

· the achievements section and interests and hobbies section are optional

· you must either include referees in your CV or note that referees are available on request.

The way in which you order these sections is usually as listed above. However, you can put emphasis on your skills or your work history by placing either of these sections at the front of your CV, after your personal statement. This is the major difference between the two CV styles recommended by Careers New Zealand:

· Work-focused CV

· Skills-focused CV.

Find out more about CV styles

Things to consider depending on your employment history

Name and contact details

Include:

· first and last name (this should be in a large bolded font)

· phone number (preferably a landline and cell phone)

· email address

· physical postal address, including area code.

If you have an online work profile, such as LinkedIn, put it here as well.

Personal statement

The personal statement is a paragraph or two about yourself that comes directly after your contact details. It is up to you whether you include a personal statement in your CV.

The personal statement gives the employer a little insight into who you are. It typically includes information such as:

· what you are currently doing for employment or education

· what it is about the job you are applying for that attracted you to it

· your reason for wanting to change jobs

· your career aspirations.

It is important to tailor your CV for each job you apply for.

The personal statement is usually an employer's first impression of who you are, so don't be shy – sell yourself. But remember to keep it concise – three or four sentences will usually do.

Skills

If you're creating a skills-focused CV, listing your skills is essential. If you decide a work-focused CV better highlights your strengths, you might want to keep the skills section to a minimum, or not include one at all.

List at least three or four skill headings (in a bolded font) with examples of how you have demonstrated each of them (typically listed a bullet points below the heading). Skill headings can include transferable skills such as:

· leadership

· teamwork

· planning.

Or more specific skills such as:

· customer service

· sales and marketing

· machine operating.

You can write these headings as key words, as listed above, or as phrases:

· excellent leadership skills

· strong customer service and sales ability

· skilled heavy machinery operator.

It's best to stick to one heading format – don't jump between key words and phrases as this will look untidy.

Under each skill heading, identify how you have demonstrated the skill:

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