Name

PROFILE(optional – this is a brief sentence designed to introduce yourself e.g…)

An adaptable and responsible graduate seeking an entry-level position in public relations which will utilise the organisational and communication skills developed through my involvement with Anglia Rag and promotional work during vacations. Seeking a position within public relations to further enhance the skills I have developed.

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS (in reverse chronological order)

2011 – PresentBA (Hons) Business Management - 2.1

Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford

List options, relevant modules, Dissertation title.

DatesA-levels – Subjects and Grades

Institution, Location

DatesGCSEs – 10 grades A to C including English, Maths and Science

Institution, Location

CAREER HISTORY (paid full time, part time, temporary and permanent positions plus any work experience placements in reverse chronological order)

Sep 2011 – PresentSales Assistant Name of Company, Location

Detail what you did in this role and bullet point your key responsibilities. Think about how the duties you undertook have given you/required transferable employability skills and give examples of these in your explanation. Where possible, detail outcomes of your work e.g. awards, positions of responsibility, promotions etc. E.g.

Duties include:

  • Providing exemplary customer service and anunrivalled shopping experience to all culminating in achievement of a mystery shop result of 85%
  • Using commercial skills to execute marketing strategies and ensure successful achievement of revenue targets resulting in a sales increase of +8% against budget in Q4.
  • Working as part of a team towards a shared goals and targets.
  • Presenting team talks to my colleagues and superiors demonstrating confident communication skills and the ability to adapt my style to suit different audiences.
  • Etc…

VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE (in reverse chronological order e.g….)

DatesStudent Representative

Anglia Ruskin University

Duties included:

KEY SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS(only include Languages section if English is not your native language or if you feel your abilities in an additional language are worth mentioning)

Languages – (include details of your level of competence e.g. mother tongue, fluent, intermediate, basic etc.)

IT Skills – e.g. Microsoft Office packages including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook (include details of your proficiency and the specific software used)

Positions of Responsibility –(e.g….)

DatesTreasurer of local group, sports club, charity

DatesCaptain of a sports team

Awards –(e.g….)

2011/12 – Participant in the Anglia Ruskin University Employer Mentoring Scheme

  • Built a strong relationship with my mentor, Stephen Hardy of Enterprise Solutions, by arranging regular meetings to develop my understanding of the industry.
  • Identified with my mentor, my key strengths and development areas.
  • Established business contacts and learned the importance of networking to gain further exposure within the industry.
  • Received a certificate of completion from Anglia Ruskin University.

INTERESTS (this is not essential to include but if you wish to, ensure your interests are relevant to what an employer may be looking for in an employee e.g….)

Team sports, keeping fit and travel.

REFERENCES

Available on request.

(If you wish to include your referee details on your CV ensure the referees are aware that they may be called upon at any time to supply a reference.)

CV Notes…

  1. Check and recheck for spelling and grammar. Attention to detail is absolutely key so ensure dates, names of companies etc are all correct and never use abbreviations or colloquialisms. Ask someone you trust to proof read your CV as a new pair of eyes can often be useful in identifying mistakes.
  1. In order to demonstrate a professional image it is best not to use fancy fonts or include graphics, photosor colour of any kind. Ensure spacing, alignment and font style is consistent throughout the document.
  1. Do not include personal details such as date of birth, nationality, religion, gender, marital status etc.
  1. Write your CV in the first person but remove the ‘I’ e.g. ‘Responsible for…’ as opposed to, ‘I was responsible for’.
  1. Employers want to see what practical skills you have to offer and what you can actually do. Therefore keep all information factual and use professional, concise and clear language.
  1. All strengths must be evidenced.
  1. Avoid gaps in the chronological order of your CV. Employers/recruiters will always ask if there appears to be a gap in your employment or education.
  1. Keep CV to two sides of A4 – this does not mean your CV has to be two sides, if it looks too spread out across two then keep it to one.
  1. Play around with the formatting of your CV to make it your own. This document is not designed to be a template but a guide.
  1. Once you have established a standard CV with all relevant details included, you can tailor it to suit whatever opportunity you are applying for.

What employers are looking for…

Academic Ability

A lot of employers, especially large organisations, will be expecting at least a 2.1. Many will also expect good A-level grades. You can be successful with a 2.2 but you’ll have to be able to offer additional skills and experience.

Commercial Awareness

Any form of work experience shows that you have commercial awareness i.e. you understand the world of business, company structure and politics. You can develop that awareness by reading good quality newspapers; especially the financial pages.

Communication Skills -Written and Oral

Ability to understand complex language and information, with the ability to present such information in clear, concise English. Presentation skills demonstrates eloquence, confidence and an ability to adapt your style to different audiences.

Interpersonal Skills

A team player. A good listener who gets on well with people from different backgrounds and can win respect and confidence from others. This may also be evidenced by good negotiating or persuasion skills.

Personal Effectiveness

Time management, organising skills, people management, able to get things done on time and to a high standard. Able to prioritise. Able to see the wider picture. Flexible and able to take on new ideas.

IT Skills

Use of word processing packages, spreadsheets, financial accounting packages, e-mail, internet.

Numeracy Skills

Able to understand financial statements and interpret financial information. Familiar with business and accounts terminology.

Professional responsibility and integrity

Ethical approach.