How to Write a Job-Winning CV
A good CV is essential when looking for work and can make or break your chances of being invited for an interview or being offered a job. The UK’s leading social care recruitment specialists, SCR Recruitment, believe it is worth spending some extra time making sure your CV is as specific as can be, because that is what will sell you to your employer.
The Basics
When it comes to creating a CV, it’s important to use a neutral font like Times New Roman or Arial and to type it out rather than handwriting it. Keep your CV concise, aiming for a maximum of two pages. Highlight your strengths and core skills on the first page to immediately catch the employer’s attention. At the top of your CV, provide a brief summary of your experience and objectives, such as “Experienced Social Care Worker with knowledge of community care settings and commitment to ongoing development.” List your employment history in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job first. Don’t forget to include your qualifications and training, ideally on the first page.
Use Positive Wording
The more positive words you use, the better. But don’t lie! Lying always gets caught out and you could be asked to present an example about something you have lied about in an interview, creating an embarrassing situation for you.
Give Yourself the Edge
Employers receive hundreds of CVs every day and they only spend 30 seconds to a minute on each one, so you need to make sure yours is the one that stands out. Make the layout as professionally presented as possible and highlight as many of your skills and experiences that are relevant to the job. For Social care jobs, you could list how you have helped people with mental health problems, or that you are proficient in providing rehabilitative support.
Tailor Your CV to Each Job
Make sure your CV is targeted to the right employer with the right skills and knowledge listed for each individual job. For a job in Education, list your areas of expertise, such as “Sports/P.E Development”, “Curriculum Co-ordination”, “Organising Productions” or “Specialist Secondary School/GCSE English Language Teacher.” It can be useful to mention jobs that are not related to the post you are applying for, if you mention what you did well in them that relates to the one you are applying for now.
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