Handouts 4 Upper-Intermediate

It’s Never Too Late to Update
or: How to have a good CV ready, no matter how senior you are.

Tomorrow your organisation could pull a surprise merger that threatens your position. Or you may meet a contact who has possibilities to offer. You never know when people might ask you for your life on paper and since it would take even an expert over a day to prepare something suitable, you need to regard this as work in progress...

The good news is that in some ways it is easier to create a CV that reflects a developed career than it would be for a young graduate. You have a track record and have acquired knowledge to which you can refer. There are themes in your career that can be woven together or separated, depending on where you want to point your next professional move...

What a Good CV?

"It's simply one that gets your an interview for the job you wants. Your aim, then, is to look like you know how to do the job. You need to know what to put in, what to leave out, and how highlight your skills, experience and education to the best advantage".

This brief general CV guide will help you to put together your best CV, putting the most important information first and bearing in mind the three main aims

to attract attention
create a good impression
present your relevant skills and qualities clearly and concisely
Of course different types of jobs require different style of CV but regardless of the industry sector in which you work, there are a number of features common to all good CV's

Chick List for CV

When you have written your CV, check the following points:

• is the layout clear?

• do the relevant points stand out?

• is the language clear and understandable?

• are your skills and achievements emphasized?

• can the employer see the key points a s glance, or does the information have to be searched for and guessed at?

• is the documents free of qualifying words such as fairly, usually and hopefully?

• is it well presented, smart and professional looking?

General Tips Legitimate Inclusions Example 1 Example 2

CV writing and Letter Resources