STRUCTURE
What is a CV ?
What is a Resume’ ?
What do CVs and Resume’ include ?
CV or Resume’ ?
Common mistakes
Tips on effective CV writing
Various CV and Resume’ formats
CV styles
Remember !
CV samples
WHAT IS A CV ?
CV or curriculum vitae is a marketing tool
Latin word for "course of life", "life-track", or similar.
It is a summary of your main experiences on paper. It is retrospective in the way that it only lists things of your past life
WHAT IS A RESUME ?
Résumé" is synonymous with "summary", not a summary of your life but a single paper summary of your total job application (what you want from the job and why just you should have it).
The emphasis on a résumé is on your career objective. The experience you list on a résumé should be relevant and supportive of your goal.
WHAT DO CVs AND RESUME’ INCLUDE ?
Resume contains: An accurate summary of
your credentials
Education, achievements, job experience
Goals for the future
It should flow naturally and be easy to read
CV contains: Your Life History
Your Job History
Your Achievements
Your Skills
Job descriptions for all positions held
Performance reviews
Educational transcripts and records of seminars/conferences attended since high school.
References
CV or RESUME ? 1
The main difference between a CV and a Resume’ is brevity.
Resume’ should be a teaser, the hook, to pass on the essential information.
For young graduates better Resume
The Resume’ instead of experience highlight your match to the job in terms of skills and personality traits
CV does not consider the future as a résumé does.
CV or RESUME ? 2
Your Marital Status and Date of Birth are not needed in a Resume’
Write a two line CV Objective under your personal details.
Do you have what it takes to do the job? A list of skills for positions like programmers and engineers are essential to show which field you are most qualified or experienced in.
In a Resume’ provide as much information as concisely as possible
COMMON MISTAKES
Send a CV without cover letter (some countries
Change the cover letter and send the same CV to each company.
Show you are overqualified
Explain gaps and hiccups
Not proof-reading
Don’t lie
TIPS ON EFFECTIVE CV WRITING 1
Use cover letter as gateway
Explain why you want the job (especially if overqualified)
The CV should be accurate and correct
Your contact information should be clearly visible on the first page of the CV
Your CV should be typed in an easy-to-follow format, i.e. the headlines should be indented and highlighted so as to catch the attention of the reader easily
TIPS ON EFFECTIVE CV WRITING 2
Give two unrelated references
Do not forget to write your areas of personal interest, such as hobbies
Your qualifications should be presented clearly and concisely
All info should be listed in a bullet point format
Follow the standard format of the country or region,http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/img/dynamic/c98/cv166_en_US_Europass_CV_Template_EN.doc
TIPS ON EFFECTIVE CV WRITING 3
Be as much to-the-point as possible (6 sec. the time an employer decide if to take your CV in consideration)
Ask for a colleague/friend for feedback (10 seconds)
Research for the company, job description
In USA employer scan a CV for less than thirty seconds.
CV/RESUME FORMAT FOR JAPAN
Expatriate may submit a standard two-page form in Japanese + cover letter.
Or a two-page American-style resume and cover letter in English.
American-style resumes should contain your name and contact information centered at the top.
You need not list job accomplishments on the resume; you will discuss them at the interview.
The CV requires a photo to be attached.
CV/RESUME FORMAT FOR UK
Always include a cover letter
Address your cover letter to a specific person
In the UK, a resume is sometimes called a CV
Include a 'profile' section in your resume
Include 'References are available on request' at the end of your resume
CV/RESUME FORMAT FOR FRANCE
Cover letters are generally hand written
A photograph is attached to the resume
Maximum resume length is 2 pages
Personal information is optional (Ex: birth date, marital status)
Include fluency in other languages
Include other important sections such as education, previous jobs
CV/RESUME FORMAT FOR CANADA
Canadians use resumes instead of CVs and prefer computerised applications.
The application process is much more commercial and as most employers will read resumes on the computer the resume should fit a specific template
Bullet point words such as contributed, managed, organized, developed etc. at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.
INTERNATIONAL CV/RESUME FORMAT
Generally you would need to include more personal details such as citizenship, your date and place of birth and marital status.
Use real/actual rather than active verbs. Use good language skills and good prose (avoid
repetition). Use a qualified translator. Use at least a two check system where a translators work
is proof read as well. Remember that some languages, such as French and
Spanish, have different variations within the language. Be sure your resume is written in the intended variant.
CV STYLE 1
Targeted CVFocuses on particular objective and specific industry or company. Highlights skills, qualifications and experience that match the requirements of the advertised position.
Inventory CVIs used when sending your CV to: Various recruiters, when you do not have a specific job objective. is a more general overview of your skills, achievements and qualifications.
CV STYLE 2
Chronological CV
most commonly in reverse chronological order.
Functional CV
is usually two pages in length and covers your entire career history. It focuses on your skills, abilities and expertise. It is important that the skills you detail are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Combination CV
used by job hunters who have a solid background associated with their career objectives. Combines chronological and functional CV.
REMEMBER !
Every six months you need to update your CV with the latest information
Every time you apply for a new job, you need to re-write the CV which should be totally tailor-made to the job you are applying for.
Look at it from your employers point of view
SOURCES
http://www.cvtips.com/job_seekers_advice.html