Looking for employment in the creative industries? We found this useful guide.
How to write a CV
A National Careers Service advisor can help you to write or make updates to your CV. Here is some general advice to take into account when you’re gathering your evidence.
Your personal details
Include your name, address and contact details. You don’t need to include your age, marital status or nationality. Potential employers can make a decision about your skills and abilities without this information. Email addresses should be professional.
Your personal profile
This should summarise your skills, qualities, work background and objectives. Try to make this paragraph unique to you, focusing on your stronger skills, rather than that you are ‘reliable’ or ‘hardworking’.
When describing your career aims, think about the employer you’re sending the CV to. Make your careers aims sound just like the kind of opportunities they currently have.
Key skills
A key skills section can be useful for tailoring your skills to the job advert or job description of the job you are applying for. It means that you will be including the key words that the employer is looking for.
Employment history and work experience
You’ll usually put your employment history first if you’ve been working for a few years. If you don’t have much work experience, focus on your education and training or any volunteering.
Start with the job you’re doing now, or the last job you had, and work backwards. You need to include your employer’s name, the dates you worked for them, your job title and your main tasks. Where possible highlight any key achievements within the role.
Relate your skills and experience to the job description, person specification or what you think the employer is looking for. Also include any relevant temporary work and volunteering experience.
Education and training
Start with your most recent qualifications and work back to the ones you got at school. Include any work-related training where it is relevant
Interests and achievements
Include hobbies, interests and achievements that are relevant to the job. If you're involved in any clubs or societies, this can show that you enjoy meeting new people. Interests like sports and physical recreation activities can also show employers that you are fit and healthy.
Additional information
You could include other relevant skills here, such as if you have a driving licence or can speak any foreign languages.
References
You can write that references are available on request.
Don’t forget about your cover letter!
The Prospects website tells you all you need to know about drafting your cover letter. This is as important as your CV!
CV templates to download
CV Tips
Make sure your CV is clean and simple to read. Using lots of different fonts and colours actually makes it distracting. Unless you are applying for a design role – keep it simple.
As a rule, keep your CV to no more than two pages long.
Proof Read - inconsistent formatting, typos, and uncommon file formats are all quick ways to present yourself in a negative light.
Don’t include things just to fill out the CV; every item on your list should be relevant to the job you are applying for.
Most CVs are too descriptive, whilst they should be achievement orientated. Look at each bullet point on your CV and see if you can make it achievement based.
Creative employment in Central Bedfordshire
Looking for employment in the creative industries? We found this useful guide.
