CGC Ebook 5.0

Which CV format is right for me?

What are Key Words? Your CV needs to be full of words that describe what you did but also what difference you made. These need to occur throughout your CV and connect with the role you are aiming for. Try not to repeat these words over the different jobs you have had. Use an online thesaurus if you want to find another suitable word. There are plenty of websites that will tell you what ‘power words’ you should use, but you need to qualify each one if you are going to add them in. These words need to substantiate your abilities not over embellish them or make you sound pretentious. Once you have completed the CV enter the document text into a word cloud to see how visually your content looks e.g. https://monkeylearn.com/word-cloud/ . This will show you any significant repetitions and give you some ideas on what you might change.

Use this table to work out which format you should use.

Format

Your Context

Education

School leaver/Graduate with no or little work experience School leaver or graduate with some voluntary or work experience

Education, Skill-Based

Less than five years work experience

Standard, Skill-Based

Experienced with progressive roles in same sector

Standard

Mixed career history

Relevant, Skill-Based

Experienced but job changing

Skill-Based