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CV Advice

Giving You The Edge In The Logistics And Supply Chain Jobs Market

Our Team Will Help You Safely Navigate Your Next Career Move

Prepare A CV That Will Give You The Edge

Writing your CV can be difficult and time consuming and requires some serious thought especially around your work experiences. Our advice is to think about how to best represent yourself on paper and use your CV as a sales document. Think about what you are good at, what your target market is and understand your target audience. Think of your CV as a proposal to a new client.

Search Optimisation

  • Use a page format that is easy to navigate and uncrowded using bold type and bullet points
  • Include the things that people are looking for including key words from the job brief or advertisement
  • Use standard wording and avoid jargon
  • Include company profiles using a brief summary (max 15 words) to describe the company in a positive light

Content

  • List a number of achievements in the role such as
    • How it helped you to develop your skills
    • How you helped to deliver a quantifiable bottom line benefit
    • How it benefited the organisation, your department or your team
    • How you exceeded expectations
    • Any recognition that you received such as awards or positive appraisals
    • How you took ownership of an issue and how you helped to resolve it
  • List up to 6 key responsibilities in the role based upon your job description

Format

There is no right or wrong answer however our advice is that the first half page needs to make an impact.  We've attached a template that will help you to get started - Click here to download

  • Title - there is no value in putting the words "Resume" or "Curriculum Vitae" in large print as this adds no value.  Use the top line for your name and put your contact details one line underneath
  • Photographs - we would advise against including photographs as we believe that shortlisting should be based upon content and not appearance
  • Professional Profile - clearly state what you are looking for, the sectors and roles that interest you and your long term goals.  Keep this section to 50 words or less
  • Skills Summary - this does not replace the content under each role in your career history but provides a summary for someone reading your CV on the following points
    • Experience - summary of key experience in 20 words
    • Sector Knowledge - summaries key sectors you have worked in
    • Skills - summary
    • Achievements - details of degrees, vocational qualifications and internal training
    • Character - a few words that your colleagues would use to describe you
  • Work Experience - use the same structure for each of the roles you have worked in.
    • Job Title, Company, Start & End Dates
    • Company Profile - maximum 15 words
    • Main Responsibilities - maximum 6
    • Key Achievements - maximum 6

And Avoid These Mistakes

  • Tracked Changes - if you are using someone else's CV as a template ensure that you turn off and tracking
  • Photographs - whilst we recommend against using photos if you wish to include a picture ensure that it is a good one
  • Overload - do not provide to much information - quality is more important.  If you CV does run into a number of pages (we recommend 2 pages) then do not reduce to font size to 6 or 8 simply to make it fit
  • Don't Lie - do not cover something up or exclude information and avoid gaps in your experience.  Honest really is the best policy