Writing a proper Curriculum Vitae (CV) may be quite a difficult task especially for a fresh graduate or a first-time job seeker. It is an important document that helps an employer to know you better and capitalise on your strengths to assign you a task that you are well acquainted with.
A professional CV basically contains six important sections which reflect who you are. The sections include; Personal profile, Contact information, Education and professional qualifications, Professional/work experience and Referees. All the information should be clearly stated on your CV.
Remember that a professional CV should be brief and direct and also incorporate action words and phrases that portray a sense of accomplishment and involvement in the achievement of a specific goal.
Structure of a good CV
As highlighted earlier, a good CV generally contains six sections which can be arranged in the order below.
1. Contact Information
This section includes;
- Name
- Address
- Telephone
2. Personal Details
- Date of Birth
- Gender
- Citizenship
- Marital Status
- Languages
3. Career Objective
- This section is however important if you have a definite job objective. The objective should be concise and mainly focus on the current job.
4. Education Background
- This is an overview of your academic journey. Your academic details should be in descending order, from the latest academic qualification going downwards.
5. Work Experience
- Remember to include dates, names of previous employers, job titles, accomplishments, duties and responsibilities, awards/merits received.
6. Personal Interests
- This may include your hobbies. This may however not be necessary. Only include your hobbies if they add any relevant value to your respective profession.
7. Referees
- These are people who can testify about your character and general profile.
- Ensure you list people who you relate well with. This could be your colleagues, tutors or former bosses.
