Finding Your Ideal Resume Template - CV Advice

CV Template – Using Good CV Examples

CV writing is a very subjective topic, meaning there are no right or wrong answers to writing a good curriculum vitae. Each person’s individual circumstances are very different and the best approaches for writing CVs are very much open to debate. So, where do candidates start when seeking sound advice and looking for a good CV writing template?

The best advice would be to evaluate different resume writing resources such as books, the Internet and even review other people’s CVs. Visiting your local careers service for advice can also help. This is to formulate an idea of CV writing best practice before applying these principles to writing your very own CV or choosing a good resume template to follow.

The next stage would be to look for good CV examples and an effective CV template that works for you and your circumstances. A good CV template should allow a candidate to create the right impression (looks good), structure content effectively and avoid common mistakes found in many CVs.

The alternative is to design a resume template yourself. Candidates must be careful not to over-complicate the design, undermine a clear flow and structure as well as leave the CV without a professional finish. Very often candidates are not selective about content, they leave untidy headings and use bullet points too much. Therefore, choosing or designing the correct CV template for your needs is very important and must not be under-estimated.

CV Design – Designing Your Own CV Template

Choosing and creating the design of your CV takes a lot of time and attention. Whilst it is useful to gain ideas from what other people have done and look at examples, the very best CVs are written by the candidates themselves or in collaboration with professional CV writers or career coaches. Seeking professional advice is a worthwhile option if you are having difficulties writing your own CV.

Directly copying a CV template is not always the best solution as it is not always tailored to the needs of the candidate. So, the best way to start writing a CV is to simply define the content, headings and structure of the CV. The overall CV template and ideas regarding the exact CV design and CV layout should be only a final consideration. It is amazing how the look and feel of a CV changes from start to finish.

To help define the CV format, write out what you are looking to include in a CV under certain headings and sub-sections. It is important to edit the content for each section or heading and make sure it is focused on a targeted job role or career objective. After this, place each heading in a logical format or structure and check it to ensure there is a natural flow of content and each section does not seem out of place and leads nicely to subsequent areas of the CV.

Once you have some kind of draft, print this out and look at ways the layout, presentation, look and feel of the CV can be enhanced. This is where getting ideas or examples of CV templates comes into play. Ideas on fonts, headings and how to present certain information like skills, achievements, work experience and education can be given. It is worthwhile trying to learn from different examples and try different things until you are happy with the final result. This process takes time but getting it right will save time and resources on job hunting as a better CV will create a better impression with recruiters.

Lots of CV examples have over-complicated designs and over-use of bullet points. Others have traditional layouts and are very much out-dated and out-moded for use today. For instance, designs use old fonts that are not very clear and some templates suggest including referee details on the bottom of a CV. With the advent of data protection, security of personal information and spamming through marketing campaigns it is unwise to give details of your referees to unsolicited third parties (unless vetted and requested specifically by an employer with a serious job offer on the table). These are two basic elements that people should consider when looking for proven CV examples. There are many other basic flaws candidates should consider, so be clear about the choice of CV template.

So, What Makes A Good CV?

A well-designed CV should have a good personal profile (tells recruiters what a candidate has done at the top level), include some good skills (telling recruiters what you are good at), any achievements (what a candidate has particularly excelled at) and to provide evidence of suitability through credible work experience and training. Education is also a good barometer of how candidates learn and show future potential.

A good CV will also avoid many of the flaws previously mentioned. A good test is to seek approval and feedback from recruitment consultants, a career coach or someone who has experience at dealing with recruitment or management.

CV Writing Examples – Attention To Detail

A lot of thought, time and attention to detail should go into every producing a good resume. The focus should be on producing a well-presented CV and quality personal marketing document that considers the strategic elements of candidates (often missed), career aspirations and how candidates fit into a wider context of the job market. This allows CVs to target specific job roles, skills, career goals and recruiters for optimal results.

We hope you find this article and advice useful.