Preparing your Curriculum Vitae (CV)

 

Your CV should be well presented and contain enough information to arouse the potential employer’s interest.  Here are some tips on how to make sure your CV stands out from the rest:

 

·        Keep it clear and specific – simple language works best. Remember employers do not have time to read masses of information on your past employment;

 

·        Use positive active language;

 

·        Highlight your selling points clearly, your key skills or achievements;

 

·        Career history and education should be most recent first, although this may depend on individual personal circumstances;

 

·        Decide whether to include a personal profile stating strengths and personal qualities but be careful – you will need to back it up at the interview;

 

·        Do include hobbies and interests and explain any gaps in Employment History;

 

·        Decide whether you want to include your date of birth;

 

·        Always type or word process your CV and get it checked for spelling, grammar and ease of understanding;

 

·        A word of caution when using an email address or leaving an answerphone message. Employers may be deterred by unusual or silly details;

 

·        Do not include names and addresses of referees;

 

·        Include a covering letter.

 

 Possible CV layout

 

·        Personal Details i.e. Name, address, telephone number, mobile number and email address.

 

·        Personal Profile

 

·        Key Skills

 

·        Work History

 

·        Qualifications

 

·        Additional Information

 

·        References available on request

 

The above headings/sections can be moved around depending on what you want to emphasise first.

 

In addition you may decide to use different headings. See the example of a functional CV on the next page.

 

Interview Tips

  • Confirm and re-confirm the date, time and location of your interview.
  • Know who you will be meeting with or speaking to on the telephone and their title / responsibilities. Try to determine their role in the hiring process.
  • Dress professionally and conservatively avoiding perfumes or colognes.
  • Do not smoke before or during (this applies to telephone interviews too) an interview.
  • Make eye contact, smile and maintain good posture.
  • Be 100% honest without being too self-disclosing. Information regarding your personal life could be used in a discriminatory manner.
  • Listen carefully to questions asked and think about your response before answering.
  • Be prepared: Know about the position you are interviewing for, know as much as possible about the hospital/company and corporate culture.
  • Turn off your cell phone and pager prior to the interview.
  • Disable call waiting or any other telephone features that may distract you during a telephone interview.
  • Be positive and upbeat. Keep all negative comments, especially about previous employers to yourself.
  • Schedule telephone interviews in advance and make sure there will be no distractions from family members, pets, etc...
  • Send a thank-you note (via U.S. mail, not email) to the people that interviewed you.

Be Professional
  • Voicemail: You never want to miss a call from a potential employer.
  • Email: If a potential employer chooses to communicate with you via email, treat each piece of correspondence as a part of your interview. Use email etiquette.
  • Updated resume: It should be up-to-date at all times.
  • Customizable cover letter
  • Customizable thank you letter
  • Job Search Log: This is useful to keep track of the places you have sent your resume to. You can also maintain names, titles, telephone numbers, and notes relating to interviews and/or positions you have applied to.
  • Access to the internet
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