CV Tips

Need inspiration on what to include in your Pensions CV? We've got what you should and shouldn't be doing on your CV. 

What to do:

• Simplicity:  Your CV should be clearly written, consistent, simple and easy to read.
• Headings:  Have headings for each section e.g. personal, education, career history, this will make your CV easy to navigate.  Highlight key headings/details within the CV by using bold or underlined text, try to avoid using this within the actual content as it may be distracting.
• Positive first statement:  The first statement under a heading should be positive and make an impact as this is the first sentence an employer will read.  Do not save the best until last, put the best first!
• Use a word-processing package rather than a spreadsheet.  Remember that most CVs are sent via email these days and it must look as visually pleasing on the screen as it would on paper.  Ensure that the format of the document is one that employers will be able to open easily, such as .doc.  If your CV is saved in an unusual format and cannot be opened then they are unlikely to take your application further.
• CV Length:  Whilst you do not want your CV to be ‘war and peace’, it is important not to omit any areas of your experience just to keep the word count down.  This is particularly relevant as your career progresses.  A CV is typically 2-3 pages long; it should not be longer than 5 pages, with length depending on seniority and level of work experience.  An employer would not expect a senior candidate to have a one page CV, and would want to take the time to read through the detail of past experience to ensure that they are hiring the right person.  Equally an employer would not expect a junior candidate (i.e. has been out of full-time education for a couple of years and just leaving first professional job) to have a seven page CV.
• Use positive terminology:  ‘I will...’ rather than ‘I might...’, ‘Achieved...’, ‘Confident at...’, ‘Determined to...’  Emphasise what YOU have done rather than ‘our team did...’, ‘we...’, ‘with a colleague...’  It is important to demonstrate that you can work in a team, but they are looking to hire a person, not a team and need to know what your contribution has been.

What not to do:

• Lie: Never lie; details can and will be checked by employers.  There is nothing wrong with presenting your achievements in a positive light, but do not get too creative.  If you have embellished on your experience this will soon be discovered at interview stage and will hinder your career future with that employer, as well as your chance for this particular vacancy.  It is far better to show a keen interest in moving into an area and admit that you will need training than to insinuate that you can already do the role, this will not help your own career and will be frustrating for the employer.
• Include humour: It will appear that you do not take your career or this new opportunity seriously.
• Be an Artist: Do not include lots of bright colours, fancy graphics or ornate borders, this may distract from the content – you!  Keep colours minimal, use an easy to read font and do not have too many variations in font size.
• Use block capitals: this makes the text harder to read and it will feel like you are ‘shouting’ words.
• Waffle: Be concise and use bullet points to make your points clear.

And finally:

• Always proofread: checking for spelling or grammatical errors.  It may be helpful to ask a friend or family member to read through your CV as a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ may notice things that you did not. 

These tips have been kindly supplied by Abenefit2u, you can find more careers guidance on their website.