The Exemplary IT CV
Twenty years in the IT recruiting industry has taught us that some curricula vitae stand out more than others. And it’s not solely due to the candidate’s wealth of experience. The single task for a CV is to get you an interview! So it must contain enough detail to showcase your skills in each role without being too long.
Remember that anything on your CV is fair game for the interviewer to ask you about, and then confirm through references, so make sure your CV is a fair and honest representation of your skills and experience.
Top Tips
FORMATS:
Chronological: Make sure it starts with the most recent position.
Details: Put more bullet points in your last 5 years of experience.
Targeted CV: Highlight and order specific skills and experience the prospective employer seeks within a role.
TOOLS:
Length: No more than 4-page long - even a recent graduate should have 2 pages.
Action verbs: “managed,” “facilitated,” “organised,” “developed”.
Verb tense: Maintain the same tense throughout.
Font: Times New Roman, Garamond, and Cambria are classic.
OUTLINE:
Contact Info: Name, e-mail, phone, link to website/online professional platform. Your home address is optional.
Summary of Qualifications: 2-3 sentences both highlighting and targeting your suitability to the prospective position.
Skills: Bulletpoint the technical skills you have experience with.
Experience: Choose your format (Chronological/Skills-Role/Targeted).
· Employer name/location, Dates, Job Title.
· Most relevant responsibilities and duties.
· Technologies you used and what was done with them.Certifications & Awards: Note acknowledgment?
Education: Degree, Institution, Dates.
Lastly (this isn’t an advertisement for LinkedIn) -since it is the most popular platform for jobs, I highly recommend candidates post their CVs on their LinkedIn profile. This makes it easy for prospective employers and recruiters to find you.
