Candidate Resources: Help with your CV
The primary objective of your CV is to get you the job interview, so your aim is make your CV stand out from the other job applicants.
Take into consideration who you are marketing yourself to. You may be the best qualified for the job, but you need to present your CV in the right way to get that interview. Focus on the things that you do well, and areas that you excel, in relation to the position for which you are applying. The idea is to promote yourself, but do not try to oversell.
Your CV should be concise, easy to read, and should draw the attention of the reader to your key skills and attributes
Presentation should be simple. Use good quality white paper, blank ink using a generic, easily readable font such as arial. Don’t use more than 1 font.
Your CV should be no more than 2-3 pages in length. Do not attach any photographs or supplementary materials, apart from a covering letter, unless it is specifically requested.
Use headings to highlight the various sections in your CV. Bullet points are useful way of listing skills and attributes.
Resolve any gaps in your CV. You will be asked about this if dates are missing.
It may be a good idea to avoid jargon as your CV may be initially vetted by a non-technical HR staff, unfamiliar with specialised terms.
Always try to tailor your CV to the job that you are applying for. Address the specific details of the position wherever possible, and explain using examples of your relevant experience and qualifications.
Be sure to highlight your abilities when working as part of a team. Use examples to demonstrate your enthusiasm, dedication and motivation in your work. Pay special attention to examples which illustrate your communication and interpersonal skills.
Attach a covering letter with your CV upon submission. The covering letter will be read before your CV, so it is an ideal opportunity for you to outline the reasons why the position is ideal for you, using some supporting examples from your employment history. It is important to demonstrate that you know what the job entails, and that you understand the skills and attributes that the employer is seeking to fill the role. Give current salary in covering letter.
Ask the prior permission of your chosen referee(s), and check that they are prepared to receive requests for references. You don’t need to include your referee details on your CV, however references should be available upon request.
Check your CV spelling mistakes, grammatical errors. Always get somebody to read through your CV with you when complete.
Remuneration packages and other financial expectations for the role can be freely discussed with your 121 Legal Recruitment representative. Apart from mentioning your current salary in the covering letter we would suggest that you avoid detailing any additional earnings information unless expressly requested.
Why not register as a candidate with 121 Legal Recruitment?
We have access to the best roles on offer in the legal industry, throughout the North West from Liverpool to Manchester, and beyond. Our challenge is to find you the job that you want, and we always do our level best to make our candidates happy.
