How to write a good CV
If you need to find a good job, you need to have a good CV. Despite the fact that there is a lot of information circulating, many CV’s arriving the consulting companies are wrongly done.
Depending on the applicant’s professional experience and age, the CV can have between one or two pages. For the recently graduated applicants with less than 5 years of working experience, it is recommended that the CV is no longer than 1 page. If applying for top jobs, like managers, it can be two pages long, but no more than that.
It should always be written in computer, in an A4 page, and using only one type of font or, at most, two (one for the text and one for titles). It is not advisable to use colours and it should be printed in a white, smooth page.
A good CV is divided in clearly identified parts, and the information must be placed following an order.
First, personal data or information should be written, taking into account that it should be as short as possible and specifying information directly. It’s always good to write as many contact ways as possible: telephone, cell phone, e-mail, etc. The age can be replaced by the date of birth and the CUIL number must not be missing. If the person is applying for a job that requires availability to travel or to settle in the exterior, he should add the passport number or the driving’s licence number.
Second, the applicant must write the information related to the academic formation. This should be no longer than one fourth of the page and it should be written in reverse order: from the latest to the oldest. Primary school studies are not relevant and high school studies are written only when the attended school is well-known or bilingual.
If the university studies are complete, the type of degree received is written (engineer, doctor, lawyer, etc.), the university attended and the year of graduation. If the career average is higher than 8, or the degree was obtained at a public institution, or if you received a medal of honour, you can add that information too. When the university studies are not finished, you have to write the name of the career, the institution and the year. If you are still studying, you must add the percentage passed up to the day of sending the CV.
The third part of the CV shows the professional experience, which is the most important section of a CV. The professional experience is written starting by the most recent job and going backwards. To the left of the page you must write the name of the company you have worked for; if that company is not well-known you should write in a few words what does the company do. In the same line you should write the date you entered the company and when you left it.
Below this line the applicant should write the name of the job and include in categories like “administration” or “sales”. Then you should write what tasks you had to in that position. The first line can be used to describe how many people or the budget you had to do that job. Then you should write your “achievements and responsibilities” in that position. Unless the advertisement asks to write references, these should not be included.
In fourth place, you must write the languages you can handle. Unless you are sending the CV to another country, the mother language should not be included. You should always write which languages you can handle, if you can read it, write it or talk; and your level of it.
The last part of the CV displays the computer skills, grouped by their type; for example, the Office programs or the management programs. You should write the name of the program and if your level of it is basic, intermediate or advanced.
A CV is never signed and it should never include the expected salary, because that is always written in the application letter. It is also a good idea, though not crucial, to include a photograph, which is generally in the top, right corner of the page.
