How To Write A CV / Resume

When applying for a job in Nigeria and other parts of the world, you may be required to submit a curriculum vitae, CV, also known as a Resume. The CV is usually attached to a cover letter or application letter. It includes details of your personal career goals, work experience, education background, awards, publications, referees and more.

What to include in your CV

You are excited to find your dream job. You quickly put together your CV and other necessary documents. You send them to the company but never got a call-back. Chances are you messed up your CV and it wasn't good enough. Well, you can learn how to get it down next time.

Although the structure of a CV is not fixed, there are certain things that most be included and others which most never be included.

CV Title

Just like your cover letter, the first thing to include on your CV is your name, professional title and contact details. This should be at the top of the page. The title of your CV must never be 'Curriculum Vitae' or 'CV'. Rather the title must be your name.

Your contact details must include phone number, email address, and home address ie your location. Some jobs require applicants who live in the company's location, it is important to consider this while stating your location.

Personal Profile

Also known as the CV objective or CV summary, the personal profile briefly states who you are, what you are all about, your career goals, and what unique skills you will bring to the company. You should tailor your personal profile to every job you are applying for and state the specific qualities you have for the role.

Education and qualifications

Here you state in reverse order the various institutions and dates attended eg PhD, Masters, Undergraduate. This is followed by the qualifications and grades obtained.

Work experience

Just like your education and qualifications, your work history is presented in reverse date order starting with the most recent appointment. When mentioning the positions, state the job title held, the company, the start and end dates, and a summary of the role.

Skills

A detailed CV should contain your abilities and skills that would attract you to the employer. This can include computer skills, language skills, leadership skills and more.

Additional information

You can boost your CV by incuding additional sections such as hobbies, honours/awards, memberships/affiliations. Adding references to your CV is no longer compulsory. However you can include a line at the end of your CV that reads ‘references available on request’.

What not to include

There are details you should not include on your CV. Some include age and date of birth, marital status, a photo, salary history, and reason you left your last job. Also, ensure you stick to the facts about yourself. Do not lie or exaggerate.