learning insight res

Structure of CV/résumé

1. Personal details:

* name
* address (home and college address if different)
* telephone number (home/mobile/college if applicable)
* email address
* personal profile (a summary outlining who you are and why you're a worthwhile employment prospect for this particular job: you could also mention here that you're currently studying in higher education)

2. Employment history:

* begin with your most recent job, briefly outlining your role and responsibilities (especially those most relevant to the job you're applying for)
* working backwards, list any other jobs you've had in chronological order: don't go into great detail about these unless you want to highlight any aspects relevant to your application
* if you've had several less important jobs that aren't relevant to the job you're applying for, you can summarize these as, for example, 'various administrative posts'
* if you've been raising a family, unemployed, or taking another career break, say so: it can create a negative impression if you just leave gaps in your employment history
* treat any significant periods of unemployment in a positive way: you could outline any activities or initiatives you did, such as carrying out voluntary work

3. Education and qualifications:

* if you're still studying for a qualification in higher education, start with this: you could add a heading or subheading (for example, Current studies) to make it clear that your studies are ongoing
* if you've completed any other further or higher education, outline this next
* give your secondary school or schools and the dates you attended them, together with:
o a list of all your A-level (or Scottish Higher) subjects and grades
o brief details of GCSEs, Scottish Standard Grades, or equivalent qualifications (only give full details of these if the employer has specifically asked for them or the subjects are relevant to the job in question)

4. Any other skills, achievements, or training:

* list any relevant professional qualifications, courses, or training (e.g. IT qualifications, knowledge of a foreign language)
* mention significant awards, other achievements, relevant positions of responsibility, etc.

5. Interests or pastimes:

* a brief overview of your interests or hobbies will help your potential employer to gain an insight into the type of person you are

6. Referees:

* you can either give contact details of two people who'd be willing to give you a reference or say that references are available on request
* if you're providing specific names, you could choose one recent/relevant former employer and one current tutor