There are many elements which have to all come together in harmony in order to write a good CV. When writing your CV you need to consider numerous things. Most people think they can write a good CV as long as they make it look good and ensure the spelling and grammar is OK.

In fact that does not make a good CV. Firstly, even if the CV presentation appears good, the content is actually more important. There is no point spending time hours refining the look of your CV if what you have to say is not well worded, does not sell your skills, or says the wrong kind of things.

If you really want to write a good CV then ALL of the following factors are essential: presentation, direction, format, balance, and content. You should note that all these factors can themselves be subdivided. For example spelling, grammar, wording, substance, impact, and relevance are just several facets of good content; and there are other factors too. Even the amount of content and the way the content reads is important. For example many people are under the false impression that there is a cast-iron rule saying that CVs should be a pre-defined length, consequently they try to elongate or cramp the content into their preconceived allotted space.

Often this has an adverse effect as if you write too much in too short a space it makes the CV more difficult to read. If your CV doesn't read well then some employers will simply not get beyond the opening few lines.

At the other end of the scale if you deliberately waffle on in an attempt to elongate your CV then this is also counter-productive as employers will see through it and just wonder why you are waffling.

On another related matter, some people write CVs which are a good length, but they include things they really shouldn't. This isn't a good idea as you need to make optimum use of the available space. This is an extremely important factor and one which hardly anyone does properly.

Writing a good CV is not easy. Even some so-called CV professionals fall short. There are many pitfalls and avoiding these pitfalls only comes with extensive experience and know-how. If you want to write your own CV then you will save some money, but if you want a better quality CV you really need a professional CV service. You should note that not all CV consultants are as good as they make out. Some however, are undoubtedly excellent and the money you pay can often be an excellent investment if it lands you your dream job. A good tip is to read the testimonies section of the CV service website. Another tip is to look at the quality of the website itself. If the website does not look professional then it is unlikely that the CV service will be particularly professional either.

Another thing to look out for when choosing a good CV service are unrealistic claims; Some sites claim to 'guarantee' you jobs if you choose their CV, or say e.g. that '91% of all people who use their services get interviews within a week.' You should be very wary of sites/companies which make such claims. Firstly there is no way for you to verify such statistics and companies who make such extravagant claims play on this knowledge. Secondly no CV or CV company can ever guarantee you a job. Good CVs can certainly help you land an interview, but it is down to you to pass the interview thereafter. It is ultimately your choice but it is often a good idea to avoid any site which makes unrealistic claims.

If you want to check out a CV service without any risk or commitment then you should ask a professional consultant for advice. CV Consultants.co.uk actually offers a 100% free CV appraisal service for those wishing to benefit from a professional second opinion.

In conclusion, writing a good CV is something which you can try to do for yourself if you address all the points mentioned above and avoid all of the many pitfalls. However, this is much easier said than done. If you want the best possible CV then you are better off asking a professional consultant for help and advice.


This 'writing a good CV' article was kindly supplied by Paul Hichens who is one of the CV consultants at
CV Consultants.co.uk

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