In this blog, you will learn about CVs, what they are, what they contain, and six tips on how important they are to you!

Learn about CVs 📚

CVs are critical components of your application as you attempt to land an interview.

What does CV stand for?

A CV (or curriculum vitae) is a marketing tool that you present to prospective employers in order for them to consider you for a current or future opportunity, program or position.

What is a CV?

A CV is more formal than a resume and is more common in Australia. It should be no more than two pages for job seekers with limited experience and no more than four pages for those with more experience.

What does it include?

The CV is a document that includes some basic personal information as well as a summary of your education, qualifications, work experience, interests, and accomplishments.

Some professional CV writers recommend including a career objectives or goals section, but whether that is appropriate depends on where you are in your career or what type of role you are applying for.

Tips ✔️

The ultimate marketing advertisement – Imagine this…

Think of the CV like it’s a brochure. The brochure will list the benefits of purchasing or using a particular service. The product they are leasing and service they are getting or potentially getting is…you!

Boom!

Your CV is your first point of contact with potential employers and is essential for getting your ‘foot in the door’ for an interview.

Design it well and make it easy to read…

Everything is about visual appeal! Remember, this is a marketing document for you. It might get you a foot in the door… with that in mind… we need to make it appealing to read. How? Simple but effective designs! Simple fonts with lots of white space! You can make this a hard copy (which you will most likely need for the online systems and initial application) or electronic and/or digitally accessible.

The consequences of designing your CV without using a template… A poorly executed and presented CV that fails to convey relevant information, makes it difficult to read and may limit your ability to secure an interview.

Ask yourself – Would you give yourself a position?

Consider your CV from the perspective of an employer when developing and writing it. Would you stand out from the crowd (i.e. other candidates), and would the manager want to speak with you based on the information in your CV?

The more the BETTER!

When you’re just starting out in your career, getting an interview is critical because it allows you to expand on your CV and sell yourself despite your lack of experience. When it comes to applying for jobs, don’t do it one at a time or, worse, only apply for one position. Complete multiple applications to increase your chances and gain extra practice.

After delivering the documents and application – Deliver YOU and deliver you well!

If you are invited for an interview, you are then in a fantastic position to explain and expand on what is in your CV and use your interpersonal skills to help secure the position. Don’t slow down here. Make sure you know what it takes to deliver yourself well at the interview.

Structure and Types of CVs 📝

Different CV Formats

There are numerous CV formats that you should be familiar with in order to create and design the most purposeful CV possible. As an undergraduate, new graduate, or experienced nurse, your CV and application will be slightly different.

Without Experience CV

The purpose of this CV is to demonstrate the candidate’s ability and potential. What they offer in particular may differ from that of other candidates. Typically, they have little or no experience (less than two years) and may still be in school. As a result, it is necessary to focus on inherent abilities, knowledge, academic achievements, qualifications, acquired responsibilities, volunteer work, travel/trips, languages, and so on. There may be no Job / Work History section.

Professional CV

A professional CV is written for people who have at least 5 years of experience and are in intermediate positions with significant responsibility levels. It focuses on the achieved objectives, problem-solving, applied abilities, promotion, and development of the career to date. In this case, studies may be less important than gained experience.

Executive CV

Executive CVs are used by people in high-level positions. It focuses on the goals achieved as a senior manager or champion of some area with significant leadership and problem-solving experience, which may include project development, use of abilities, and team motivation. To summarise, they should emphasise their competencies and how they apply them.

Chronological CV

The most commonly used CV format does not always make obtaining an interview easier.

The academic education and experience are presented in inverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent or most recent work, then the previous ones, and finally the studies.

The disadvantages of this format are that it can display any periods of inactivity (months, years) and/or frequent changes in work. This frequently leads to the candidate filling these spaces with irrelevant information for the position.

It emphasises a person’s advancement in the workplace: promotion and increased responsibilities are reflected, which has the disadvantage of revealing if a person, despite being very effective and satisfied with their role, has not ascended or taken on more responsibilities.

When to use a chronological resume: If you have extensive professional experience, have not been out of work for an extended period of time, have not changed jobs frequently, and are looking for work in the same industry.

Advantages: The format is traditional, and most hiring managers regard it as simple to read and understand. It demonstrates job security. It reflects your increased responsibilities and/or advancement. It emphasises the type of position you held and the companies for which you worked. It describes your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Disadvantages: It highlights any changes in the company or “job-hopping.” It allows the reader to either work out or concentrate on the age of the candidates. It could indicate a lack of recycling or updating training. It reflects any inconsistencies in work activity.

Functional CV

The Functional CV avoids the disadvantages of the Chronological CV type and allows for the display of abilities and achievements obtained, even if the dates in the work experience are not continuous, aiding in the concealment of periods of inactivity or successive similar jobs without promotion. When you want to highlight your professional career or enter a completely different activity, the type of company and/or studies are irrelevant but your abilities, capacities, and type of work are.

If you want to highlight your abilities over the course of your work experience, you can use the Functional CV. If you want to return to the job market after a long absence. If there are numerous periods of unemployment between jobs. If you’ve changed jobs frequently. If you want to work in a completely different industry. If you believe your age will be a barrier (“very young, very old”). If you have worked as a freelancer or self-employed person. If you are a recent graduate with no prior experience.

Advantages It demonstrates the individual’s abilities and strengths. It enables you to highlight the skills and knowledge that are most relevant to the position you seek. It eliminates the repetition of roles in similar positions. Flexibility in presenting/displaying your person and achievements. Useful in new technologies, such as the Internet, telecommunications, media, and public relations. You can discuss abilities, interests, and motivations that you do not always use in your work but could.

It does not highlight the names of the companies for which you have worked. The length of time spent in each position is unimportant. It restricts the job description and responsibilities.

Combined CV

CV formats that combine the formats (chronological and functional CVs). The functional format of the CV is followed by the chronological format. The combined format is more difficult to write and more complex, but it has the advantage of emphasising the candidates’ experience and abilities for the new position they are applying for, as well as reflecting their experience and training in a dynamic format.

An advantage includes it clearly demonstrates that you know what you want to do and that you have the skills required for the position. It includes the section “Achieved Goals.” It allows for greater flexibility and creativity in displaying abilities. It aids in obtaining a specific position.

Disadvantages You’ll need a different summary for each job you apply for. It takes a long time. It removes information about your skills and experience that you may prefer to keep private if you are applying for multiple positions at the same company.