CV development

CV Development – version 5.0210520

 CV DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP

A simple guide to help you create a powerful CV that will get you noticed and
assist you in developing candidates CV writing skills

WHAT IS A CV?
 It is a marketing document, targeted to the sorts of jobs that you apply for.
 It is a description of you, your skills, achievements and experience.
 It highlights your achievements and benefits to potential employers.

WHAT A CV ISN’T
 A life story.
 An autobiography.

POINTS ABOUT A CV
 Its job is to get you the interview.
 It must be letter perfect and easy to read.
 Match your CV to sector specific roles ( read the job specification and map your CV to
the roles you are applying for )
 CVs are personal and you will always get alternative views if you ask other people on
style and content.
 Trends change so it’s important to keep up to date with changing techniques, however
this pack will give you a solid background to work from in CV development.

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CV DO’S AND DON’TS- Key Points

DO DON’T

 Make it visually appealing through font  Include salary history or date of birth or
style and spacing correctly- ideally 2 nationality
pages in size. Format the document
correctly

 Open with a summary statement /  Use too many pronouns like ‘I’, ‘we’,
profile ‘they’ or ‘my’
 Take time to develop your CV
 Use a professional email address
 Use wording that you fully understand

 Focus on achievements and results  Write long, detail-laden paragraphs or

within your previous roles within abbreviate too much if at all.
employment, education or voluntary
work.

 Use bullets; write in direct, short  Over emphasise education. If you are
sentences with powerful action verbs or over experienced you will be selling work
write a paragraph or two around the job skills and achievement, not school
role using action verbs. experience

 Proof read carefully  Include a photograph

 Cover gaps in employment (embedded on to the document)
 Check for spelling and grammar errors
 Overall always be honest as you may be
tested or questioned around specific
areas

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In Summary

Writing in a compelling way about the impact you have made in prior positions will dramatically
increase your CV response rate.

This is true whether you are an entry-level employee or the CEO of a company - Your job is to
show why YOU are the one who can make a real difference.

No one cares about your job responsibilities because they offer NO evidence that can make an
impact.

Instead of responsibilities, you must focus on one thing: Show me what impact you had in your
prior positions and the employer can start to imagine the impact you will have on their business
and how your experience matches the role.

PROBLEMS, ACTIONS AND RESULTS (PARs)

Many people do not recognise the specific contribution that they have made to their company,
team or business. It is not uncommon for people to say ‘I just did my job’ or ‘I was a secretary /
admin assistant etc’.

It can be hard to recognise and analyse our own skills and competencies. This process is
designed to assist you. We find that the best way is to look at the Problem, Action and Result of
your achievements.

Some examples of achievements:

 You increased customer satisfaction scores

 You achieved challenging daily and weekly targets
 You demonstrated high levels of customer service
 You met demanding deadlines
 You maximised sales opportunities through up and cross selling
 You handled all financial transactions
 You managed a difficult change within the business
 You implemented new systems
 You produced performance reports for line management

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CV INGREDIENTS- recommended fonts-use Calibri, Arial, Tahoma or Verdana as your main font
Size 11-12- Headers size 12- 14

Left align, right align or centralise your contact details

John Smith
10 Waverley Avenue
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE5 1RR
Telephone: 0191 2222222
Email:[email protected]

Personal Profile or Profile or Personal Statement- Activity 1 and 1.1 (Profile

writing)
Write a few paragraphs to describe what you have to offer to potential employers – THINK SKILLS,
SECTOR EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND AND ATTRIBUTES!!

Try to be original: the world is full of hardworking, good time keepers who like to work in a team but are
also good at working on their own. Vary your profile to fit well with certain jobs and flex your CV for
specific roles. Think past, present, and future to help you to compose a great profile. Match to Job
specifications. Be honest and truthful as you may be tested on areas that you state on your profile and
skills breakdown.
1. Get straight to the point – A good personal statement is not just informative; it’s also succinct
and concise. So try keeping it between 100 and 200 words for maximum impact.
2. Make sure you answer the key questions – Who are you? What can you bring to the role? And
what is your career goal? Structure your statement using these as a guideline and that way
you’ll ensure you maintain your focus throughout.

3. Add value –When answering the above questions, always attempt to be specific. Quantifying
achievements such as ‘Increased revenue’ by adding, for example, ‘by x amount’, is much more
impactful than merely hinting at your success, adding value to your statement and helping to
enhance your credibility. We will look at skills/achievements within the employment
breakdown and skills summary

4. Avoid clichés – Just as with the rest of your CV, the more personal you can make it, the better.
It’s difficult to stand out from the crowd when you fall back on the overused attributes that
recruitment teams will probably see hundreds of times every day (great team player 100% to
any task, honest, reliable etc)

5. Use the job description – A key part of writing your personal statement is being able to put
across to employers what skills you currently possess that would make you perfect for the role.
Struggling to think of the right ones? Surprisingly, most of them have already been given to you
in the job description. Utilise it properly and you instantly become a more appealing candidate.

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Example 1
A dedicated, enthusiastic, and innovative professional with a strong desire to deliver excellent service. I
have a creative mind and a keen eye for detail and regularly demonstrate initiative and ability for
problem solving. I thrive on change, work well under pressure and have exceptional communication,
interpersonal, report writing and analytical skills.

Holding a strong background in customer service and subcontractor management and have consistently
demonstrated an aptitude for building good relationships with Suppliers and Customers. I am
commercially aware and able to effectively balance commercial and business needs ensuring successful
contract delivery. I have a proven track record of building, mentoring and managing highly effective
teams and working towards demanding service level agreements.

Example 2
An ambitious individual who has spent the last four years studying a variety of subjects to assist me in
my chosen career within the social media and marketing sector.

Over the last 2 years I have developed a wide range of social media and marketing skills through my
work for a voluntary organisation.

Naturally pro-active and results focused are just some of my attributes that I can bring to any new role.
Now seeking an employment opportunity to further develop and enhance my current skill set within a
rewarding new role.

Example 3
A confident, enthusiastic and driven professional with a strong background in consistently delivering
excellent customer service and driving performance. Demonstrating exceptional interpersonal skills
enabling me to build good relationships, helping to develop and enhance colleague and advisor skills.

Holding a proven track record of building, managing and mentoring teams to be highly effective and
motivated thus delivering on targets. Generating a positive, nurturing culture and embracing challenge
and change.

Currently seeking a role where my combination of experience, energy and ambition can be fully utilised
at management level with an organisation strong on loyalty, leadership and dynamism.

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Skills & Achievements or Skills Profile or Skills, Experience and Expertise- highlight
skill& achievements that match to specific roles- Utiilise the job specification – Activity 1.2 (Skills
Analysis)
Examples
 Communication skills -developed excellent communication skills within my previous roles within
the hospitality industry dealing with a varied customer base
 Customer service skills -demonstrated a high standard of customer service working in various
positions dealing face to face with customers and identifying any needs the customer may have
to deliver exceptional customer service
 IT skills – achieved a good knowledge and understanding of the Microsoft Office packages
having used the packages in a previous role and developing my knowledge and skills in my spare
time. Used a wide variety of IT based systems including Microsoft and internal company systems
 Leadership - developed through recruitment and the development of existing staff fostered
through 1 to 1 meetings and ensuring all staff work to the best of their abilities. Provided
internal training to increase my teams skill set to assist them to achieve their personal targets
 Creativity – achieved solutions to maximise sales profit through event planning, increasing new
customer foot fall from highly co-ordinated and memorable marketing events.
 Communication – effectively developed strong, successful business relationships dealing with
key stakeholders maintaining retention and trust.
 Strategic thinker – played a pivotal role in the management of projects from inception to
implementation, developing, nurturing and delivering to bring safe, reliable results through a
range of forward thinking ideas.
 Sales- developed a wide range of sales techniques cross selling and up-selling additional
products to customers to drive additional revenue for the business, and enhance customer’s
packages.

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Employment History or Career History/Summary or Professional Experience-
Activity 1.3 (Role breakdown) - Title dependent on age and background

List all employment experience, Start with the most recent first and work your way backwards. Normally
cover up to about 10 years of employment history, unless you have only had one job during that time.
Bullet point your roles, demonstrate your experience and achievements. Or simply write a paragraph or
two using powerful action verbs. See below for an example!

Match your achievements and results to the job description specifics; Make it obvious to the recruiter
that you match the role well. It should not be hard work for the recruiter to see how you match the role
you are applying for. Your skills, knowledge and experience should be glaringly obvious within your job
role breakdown.

RWE-npower August 2003 – August 2005

Customer Relations Assistant
 Resolved outstanding customer issues delivering an excellent customer experience to achieve a
high level of customer satisfaction.
 Communicated through a variety of customer contact channels including telephone, email and
direct correspondence.
 Fedback any process and system issues to aid continuous business improvement
 Achieved excellent customer service standards recognised through internal recognition and
customer feedback.
 Liaised with other departments and colleagues to achieve customer resolution of any
outstanding issues
 Handled objections using a range of customer handling skills to gain an excellent resolution for
the customer and the business

Banana Banking – 2004 - present

Team Manager
 Set performance objectives giving clear guidelines and development for up to 15 advisors
through planned effective coaching sessions and meaningful individual personal development
plans to ensure that key performance indicators were achieved, including quality, compliance,
adherence and attendance.
 Recognised and rewarded excellent achievement in performance and behaviours appropriately
to maintain and build morale, promoting a praise culture
 Proactively managed performance in line with company policy and procedures ensuring
consistency and fairness, putting support options in place where necessary
 Promoted a strong customer focus to deliver excellent customer service therefore promoting
the brand and enhancing the customer journey
 Full awareness of Health and Safety within the workplace and carried out regular site
inspections, feeding back relevant shortfalls and recommending improvements
 Mentored and developed advisors into team manager roles, through motivation, inspiration and
focused mentoring sessions incorporating mock role plays and exploring interview techniques

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  Attended regular departmental meetings with all stakeholders to assess and review processes
and procedures

Banana Banking June 2000 - October 2012

Trainer

Having undertaken various roles during my 11 years at Banana Banking. Over the past year my main role
has been within the training department focusing on the commercial and consumer aspects of the
business.

 Implemented and evaluated training taking place in our offshore offices in Manila and the
Philippines
 Adapted style of communication to suit both individuals and business needs whilst based
offshore
 Delivered in-house training to existing and new employee’s on new products and services
 Contributed to a successful migration of work from onshore to offshore operations
 Resolved any customer complaints to achieve a resolution for both the customer and the
business
 Worked in accordance with strict financial services regulations
 Achieved personal daily and weekly targets as set by the business
 Liaised with the training team and feedback any quality improvements to enhance training
materials and outcomes

Toscana’s - May 2011 – September 2011

Waitress
 Assisted customers both face to face and over the telephone in a polite and professional
manner, ensuring that high levels of customer satisfaction were achieved at all times
 Demonstrated strong communication skills through effectively building rapport with customers
in order to enhance the customer experience and to promote customer loyalty
 Maintained stock levels to ensure that service could be conducted at the expected fast pace
 Adhered to all Health and Safety and food hygiene guidelines in order to maintain high
standards
 Worked effectively and efficiently as part of a team in order to achieve excellent levels of
customer satisfaction
 Implemented all age restriction guidelines relating to the sale of alcohol

McDonalds Ltd- October 2009 – September 2011

Crew Member
 Assisted customers in a fast paced hospitality setting providing exceptional service with each
interaction
 Adapted style of communication to suit individual customers whilst maintaining a professional
image at all times to promote the McDonalds brand to best effect
 Demonstrated effective teamwork whilst working in a high pressure environment to achieve
gold standard results within a strict time limit
 Maximised all sales opportunities by cross selling and up selling additional food and beverages
to increase revenue

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  Built rapport and used empathy to overcome difficult situations to promote customer loyalty
and satisfaction
 Handled all financial transactions with accuracy and efficiency
 Adhered to strict Health & Safety codes of practice
 Developed excellent team working skills whilst working as part of a highly motivated customer
service team
 Liaised with colleagues and team managers to achieve daily workloads

Wobbly Wi-Fi- March 2012 to October 2014

Blended Customer Service Advisor
 Demonstrated exceptional customer service skills through identifying and resolving customer
needs through effective questioning and building rapport to achieve customer satisfaction
 Identified and matched a wide range of products to suit and enhance the customer’s packages
using up-selling and cross selling techniques
 Used a variety of internal systems to capture and record customer information regarding their
enquiries
 Developed excellent team working skills through supporting and liaising with colleagues and line
managers to achieve performance targets
 Adhered with company guidelines to achieve company compliance with various policies and
procedures
 Maintained knowledge on the companies products and services to match available products to
the customer base
 Achieved high levels of call quality which was recognised through internal and customer
feedback
 Achieved advisor of the year for my personal performance with customers which was a huge
achievement based on feedback and quality surveys over a twelve month period

Tree-Star Housing May 2000 – July 2016

Housing Contracts Manager

Having undertaken various roles during the last 16 years at Tree- Star housing. Over the past 3 years my
main role has been managing a wide range of housing contracts, focusing on the commercial and
consumer aspects of the business.

 Managed a team of housing development officers, driving individual and team performance
through effective coaching, feedback and objective setting
 Successfully managed a wide range of housing partnerships through the facilitation of monthly
steering groups, monitoring partnership contractual objectives
 Completed monthly performance reports on team performance, reporting the statistics to key
stakeholders within the business
 Utilised creative thinking to achieve solutions to various housing issues that may arise on a daily
basis to achieve positive solutions for the customer and the business
 Developed excellent interpersonal skills through liaising and facilitating performance workshops
with various internal and external stakeholders
 Achieved adherence to all housing based legislation in line with government and local authority
guidelines

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Voluntary Work & Work Experience
Add this section in if you have completed any voluntary work or work experience that demonstrates
skills, achievements and commitment to voluntary work.

Education & Qualifications

Like your employment history, set out your educational achievements. Like your employment history,
start with the most recent first and work your way backwards. Include the schools / colleges you
attended from 11+ and any qualifications that you have gained.

The older you are, the less necessary it is to list all of your individual qualifications. It is acceptable to
write a sentence saying something along the lines of ‘I achieved 9 GCSEs including English, Maths and
Science’.

If you haven’t achieved any qualifications or you don’t wish to state your grades on your CV, you can
write a sentence along the lines of ‘Here I achieved a good / standard level of education’.

Add adult upskilling qualifications if you have completed any to show progression and awareness of your
development needs.

Career/ Vocational or Professional Training/ Professional Memberships

Include any (relevant) courses that you have completed that demonstrate any sector specific knowledge
or skills. Start with the most recent first. See below for examples

Customer Contact Limited February 2013 - August 2013

Customer service and contact centre training course covering the following modules:
 Call flow and communication skills
 Customer service ethos
 Sales and persuasion skills
 Presentation skills

Blue Sky Training- 2011 to 2014

Presentation Skills; Negotiation and Coaching Skills; Communications and Performance Management,
Attendance, Diversity and Equality, Asbestos Awareness and various technical workshops and courses
both in my previous and current role.

Hobbies and Interests (if required) or Additional Information

Write a sentence or two to say what you do in your spare time.depending on age and experience this
section may not be required. Use it for additional information if needed that shows elements of skill,
interests and character traits.

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References
Most employers look for at least two references - one personal and one professional. You don’t need to
include reference details on your CV.
Make sure you know and have the reference details as well as their consent.
The majority of CV’s will just state – Available upon request

Attributes

accurate adaptable calm confident creative

efficient enthusiastic logical patient resilient

methodical motivated diligent intelligent responsible

driven conscientious flexible self-reliant empathetic

Skills

analytical communication ICT decision-making leadership

interpersonal problem solving planning organisation engagement

negotiation management team work stakeholder management

performance management training delivery administration

POWER / ACTION VERBS

Expanded Identified Managed Advised

Implemented Analysed Approved Completed

Conducted Controlled Coordinated Defined

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Delivered Demonstrated Designed Instructed

Introduced Maintained Performed Planned

Presented Supervised Supported Achieved

Consolidated Improved Installed Managed

Led Motivated Adhered Followed

Provided Handled Developed Maximised

For additional action verbs for CV writing go to WWW.cvtips .com for additional
industry specific action verbs.

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