A CV (curriculum vitae) is the first document that decides whether a potential employer chooses you. You have to sell in it and introduce yourself, your education, career and experience. The first step is to create a structured CV, or if you have one, you need to update it.
What should your resume contain?
1. Personal data
Provide only the necessary information. Properly stated basic data will help the HR to remember you after the first reading of the CV and to be able to contact you. Always place them on the first page and sufficiently visible.
● Contact information
Check that the information is correct, especially the phone number and e-mail address.
Enter the telephone number in the format with the international prefix +420
Use a private email with your first and last name. It looks more professional. Do not use an e-mail with a nickname in the name, such as jahudka@bbb.cz.
● Photo
Use a photo that looks professional, that is sharp and that you can see well, not a holiday snapshot, for example.
2. Education
Start with the highest level of education attained. Write the full name of the school, do not write abbreviations. Remember the field you studied, the degree you obtained and the year of graduation.
Fill in the data on external studies and unfinished studies. If you are at school, then when is it expected to finish your studies.
Elementary school is listed only if it is your highest level of education.
3. Complementary education
Courses, retraining or training that are currently related to the position you are applying for in the selection process. Indicate the institution that provided the education, the duration or, where appropriate, the completion of the study (certificates, authorizations, etc.). However, select only those courses that apply to the position.
4. Work experience
Sort work history chronologically from most recent to the past. For each job, state the name of the company and the job position you held, the year of starting and leaving, and a brief description of your job description.
If you have many jobs, focus on the last three jobs. Just briefly remember the others.
5. Knowledge and skills
Evaluate how you master the specific knowledge and skills required by the job position. In particular, choose what a potential employer may find beneficial and exceptional. If you have experience with something that is not entirely common, let us know.
● Language skills
Write specific languages and levels as you speak them. If you are unsure, get tested by an expert. You can also find various tests to determine the level on the Internet.
● Computer knowledge
Evaluate how you manage the programs needed to perform the profession. Choose one of the levels: basics / advanced / expert.
If you have knowledge of graphics programs, with programming, state the specific programs and the level of knowledge.
● Driving license
Only state if you have a driver's license and you are an active driver. Specify exactly the group or mileage information.
6. My qualities
Describe your personality, be original and do not name general adjectives as "communicative, responsible, reliable, creative". If you also enclose a cover letter or cover letter, pay more attention to your qualities directly in it.
7. Interests
Hobbies and leisure activities speak of your qualities or talents. Remember what you enjoy and what you do for a long time.
8. References
It depends on the position and how you agree with your former employer. Contact the contact persons in advance for their consent and inform them of the job position to which you are responding.
9. Cover letter
When responding to any job offer, you should reply with a so-called cover letter. Whether via your email or form on the company's website. It is a text that justifies why you are interested in the position. Always mention it when sending a cover letter. In it, justify your motivation to respond to the offer, it will stay in the memory of the HR specialist.
A few tips for cover letter / email:
• state the position you are interested in in the subject,
• be brief, the optimal length is two paragraphs, if there is something that did not fit in the resume (or cover letter), remember here,
• pick up the connection between you and the position and write why you respond to it and why you are a suitable candidate.
Advice at the end
• Before sending, make sure that everything is grammatically and factually correct and free of typos.
• Edit the formal and graphic page - use a maximum of two fonts, a neutral font and a reasonable size.
• Update the date and location.
• Don't overestimate yourself, but don't underestimate yourself either.
• Play with graphic design in creative positions. Your resume does not have to be in a fixed structure at all, use a picture, a graph - anything that graphically presents you and distinguishes you from others.
• You can find many examples and templates on the Internet.
