CV Templates

A typical CV should have the following layout

• Contact Information: Include your full name, address, mobile phone number and email address. Don’t include your full home address if you are posting the CV online.
• Personal Profile: This is a great way to begin a CV as it immediately provides the reader with an outline of why you would be a great fit for the role. A surprising number of CVs don’t have a personal profile so adding one immediately gives you an edge. Include a few skills and achievements relevant to the role and use them to highlight your experience in the field. Keep this section to 200 words or less.
• Education: Include details of college and secondary school information with the most recent first. Be sure to add any professional qualifications you’ve achieved to date.
• Skills: Pick at least 5 skills and show how they relate to the job in question.
• Work Experience: The most recent jobs should be listed first and then you work your way backwards. Don’t include more than 3 or jobs and only include older roles if they are relevant to the job opening. You can also include volunteer work and internships if relevant.

Is There Anything Else?

If you are asked to provide references, include two from past employers. Make sure these people will give you positive feedback!

You can include hobbies if you wish but please ensure they are in some way related to the job opening. While learning a spare language in your free time may be seen as useful by an employer, spending hours watching the latest TV shows does little for your chances of getting an interview!

You should also leave the following information out of your CV:

• Date of Birth: Legally employers can’t discriminate on age so you don’t need to include your date of birth on your CV
• Place of Birth: There is no need to provide this unnecessary information .
• A Photo: CVs with photos are more common in the US but less so in Europe so there is no need to include one.

CV Examples

There are different CV types but the sample below relates to a ‘traditional’ CV.

Rachel Smith
17 Hill View, The Lough, Cork.
Mobile: xxx xxx xxxx
Email: name@email.com

Personal Statement

A Marketing graduate from University College Dublin (UCD). Possesses the skills and knowledge essential for managing an organisation’s key areas along with the problem solving skills necessary in the field. Looking for a post in marketing where I can use my communication and sales skills.

Education

2010 – 2013: Dublin City University
BA (Hons) Marketing 2:1

Modules included:

• Marketing
• Advertising
• Accounting & Finance
• Human Resource Management

Completed two dissertations in the final year including one on the immediate impact of the global financial crisis on marketing strategies.

2006-2010: St William’s Secondary School, Dublin

Leaving Certificate Honours: Mathematics, English, History, Physics, Business Studies, Irish and Accounting.

Work Experience

Feb 2014 – Aug 2016: Market Researcher, Johnson Marketing, Dublin

This role involved helping clients make effective decisions about their products by researching and analysing customer opinion data. Worked as part of a team that determined what our clients’ target audience wanted, why people chose the brand and why they purchase certain products.

Also worked in a number of high profile projects for clients such as Tyrell, Jones and Mitchells. Was a member of teams that identified the needs of clients’ target audiences and increased sales revenue. Jones saw an 20% increase in profits in first 6 months after we gave them our findings.

June 2012 – Jan 2014: Retail Assistant, Marks & Spencer, Dublin

This role involved working the tills and taking deliveries. Worked as part of a team that was entrusted with reducing queuing times and increasing customer satisfaction levels. Was chosen to count the till receipts and open and close the shop on a regular basis.

Oct 2010 – May 2012: Ladieswear Advisor, Primark, Dublin

Supported the store in delivering outstanding customer service, successfully promoted products and helped customers choose purchases by offering 1-on-1 advice in a friendly manner. Helped customers to further understand the features and benefits of the clothing on offer.

• Interpersonal: Ability to develop good working relationships with people of all backgrounds while encouraging development of colleagues in order to achieve specified team goals.
• Innovation: Uses a methodical and detailed thought process to resolve in-depth queries with the aim of finding efficient, safe and appropriate resolutions.
• Initiative: Resourceful, energetic and results-driven. Keen self-starter who enjoys taking ownership of her work to ensure the expectations of colleagues and customers are managed.
• Communication: Experience dealing with internal and external customers via telephone and email and has the ability to actively listen and ask probing questions to discover a solution.
• Flexibility: Versatile, adaptable, and multi-skilled. Has a penchant for forward planning with long-term targets in mind.

Additional Achievements & Interests

• Proficient in Microsoft Office packages including Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Experienced in social media content marketing.
• Volunteered at Johnston’s Conservation Club 2012-2015
• Enjoys reading business articles in a bid to learn more about marketing techniques and increasing customer satisfaction.