How To Prepare Curriculum Vitae (CV)

The Curriculum Vitae is a Latin expression and translates to a person’s course of life, more commonly known as a CV in the modern world.

In some countries e.g. The United States  it is generally called a Resume, but the contents remain the same and need to capture a number of key areas, including:

• A Personal Profile Statement.  
• Roles undertaken, clearly showing responsibilities, but more importantly achievements, quantifiable wherever possible.
• Skills and Abilities.  
• Educational qualifications and ongoing personal development  .
• Hobbies and Interest

STD FOUR (SFNA) NECTA EXAM RESULTS - MATOKEO YA DARASA LA NNE


First Things to consider:-

Essentials of a CV
It  cannot  be  stressed  enough  that  a  CV  takes  time  to  prepare  and  this  will  not  and  should  not  take  place  overnight. Unfortunately there are too many advertisements throughout the internet which suggest that it can be completed in less than an hour. These kinds of statements in the author’s personal opinion are both foolish and impossible.

 It is worth pointing out that your finished document when read by a potential employer will have in most instances no more than 2/3 minutes of their reading time, so getting it right is key.

1. Always create a good 1st Impression and tell the truth!

Your document needs to be presented in a clear and concise manner with the initial objective of creating impact and a professional impression to the reader.

Always be truthful about what you are saying about yourself, as you should be 100% confident to back up any statements made on your CV with a real life example of what you have experienced.

2. Be fully aware to format your document correctly

As far as fonts are concerned it is suggested that either Arial or Times New Roman be used, with font sizes in the region of 10 to 12. All the pages of the CV have to be presented in a consistent way and there is nothing more important than the 1st page, as this sets the scene for the whole document.

The use of justifying (Microsoft Word Tool) your CV is important too, so that the reader is able to make notes on both margins.

3. Choose carefully the grammar and use of words and the correct punctuation

Always write your CV in the 3rd party as this enables you to avoid the word “I” which would otherwise be used continually. Punctuation, spelling and avoiding using jargon is absolutely crucial. Your CV needs to be checked by an independent person who you can trust to give you feedback. Never rely solely on spellchecking which software packages provide, as mistakes are often not picked up.

 1. Two types of the CV

 2. 7 Steps to Writing Effective Cover Letters