Articles From the Team

The importance of ensuring that the information on your CV is correct

Your CV checklist

Your CV is the first and most important step in your job search therefore it is important to ensure that you spend enough time and effort in getting a final version of your CV drafted.

Prospective employers will use your CV to assess your suitability for their vacancy however, the way your CV is written will also give potential employers an insight to you as a person. Spelling, grammar and a poorly formatted CV will give the wrong impression from the outset; it is important to ensure your CV is 100% accurate and drafted well before applying for any new vacancies.

Points to check include:

Education:
• Are all the dates and details of the schools you attended correct?
• Are all the grades stated on your CV accurate? It wouldn’t hurt to dig out your
certificates to double check.

Qualifications:
• Clearly state whether a qualification has already been completed or if you are still studying towards this.

Dates of Employment:
• If you are not sure of your previous employment dates, don’t guess. Have a look on your LinkedIn account; review your old payslips and P45s if needed. This is really important.

Titles in previous roles:
• Are the job titles you stated on your CV exactly the same as what is stated in your previous employment contracts? It needs to be.

Gaps in your CV:
• Where possible, explain these.

Temporary/Contract or a Permanent position:
• We advise that you state on your CV how you were employed at previous firms. If it was a short term contract, it removes any concern around why you left after a short amount of time.
• If you have left a permanent role after a relatively short amount of time, mention your reason for leaving on your CV (being as professional as possible).

If you have reviewed all the above before applying for your new position, the background checks should be fairly straight forward for your next new position.