How to write a CV

Posted by Carlo Marques on 7 Aug, 2017 3:31 pm

There isn’t just one right formula on how to Write a CV. Opinions divide: some say it must always include a photo of the applicant and some claim the exact opposite; some consider that it should never exceed one page and others are more flexible to accept up to two or three pages. Should it be presented in a creative way, thus, standing out from others or should it be simple and sober in order to convey professionalism? Should it be written in first or third person?

The Lisbon MBA, Career Management Center

For the purpose of this article, we shall set aside aesthetic issues (however important they may be) and focus on content and the way information is organized in order to make you an appealing candidate to anyone who reads your CV.

First of all we should make a fundamental question: What is a CV’s main goal? To get us a job? To tell a story about us? To explain all details about our professional life? Not exactly! The answer is actually simpler than that. A CV should be designed to get us the job interview. It is just the first step to get us to the “moment of truth”, where we have the opportunity to really show our personality and talk about our professional experience. And then, if there is interest from both parties, we can get that job contract.

So, it is based on this primary goal – to get the interview – that I would suggest four simple rules to keep in mind when writing a CV:

1: Most important information should come first. Think of all the things you have done in a specific job or project, identify the most relevant actions, skills or experience and then put them first. Sort information by its relevance, rather than by a chronological order.

2: Be specific. Focus on what was your specific contribution to a project or job. Avoid generalizations or vague descriptions. In Portugal, it is often said that person X was “responsible for this” or “responsible for that” – everybody is responsible for something. Avoid this. Use verbs that translate action such as “coordinated”, “managed”, “implemented”, “developed”, etc. These are more specific and add dynamism to your CV.

3: Highlight the impact of your work. Don’t just describe your responsibilities and functions. Provide some information on the impact of your work for the organization. To do this, use quantitative and qualitative measures that may illustrate it (example: the impact of your work on sales, on reducing operating costs, on growing the business, etc.) However, be careful not to disclose any confidential information.

4: Focus on what is the employer’s interest. Get to know the company in detail. Do some research. Know what to look for and try to adjust your speech to the employer´s needs. Avoid using too much jargon about your previous experience, especially when this is not relevant. This means that, ideally, you should have more than one version of your CV, adjusted to different organizations, jobs, needed skills or even countries.