The Basics Of A Good CV

The basic function of a CV is to present relevant information about yourself to the prospective employer. Though the definition sounds simple, there are a lot of angles to the presentation of a CV or curriculum vitae or biodata as is commonly known, which mostly depends upon what type of a job you are applying for. However, whatever be the type of the CV, the basics would remain constant. A good CV:

A good CV should :

• Be preceded by a neat cover letter which is addressed by name or authority (designation) to the person who is in charge of recruiting or the chief of the organization (be careful here that you have right name, it is spelled right, and has the right and exact designation); the cover letter should summarize in two-five lines why you think you would be fit for the job showcasing your best talents to match the requirements of the job (and add a little extra)
• Represent accurately all the relevant to the job information (personal and professional)
• Be crisp and highly informative (make sure you do not have any long winding sentences while describing experience and other traits)
• Be written well to make an interesting reading for the prospective employer, highlighting you best achievements (avoid tabulated form unless the information requires it, such as your education)
• Highlight your match to the job through relevant experience, qualification and personal traits (some examples are, good communication skills, friendliness, dependability, fast learning ability, etc)
• Be tailor made (or rather written) to match the exact requirements of the proposed job, to the best possibility
• Follow the standard format of the country or region, such as the order of the presentations of information (in some places the personal information precedes all other information, while in many places this is presented at the end)
• Written in impeccable language (which ever language the CV is written) grammatically
• Absolutely free of any spelling errors (as a matter of fact this is one of the highest quoted reasons for rejection of the CV)
• Preferably typed neatly on good quality paper; if typing is not possible, it should be written neatly in legible handwriting (there should be no cuts or additions on the handwritten page)
• Preferably give two good unrelated references or mention that references may be given on request

A good CV will not only be tailor made for the job you are applying for, will also match carefully all your talents and capabilities to the requirements of the job specifically and the goals of the company overall. Your CV should make your candidature for the job look like it is a win-win situation to the company to employ you, i.e. the company will profit from engaging you just as much as you would profit from being part of the company.