CV Creation

Create a Master CV: A Comprehensive Guide

Purpose

A Master CV serves as a central, ever-growing record of all your professional, educational, and voluntary experiences. This document is not meant to be shared directly with employers but acts as a resource to tailor application to specific roles. Include every role you’ve held, whether temporary, voluntary, or academic, as well as significant achievements, responsibilities, and awards. Length is not a concern for this document - it should be exhaustive and detailed.

Best Practices for CV Creation

• Master CV Essentials

  • Capture Everything
    Include every job, project, team-related activity, and academic achievement. Don’t overlook the temporary, freelance, or voluntary roles, as these often showcase transferrable skills. E.g. Leadership roles at University, awards, charity work, or committee involvement.

  • Track Achievements
    Highlight moments where you’ve taken responsibility or been recognised for success.

• Tailoring Your CV for Applications

  • Relevance is Key
    Tailor your CV for each job application by aligning it with the skills and experience listed in the job description.

  • Analyse the Job Advertisement
    Identify the key skills and qualities the employer seeks. Reflect these in both your CV and covering letter, emphasising transferrable skills.

  • Mirror language
    Use the same terminology as the job posting to ensure your CV aligns with the employer’s expectations.

• Writing Style

  • Keep it brief and impactful by using bullet points

  • Avoid generic statements - focus on quantifiable achievements and concrete examples.

  • Use assertive, upbeat language with action verbs like developed, organised, achieved, implemented, and led.

  • Be factual and avoid generalisations - specificity is key.

CV Structure

• Header: Personal Details

  • Name: Make this bold and central. Include qualifications (e.g., HR Manager, MSc). Do not use "Curriculum Vitae" as a title.

  • Contact details: List your name, a mobile telephone number and a business email address. Do not list your age, dob, address, gender, marital status, whether you have children or not, or include any photographs.

• Personal Statement:

  • Max 5 lines/bullet points with the skills relevant to the role you are applying for. If you are returning to work following a break please say so here. Pack a punch and delete any generic sentences.

• Chronological career history with dates (roles on left, dates on right): 

  • Roles in reverse date order.

  • Up to 5 bullet points for achievements, focusing on achievements rather than responsibilities. Where possible, quantify results (e.g., “Increased sales by 20% over six months”).

  • Include 'Planned Career Break' as a section with dates and a reason. Sandwich it between other roles, work experience, volunteering or other events you will have been involved in during your career break. This will emphasise it was planned. Include positive achievements or positions during your break.

• Charitable work and volunteering:

  • Showcase any voluntary contributions, leadership roles, or significant outcomes achieved.

• Education and Training

  • List qualifications and training relevant to the job application. Include dates and any notable achievements.

• Interests

  • Make this section engaging but concise. Highlight unique hobbies or pursuits that add personality without detracting from professionalism.

• References.

  • Simply state “Available on request” unless otherwise specified by the employer.

Additional Tips

• Brevity and Precision:

  • Keep sentences short and impactful. Use bullet points wherever possible to aid readability.

  • Avoid unnecessary jargon or wordiness—clarity is your goal.

• Achievements Over Responsibilities

• Frame your experience around what you’ve accomplished, not just tasks you performed.

• Example: Instead of “Responsible for managing a team,” write “Successfully led a team of 8 to deliver projects 10% ahead of schedule.”

• Skills Section

• Emphasise transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and technical proficiencies.

• Example: “Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, CRM systems, and data analysis tools.”Keep your wording brief and use bullet points wherever possible.

By following this framework, your Master CV will be a comprehensive, valuable resource that evolves alongside your career, making each tailored CV application precise, impactful, and aligned with employers’ expectations.