CV (or resumé)

A CV (or resumé) is essential to your job search.Your CV must give the employer an overview of your profile and main qualifications as well as prompt an interview.

Some employers receive hundreds of CVs every day, which makes it important to produce a document that stands out while positively and effectively reflecting who you are!

Two CV formats

The two most common CV formats are:

• the chronological CV, which emphasizes your past work experience and highlights the positions you have held, as well as the competencies and accomplishments for each job;
  
  
• the functional CV, which underscores your competencies and knowledge. This type of CV is very effective for someone who has had many jobs.
  
  

Contents

Your CV must include:

• your contact information;
• your career objective;
• your work experience (or accomplishments);
• your education;
• additional experience (professional associations, professional development courses, software used, etc.);
• your interests and hobbies;
• references.

Find out more about the different elements you should include in your CV

Purpose

Your CV must:

• represent you;
• be personalized;
• catch the eye and arouse the interest of the reader;
• be precise, concise and clear;
• have an attractive and well-spaced presentation (the information must be easy to spot);
• include action verbs (e.g. act, coordinate, create, initiate, resolve.);
• indicate what you can do (experience) and what you would be able to do (skills);
• consist (ideally) of two or three pages, no more.

Tips

• Have someone proofread your CV to make sure it has no spelling mistakes.
• Add a five-line paragraph to summarize the qualities you have developed over the course of your previous jobs.
• Don't bend the truth – it never pays!
• Based on the type of position you're applying for, rework your CV to make a connection between your qualities and competencies and the competencies sought by the employer. A targeted CV increases your chances of being called in for an interview.