How do I prepare a CV that succeeds?

A modern CV is a document which is easy to read and contains concise information emphasizing skills, abilities and occupational usefulness. Various layouts can be met with. It difficult to say which is the best. As with many spheres of life, CV drafting is subject to different ‘fashions’ and they go beyond issues of layout and substance. A CV may be drafted in the European style, where the facts are given chronologically (from the first to the most recent), or in the American, which requires the facts to be provided in reverse chronological order, from the latest workplace to the first.

A distinctive feature of the Polish labour market is the huge number of replies employers receive to the majority of job offers. A person performing an initial selection of applications usually has no more than 20 seconds to decide whether a given candidate’s will be accepted. Generally, he or she decides on the basis of just a glance thye CV received. That is why the conciseness and succinctness of the information covered by your CV, together with its layout is,. to a large extent, a decisive factor in deciding whether you will be further considered as a candidate.

Obviously, it must be remembered that a CV itself, even one superb scope and shape, does not guarantee that you will get the job.

Things to do before you start writing a CV:

• Whenever possible, talk to people who are already in work, since it is they who may become a source of valuable information on the recruitment process.
• Do a self-assessment of yourself ( see the first part of this Guide) and think about what kind of a candidate the employer will desire the most.
• Think about which facts from your professional history may be the most significant to the employer.
• Write a draft of your CV, check its wording and edit the layout of the entire document.

Regardless of its form, a CV should contain the following elements:

• General data – full name, address, telephone number, email address.
• Education – the duration of your studies, names of institutions and the trade/profession/major obtained (beginning with the most recent).
• Professional experience – dates (from – to), full name of the company, the sector, the job title, basic duties, and achievements.
• Courses and training programmes completed, together with any titles or licenses thus obtained (beginning with the most recent).
• Foreign languages you know, together with your level of proficiency: basic, communicative, fluent.
• Additional qualifications –official licenses granted, skills such as computer skills (remember to list the applications), other office equipment.
• Driving license.
• Hobbies and interests.
• References – if you have any, enclose them to your application or give the contact details of the person providing them.
• It is essential to remember to include the following clause in your CV: “I hereby give my consent to the processing of the personal data contained in my offer for the purposes of conducting the recruitment process (pursuant to the Act on Personal Data Protection of 29 August 1997, Dz.U. [Journal of Laws] No. 133, item 883).”

Pay attention to formal requirements for CVs:

• Colour – it is now acceptable for two or three colours to be used in a CV; the choice of colour should be appropriate to the addressee – applying to a public office or institution you should use subdued colours, whereas candidates for a post in an advertising agency may use colours more freely and with greater originality.
• Photograph – a CV with a photograph is less anonymous. The photo should be placed in the upper left-hand corner of the document. It should be a formal photgraph, such as those used in official documents.

Document length

The single-page CV became history a long time ago. Nonetheless, if your CV has more than one page, you should remember to indicate that fact (for instance, by writing ‘contd.’ in the bottom right-hand corner.

The paper on which you print your CV

When sending a CV by normal post, you should use a higher grade of paper to prevent damage from folding. It may be either white or ecru.

Below are some recommendations which may make writing your CV a simpler matter

• A CV should be individualised and closely adapted to the job you are applying for.
• Write concisely and succinctly.
• Write clearly – too much information written in a small typeface and without generous line spacing discourages the reader.
• To emphasise the key elements of your CV use bold typeface, underlining, etc.
• Be consistent and logical.
• Don’t use professional jargon, especially if you are a top-ranking specialist (a programmer, pharmacist, etc.). The first person to read your CV at your potential workplace is not usually a specialist in your field.
• When describing your career, devote more space to jobs or industries related to the job you are applying for.
• When you describe your professional achievements, give facts. Avoid boasting about your fine character.
• If you are a student or a graduate of a tertiary school, you can omit your secondary education from the Education section of your CV unless it was of a specialist character crucial to the job you are applying for.
• A CV sent by post or email must have a designated addressee (HR department). List the reference number, the job title, etc. It is also much appreciated if you write few words as an introduction to your application, particularly in an email.
• Don’t assume that the reader will guess what you are trying to say.
• Don’t lie.

When writing a CV, remember to avoid:

• Vagueness.
• Untrue information.
• Bragging.
• Descriptions of family and personal problems.
• Grammatical and stylistic errors.
• Sloppiness.

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