Writing the CV and covering letter to get you that interview

Your CV and covering letter are what an employer will base your job application on. It’s your first chance to impress, stand out from the crowd and secure yourself that all-important interview. You will probably also need a CV if you are buying a franchise.

If you’ve had a career break or not applied for a job recently or you’ve had a change in career then writing a new CV can be quite daunting.

Here we help you get it right first time with some simple tips.

Covering Letter 

This is more likely to be a covering email but it’s just as important as it always was to get right. The employer will read this before they read your CV so you need to make them want to open your CV straightaway.

• Keep it short
• Express interest and excitement in the job that your are applying for
• Mention the key skill or experience you have that is needed for the job.
• Ensure that all spelling and grammar is correct
• Keep it professional
• Refer to your CV and don’t forget to attach it
• Close with an enthusiastic line
• The normal rules of letter writing do not have to be followed but keep it professional

Example

Dear Sally

I’m emailing to enquire about the position of sales person recently advertised on flexibleworking.works.

I have significant sales experience and feel that I would be ideal for this role. I would very much like to apply for this role please and I have attached my CV. I hope you will consider me, as I’m really keen to find out more about this job.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Many Thanks

Fiona 

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CV 

Think of your CV as your shop window to your skills and experience. There are a few essentials that must be included:

• Full name
• Telephone numbers (ensure there is one for day time and evening)
• Email address
• Relevant qualifications – by this we mean recent ones that apply to the job, list other qualifications in summary
• Brief summary of your skills and experience in about 200 words – this is the hardest bit but use it to summarise you key experiences and to stress key attributes like drive, enthusiasm, commitment and flexibility that all employers value.
• Each role held with dates and your responsibilities and your achievements whilst in that role. List these in reverse order and use more space on more recent and relevant roles.

If you have had a career break do not worry about including it. You can use it to highlight any voluntary work or personal achievements during that time.

Include hobbies only if they highlight a skill or experience relevant to the jobs you are applying for. An employer is not that interested in if you like going to the cinema!

You do not need to include your marital status, date of birth, ethnic origin or if you have children. You don’t need to provide references at this stage but they may be asked for you be ready with a couple.

You may need more than one CV if you are applying for a range of roles.

Ask a friend or family member to review it for you.

For more resources and helpful tips why not take a look at the Government website.