The 'cv' plays a key role in giving the employer the first impression about an applicant.

The preparation of the 'cv' is often considered the first phase of your interview with a prospective employer. It makes the first impression about you in the employer's mind. The first impression is the best impression, goes an adage. If the first impression is poor, it may turn out to be the last impression. That is not what a jobseeker desires.

What is a 'cv'?

It is a curriculum vitae meaning 'progress of life' - what we otherwise call bio-data or resume. It is a short, well-written description of your personal data indicating your academic qualifications, previous experience, special skills, personal interests, and hobbies.

Dos and Don'ts

It has to be neat, easy to read at a glance, elegant, well organised, impressive and brief, yet informative. It should stand out in terms of quality of content and in appearance. The document may be limited to one page, never more than two. Print it using a computer word processing programme on quality paper. It should not be a clutter of matter. Use tables, if necessary. Don't use too many fonts, or spray perfume on the sheet.

The cv should contain your name, address, telephone number (at least a contact number), e-mail address if any, age in years, date of birth, educational qualifications (degrees / diplomas, year of passing, university / institution / class / percentage marks or grades / special distinctions if any, such as first rank in the university).

Experience

What comes next is your experience that is relevant to the job. Duration, nature of work, responsibilities undertaken (financial / administrative / human resources / purchase of materials / supervision / design / contracts and so on), published works, and special achievements have to be mentioned. We may be tempted to list the qualifications, starting from the school gradually moving upwards. This is not the best method. The employer is naturally interested in your highest qualification. So give it first. Then you proceed in the reverse order chronologically. In the matter of experience also, follow this reverse order. Start with the present position and work backwards.

Achievements

If you have any significant achievement, either in the academic history or in the previous job, do not hesitate to mention it in the cv. However, there are elements of propriety. For example, for a fresher from college the captaincy of the college table tennis team is significant. But after 20 years of professional life as a specialist doctor, its relevance decreases. In that situation, noteworthy instances of professional triumph become more significant.

There should not be any long gap, when you were doing 'nothing'. If there is a period between your acquiring the qualification and your first job, you should have been doing something useful like an apprenticeship or training or social service.

While mentioning achievements use action verbs such as designed, erected, commissioned, organised, wrote, composed, prepared, mobilised, immunised and conducted.

Update your cv

You may apply for different jobs. Depending on the nature of the job, you may have to shift the emphasis in the cv. You should attempt to convince the prospective employer that your knowledge and skill match the demands of the job. This leads us to the concept that you should not keep a standard cv to be sent to any employer. You may have to modify it to suit specific requirements. In fact, a cv is not a static phenomenon; it grows with you. You have to update it periodically.

Hobby

It is customary to indicate a hobby. If you have a serious hobby, do mention it. But do not indicate a hobby like reading, music, or photography just to fill a gap. It is certain that the interview board will have a copy of your cv, at the time of your personality test. If you were not honest while mentioning a hobby in the cv, a question on it may expose your ignorance. It may not be that ignorance per se that would harm you, but the fact that you tried to be dishonest even before you joined the company may go against you during the selection process.

References

You can indicate the names of two referees, who should be able to give a report about you, if necessary. Well-known persons and those who are senior professionals in your line are desirable referees. Don't forget to get their permission before you include their names in your resume.

Error-free

Never be satisfied with your first draft of the cv. There should be no error in the claims of qualification or other achievements. Even a single typographical error can make it look unprofessional. Check and re-check the draft, get it corrected if necessary by competent people.

In order to keep the cv in its limited length, you may first write out all your points in detail, and then eliminate the relatively unimportant items. Exclude personal details that are irrelevant for the job. Careful editing can also reduce the length.

The look should be fine. Never send photocopies. You may add a recent photograph at the top. You can have a short covering letter along with the cv. In some countries there are certain styles, such as stating a `career aim' near the top. Instead of experience, they would write `career achievements'. If you are addressing foreign companies, you may follow the styles concerned. In any case, you should attempt to create the best possible impression in the prospective employer. That is the key factor for success.

B.S. Warrier

Courtesy : The Hindu