Kicking off our CV series, we’ll be taking a look at what information you should be including on your CV.
From our experience, we consider the following areas as must haves: Personal Information, Experience, Education & Qualifications, Skills & Achievements and References. Past this, it’s up to your discretion but take a moment to look at your CV and see how it compares with our suggestions.
Personal information
Here you should include your name, email, contact phone number and address. A reminder here – if you haven’t changed your email since your school days and it resembles something like sweet_like_chocolate@msn.com, set up a new one! Keep it professional.
Experience
Your prospective employer isn’t interested in every job you’ve ever had. Most important is that you include all relevant experience.
They want to see what you can bring to the table based on your similar experiences. With this said, if you’re looking for a change in career direction, consider what your transferrable skills are. For example, if you’re looking to take your first step into hospitality but your experience is limited to retail, fear not! Here the key transferrable skill is your ability to deliver excellent customer service and on this basis, you should include this experience.
In terms of format, include the role, place of work, dates and key duties.
Education and Qualifications
Our recruiters are more interested in your experience than education and as such, we like to see this reflected in how you present your CV, i.e. experience should precede education. More on CV layout later on in the series.
Of course, the importance of the qualifications you hold will vary according to the role you are applying for. If for example, you’re interested in an Assistant Property Manager role, an IRPM qualification might be necessary and therefore should be highlighted. Whereas, for the large majority of our Concierge vacancies, past our requirement that you complete Abbatt Academy, specific qualifications are not necessary.
In terms of format, include the type of qualification, the dates and the grade you achieved.
Skills and Achievements
Consider what skills you hold that are applicable to the role you’re seeking. Can you competently use IT packages? Have your customer service efforts been recognised and rewarded at a previous place of employment? Remember not to exaggerate, you’ll need to speak about these skills using real life examples at interview stage.
When we’re looking at CVs (and we see a lot!), the above is what we are most concerned with. Of course, there is no one size fits all approach and your CV should best represent you. You may choose to include space for a Profile/Personal Statement, information about your Interests and References but don’t add for the sake of filling space. Only include what will add value.
Profile/Personal Statement
This is a short paragraph, around 3-5 sentences, about what makes you, you. It should detail who you are, what you can offer and what you are looking for. Be careful not to use generic descriptions. We often find it hard to separate one profile from another. You want to make yourself stand out!
Interests
Speaking about your interests can help to paint a more rounded picture of you. There does however need to be an alignment between your interests and the role you are applying for. For example, it might be the case that you are 1) applying for a Concierge role and 2) part of a drama society. We often find that actors have good confidence, a quality that we look for in Concierges, and therefore this is an interest worth discussing on your CV.
References
If you already have referees details, great! Include them and this will save you time later on down the line. Importantly, make sure that your referees have given you consent to use their details.
The trick is to choose referees who have worked with you most recently, who are most knowledgeable about your skills and who are willing to talk about you in the most positive light. It might also be useful for you to send your referees a copy of the job description. In this way, they are in a better position to expand on the skills most relevant to selling you as a prospective employee.
Remember, your CV is the first opportunity you have to sell yourself so give its content some real thought.
