Using the Right Language to Write a CV

To produce a good CV, you need to make the most positive impression possible while being truthful. A poor CV drones on and on about what you've done, when, how and why, even making excuses for what you didn't do. A good one gives an accurate sketch of your skills and experience. A job-winning one does this and also convinces the reader you're right for the job. And it convinces them in the face of sometimes hundreds, even thousands of other CVs competing for their attention.

Active Writing

• Avoid big words.

• Avoid management buzzwords.

• Keep descriptions simple and clear.

• Action words are best - they make it clear what you have been doing. Use active descriptions of what you did, not things that were done.

• Don't get carried away. Employers are interested in your work, not your imagination or hairstyle .

The general principle is to make the language and grammar used ACTIVE. This means wording sentences in a certain way, so that you talk about WHAT YOU DID - not about things that happened, what was done, events that took place. Here are some examples:

• R esponsible for cost control measures, should read , made savings of... by implementing cost controls

• Manager of team of 5, should read , recruited, motivated, trained and managed team of 5

• Secretarial support for Chief Executive, should read , provided confidential, professional, secretarial support service for Chief Executive

• Accountant for company, should read , Accountant - provided full financial services and accounting function for company cost control

To get active language, take any words that are not active and change them. Here are some common words and their active formats.

• Passive : cost control Active: reduced and controlled costs

• Passive : manager Active : managed

• Passive : provided support Active : supported

• Passive: recruitment Active : recruited

• Passive: savings achieved Active : achieved savings

• Passive: provided support Active: supported

• Passive: company research Active : researched companies

Can you see that one list is a list of job functions , and the other is a list of things you have done.