CVs and application forms

The CV

Even when working with an agency, you still need to work with your consultant to ensure that your CV accurately describes your skills and your experience fully, and is in an easy to read format. A good consultant will work with you, following the basic guidelines below, to ensure that you have an interview generating CV. If you are preparing a new CV please bear the following rules in mind.

Remember - first impressions count. Your ability to produce a succinct, professional document about yourself is key. A badly prepared CV challenges the credibility of its contents.

It is important that you produce a professional document that focuses on selling your best qualities and attracts your potential employer. Ensure your skills match the employer’s requirements.

Bullet points break up a CV well and are useful for clarifying your experience in short sentences.

Typical experience bullet points could include: 

• Examples where you have devised a strategy to increase sales or reduce costs. Make sure that you can quote specifics, for example, ‘by reviewing staffing levels over lunchtimes, which were proving to be our busiest periods, increased sales by 5% year on year in total’. 
• Ensure that achievements are tangible. For example, ‘I improved the footfall overall by 10% by suggesting and implementing a targeted marketing campaign to local businesses such as banks and offices’. 
• Try to highlight achievements that are innovative and will ensure that you stand out from the crowd. For example, ‘when a full time member of staff left I replaced them with two part timers to improve staffing cover over lunches’. 
• For retail professionals it is important to quote the size and make up of the store size, team and budget you have been responsible for.

Make sure you don’t use jargon or too many acronyms - you don't know the background of the person reading your CV - it may look like a foreign language to them and mask your achievements.

Do not make false or exaggerated claims, honesty is always the best policy. If the interviewer identifies inconsistencies in your CV it will call into question your integrity.

It may take 3-4 drafts to develop the right presentation style. When you have it right, ask a couple of friends or colleagues to give you an honest critique and comment on the layout, spelling and grammar.

Don’t use coloured paper, fancy typefaces, coloured print, pictures – it will get your CV noticed but for the wrong reasons. The recruiter wants to see your experience clearly and simply laid out. Visit hays.com for detailed advice on writing CVs.

Don’t say too much - remember the purpose of a CV is to gain an interview. If you say too much the employer may decide that they know enough and do not need to interview you.

Application forms

Most agencies will ask you to complete a registration form. This ensures that your details can be entered onto a database in a consistent format, so that when a consultant is searching for candidates that match a particular job specification, your CV will be highlighted.

Some employers may ask you to complete an application form as part of the recruitment process. This is common in high profile recruitment campaigns where a large response from applicants is anticipated. It enables the recruiter to screen each candidate effectively and to make direct comparisons between applicants and their competences on set questions that relate specifically to the role and the organisation.

Completing an application form can be a time-consuming process, and usually no two forms are the same so it is important that you put aside the time to read and complete the form carefully.

Here are a few basic points that you should consider if you want to make a strong impression on your application form:

• Read the form and accompanying instructions well in advance of the closing date as sometimes you will be asked to supply information that you may not have immediately to hand, such as accurate dates of employment or proof of educational qualifications 
• Photocopy the form and use this as a draft before completing the original 
• Ensure that you answer all questions on the application form 
• Accompany your application with a covering letter - use this as a sales tool to identify your unique selling points and an explanation as to why you are the right person for the job

For more information, visit our Careers Advice section.