CVs and Resumes - The Basic Facts

INCLUDE

These basic facts you need to include on your CV are:

Your nameYour addressYour phone number (home and mobile, but be wary of putting your work number in, unless you are happy to be called at work)Your email addressYour career history in detailYour educational recordAny professional qualifications you have achievedAny professional membershipsYour relevant skillsAny relevant training and development.

With regard to career history it is important to write about your most recent posts in some detail. The further back in time you go, the less detail you need to give. The exception to this is if a role further back in time is more relevant to your current application than more recent jobs.

Always put your university degree and grade achieve. Listing your 'A' level and GCSE passes is essential, but you need only put the grades if the results have been achieved in the last five years or so. After that your university education or job history becomes more important. However, with regard to education, you should include any awards you gained, whether you were head girl or boy, whether you were on the school council or took part in special projects - anything like that.

DO NOT INCLUDE

As well as essentials that you should include (above), there are some things that you do not need to include. These are:

Date of birthNationalitySexWork status (include this if you are not from the EU)Marital or family statusReligionSexualityPoliticsDisabilities or ill-healthReasons for leaving jobsConflicts at previous jobsCaring responsibilitiesCriminal convictions (see separate article).