What Should I Write About on My CV?

Hiring managers can often receive many applications for a single role and in these instances they won’t have the time to read through pages of irrelevant information that doesn’t match their job advert credentials.

This is why you should ensure that the information included on your CV is always relevant to the role that you are applying for.

The sweet spot for most recruiters is a CV that falls within 475-600 words - although there is no actual right or wrong to this and CVs will vary in length depending on the skills and experience which you have. However, a CV generally shouldn’t be longer than 2 pages of A4.

Your CV should include the following information:

Name, professional title and contact details

This includes your name, address, telephone number and email address. You don’t need to include sensitive information such as your age, religion, marital status or a photo as these details should not have any influence on a hiring manager.

Don’t forget to make sure your contact details are up to date; you wouldn’t want to miss out on an interview because the hiring manager is unable to get in touch with you!

Personal statement

This section is your opportunity to show an employer exactly who you are as an employee, the value you can add to their company and your career objectives.

Education & qualifications

In this section, you should include your secondary and further education (You don’t need to go as far back as primary school!)

You should include the full name of the establishment you attended, the dates you attended from and to, the title of the course/subject and the grades awarded.

If you are still in education, you could highlight your expected grades and the dates you are likely to acquire them by. If you do this, make sure it is clear that you have not qualified as of yet to avoid misleading the hiring manager.

Employment history

In this section, you should include a relevant list of previous employers. You should include the name of the company, an address and the dates you worked there.

For the most relevant roles, you should include details about what the role entailed and the responsibilities you had.

It’s also important to highlight what you achieved. For example, if you were a Sales Executive, instead of writing ‘It was my job to make sales,’ you could write ‘It was my job to reach 100% of my sales target which I did consistently for 2 years which lead me to becoming the Salesperson of the Year in 2021.’

If you have worked at a large number of places, just include the last few places where you have worked - the hiring manager doesn’t need to know about your paper round from when you were 14.

If you have any gaps in your employment, such as a career break or maternity leave, you should also include these; if you wish to provide additional context, you should address the reasons within your personal statement.

Hobbies & interests

Including hobbies and interests on a CV is a much debated topic. Some hiring managers believe it pays no relevance to whether you can do the job in hand, whereas some believe that it is important to learn more about a person before inviting them to the interview stage.

If you would like to include a list of your hobbies, we would advise that you choose ones that paint you in a positive light or relate to the job which you are applying to.

References

References are not always a requirement of a CV; however, if you do choose to include them, you should always have permission and they should know you well enough to discuss your experience, skills and personal traits.

In cases where references are not included, you could state that they will be available upon request should the hiring manager wish to see them.

Generally, at least three references should be included and they should ideally be from professional sources such as a previous employer, school teacher or university lecturer.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group? 

Since 2017, we've been changing the face of recruitment. From our employees, to the way we do business, to the culture within our office, we're determined to make a difference and create a positive impact on everyone around us.

Recruitment to us isn't just about matching candidates and clients; we’re passionate about finding candidates the perfect job which has the ability to boost their salary and standard of living, better their work life balance and improve their mental health. 

Similarly, we understand the impact which an experienced and skilled employee can make to a business and we love seeing clients thrive through the hard work of candidates which we have placed with them. 

We operate in two sectors:

Private Sector

Public Sector 

In eleven specialisms:

Accountancy & Finance

Education & SEND

Construction, Trades & Labour

Healthcare, Social Care & Nursing

Housing

Corporate Functions & Business Support

HR & Workforce Development

IT & Digital

Property & Asset Management  

Planning, Development & Regeneration 

Highways, Infrastructure & Engineering

If you’re searching for a new role, why not visit our job page to take a look at the latest opportunities? Alternatively, upload your CV and one of our experienced consultants will contact you when a relevant opportunity becomes available. 

If you’re struggling to fill a role, why don’t you give us a call on 01772 954200 to see how we can help? One of our consultants will be happy to listen to the challenges which you are facing and advise on the best possible solution for you.