OXFORD

CVs
APPLICATION ESSENTIALS
D
The goal of a CV and its cover letter is to get you to an interview: for a speculative application,
it is to encourage the reader to respond positively.
Remember, recruiters usually review CVs very quickly – perhaps only 10-20 seconds – and
so CVs have a certain style all of their own. The primary challenge is to make it easy for the
There are four key characteristics of CVs that work well:
]
RELEVANCE:
] Content is relevant to the position applied for
– this is not a list of everything that you’ve done.
] Content highlights your personal contribution.
CLARITY:
] A well laid out CV is inviting to read and easy to scan
quickly.
] Use simple language – avoid jargon, acronyms and
technical details which may not be understood or provide
too much detail.
] A standard reverse chronological format helps recruiters
as they know where to find what they are looking for.
EVIDENCE BASED:
] Provide evidence of your contribution and impact.
] Focus on ‘actions taken’ rather than ‘responsibilities’ to
showcase your skills.
] Use numbers, percentages and values to quantify your
impact and give a sense of scale to your actions.
] Avoid unsupported assertions or opinions.
BREVITY:
] Avoid paragraphs, as these are slow to read.
] Use bullet points to package information succinctly.
] Avoid too much context, excessive detail or unfocused
material that will dilute the impact of your most relevant
messages.
“Recruiters will usually review your CV very
quickly [...] and so you need relevant skills
and experience to stand out immediately.”
GETTING READY TO CREATE YOUR CV:
] Create your long list of all your experience, achievements
and key dates. Transferable skills are developed and
demonstrated in diverse situations, so include:
Educational achievements, prizes, awards.
Voluntary, paid and unpaid work experience.
Involvement in societies, sports and clubs.
Additional interests and skills (e.g. languages; IT skills;
music).
] For each application, identify the skills and competencies
required.
] Select your most relevant experiences to demonstrate the
skills and competencies required for the role.
] Select your format – for most graduate positions, a
standard reverse chronological format is recommended
(see Sian Magellan's CV overleaf).
] Consider which headings are most useful to present your
experience most effectively:
EDUCATION will normally be at the top.
EXPERIENCE rather than ‘Employment’.
Headings such as ‘POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY’ or
‘AWARDS’ can signal other important information.
INTERESTS or OTHER INTERESTS AND SKILLS should
be included to indicate extra-curricular activities and
diverse talents. This section might include sub-headings
such as Languages; IT Skills; Sports; and Music.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 43