Kaplan Sample CV Template

Curriculum Vitae (CV) – Sample

NAME (If you are a Katherine but prefer to be Kate for example, State Katherine and surname and add (Kate) in brackets)
ADDRESS
E-MAIL ADDRESS
ELIGIBILTY TO WORK IN THE UK

Profile
This should be no more than 4-6 lines. Make it clear and concise about the sort of person you are, the role you are looking for or how your skills fit the job role advertised. Explain to the employer what you have to offer their organisation and sell yourself.

Key skills and Achievements
This can take up to 1 page depending on your experience to date. Again make it relevant to the job and don’t feel you need to talk about things that are unrelated to the role. Your achievements do not all need to come from previous job roles, they may be personal achievements but it does need to be relevant to the role you are applying for.

If demonstrating your key skills, do not simply state ‘I am an effective communicator’. Explain how you have demonstrated a variety of communications methods and how they have helped you achieve something or had a positive effect.

Work experience
State the employer, length of time in the role and a brief outline of your role and responsibilities, including any staff you managed. Put the most recent first.

If you have several jobs in the early part of your career that are unrelated then simply state ‘previous employment history available on request’ and state the dates.

If you have any gaps in your employment history due to illness or times away travelling for example then state this in your CV.

If it is relevant state part time and voluntary work and how many hours you worked each week. Also state if any part time roles whilst you are studying.

Education and Professional Qualifications
State the school/university/training body, the dates you were there and the qualifications gained at each. If you are a school leaver, state individual A-level and GCSE results. If you have qualifications from overseas state the equivalent type of qualification level in the UK.

Other relevant skills

• State if you have a driver’s licence and a car, especially if it is needed for the role
• Explain what experience you have of using Microsoft programme, any other relevant systems that may be used in the work place
• Other languages you can speak and how fluently they are spoken
• Any other relevant training you may have done

Interests
Keep it brief and just a couple of lines long.

References on Request
Make sure that you have up to 2 references employers can contact. You may be asked for 2 previous employers, details of your old school teachers as well as a personal reference where someone has known you outside of work.

Things to remember

• Keep it entirely relevant to the job you are applying for / organisation you are applying to
• Make it easy to read; brief and informative, it should be 2 -2.5 pages maximum. Use bullet points and subheadings where suitable
• If you are a school leaver with limited previous job roles, then be proactive in looking to get work experience and make sure this is shown on your CV
• Put the time and effort into making your CV look good. Employers can tell if you have rushed to complete it and not taken much time
• Always make sure your spelling and grammar is checked and ask someone else to check this for you
• Keep your CV up to date; you never know when you will need it
• Sell yourself and give good examples of the experience you have had and the skills you have gained. You need to make yourself stand out from the crowd/other applicants
• Make sure your email address is suitable for employers to contact you on and you check it regularly. The same applied to voicemail messages on home or mobile phones
• You do not need to include date of birth, marital status, sexual orientation or pictures
• Avoid humour and sarcasm
• Do not use abbreviations, text language and avoid writing in the 3rd person or in a story telling fashion
• Avoid repetition
• Be honest
• Avoid fancy fonts and contrasting text size. Arial size 10-12 is standard