Learn how to create an outstanding CV
We have created a resume (CV) writing template based on our combined experience - as recruiters and technical practitioners (who have interviewed many candidates for project teams).
This can be found and be downloaded here: www.gardpasscyber.com/resources/ You are more than welcome to use it yourself.
In addition, we would like to guide you through it to help you make a more effective CV to succeed in your endeavours.
There are 8 sections with some suggestions and a few examples.
In section Profile use standard keywords and keep it brief and concise (e.g. "DBA", "Oracle development"). Try to make an impact at the start of the CV ("I am an expert.....with N years of..... I am keen to.....).
In section Key Technical Skills ensure key skills on the SOW (Statement of Work) or job specification are mentioned (in bold or underlined text) where possible.
Likewise when you reach Other Skills, e.g. language proficiency, mentoring experience, team leadership.
In the Career Summary section, start with your current or last employer/project and work backwards. Explain any gaps. Remember that the role title should identify the context of the work. Something like "Systems administrator for a secure logistics company" can work perfectly!
Next section will be Career Highlights in which you will need to describe a few achievements you are proud of (and can discuss at an interview). Example: "pioneered use of the AngularJS framework helping the client to.....". Also use strong action words showing your personal contributions (rather than a team's) e.g. "As the version control specialist on the team, I persuaded the client to adopt industry standard practices".
In the Professional Education & Training section, include only relevant items and avoid listing grades for early education (e.g. at school) - tertiary results are usually helpful! Include results for degree, HNC, vocational, IT courses, etc. Definitely mention any relevant ongoing courses - in progress or planned (in the near future). Don’t forget to mention certificates if available, e.g. CCNA, CISSP.
In Professional Memberships, include only relevant items like "British Computer Society", SANS. Also ensure you have some evidence of these (email or paper-based).
The last section (General) is one of the most important sections. So use strong positive words and be concise. An example is "Significant technical contribution to projects such as XXX" rather than "involved in...".
Ensure consistent fonts/styles (e.g. Times New Roman 11) are used throughout and text is aligned neatly. Referees should not be mentioned at this stage. Try it to keep to 2-3 pages and use bullet points for focusing on key points, rather than having large blocks of text. And don't forget to check the spelling and grammar!
You are more than welcome to use and share the attached template yourself. We hope it helps you.
