How to Write a Good Curriculum Vitae CV for a Job Application in Nigeria

How to Write a Good Curriculum Vitae CV for a Job Application in Nigeria

Are you interested in learning how to write curriculum vitae? Do you have any experience in writing one? Do you need the perfect CV that will get you hired? If your answers to all these questions are Yes, then sit back, relax and keep reading.

Before we delve into how you can write a good CV, you must know that your CV is your opportunity to make a first-time impression on your prospective employers. For this reason, it is essential to have an ideal CV that can get you a job.

However, the major challenge most people have centered around how to come up with a workable curriculum vitae. Nevertheless, you are reading the perfect article that will help you defeat this challenge.

What Is A Curriculum Vitae?

Before venturing into how to write the perfect CV, it is vital to understand what the CV entails. A Curriculum Vitae is a two-page document highlighting your academic and professional history in a detailed document and is done in chronological order.

Understand that Curriculum Vitae means a course of life in Latin. It is a comprehensive document that is usually laid out over two pages or more. It entails the details about your achievements and greatly rests on your career biography.

It fully covers your education and all other accomplishments like:

• Awards
• Honors, and;
• Publications

The CV helps employers to get an overview of your full working career. It is static and does not change for the different positions you are applying for. The only thing that changes is your cover letter.

Writing A Good Curriculum Vitae

Honestly, starting to write a CV can be challenging, and for this reason, we will be presenting easy ways to get this done perfectly. It is challenging because there is no specific format for a CV.

However, you are to tailor your CV’s contents to the jobs you are applying for because while one job will need to lay more emphasis on a certain area, another will ask that you elaborate on a different area.

Nevertheless, the best way to know the CV that is ideal for your industry is to check out other people’s samples. This can be done by researching online or reaching out to your peers or mentors already employed.

 

 

Always remember, though, that these examples are only examples, and you should make sure your CV is specific to you and not just a copy of what someone else has done. You are an individual, and your CV should reflect that.

For a fact, these employers will not spend the whole day reading your CV. If you never knew, the average recruiter is likely to spend six seconds glancing through that curriculum vitae of yours.

They only read your CV to determine if you will be the best fit for the available position. In a bid to appeal to their judgment, you are to figure out what they want to see in one glance.

In creating an outstanding CV, you will have to include information such as:

1. Your name, contact information, and professional title

 The first thing the recruiter sees once your CV is opened must be your name, your personal contact, and of course, your professional title. This information is to be placed at the top of your CV as it will give the employer an idea of who you are.

Your CV title must be your name, and it is to be followed closely by your professional title. The addition of your contact details like your phone number and email is because the recruiter will likely call you to inform you of an interview after probably sending you a mail.

Note that you can also add your social media accounts as some employers will like to search for potential candidates on social media to research some more about them.

2. Your personal profile

Here, your personal profile means your personal statement. The personal statement is a piece of writing, and it is typically not more than two or three paragraphs. It mostly appears at the top of the CV as it gives the employer a good summary of:

• Who you are
• Your skills
• Your achievements
• Your experience
• Your career goals, and not to forget;
• Your reason for the application

Bear in mind that while you can end up writing a fantastic CV, having a flawed personal statement or not having one at all can make your CV not get the needed attention. It is the personal statement that captivates the attention of the employer to your CV.

The personal statement should be kept short but exciting, plus it is to be made just a few sentences long. You can build the personal statement around:

• Who you are
• What you do

Your personal statement should be catchy enough to gain the attention of the recruiters.

3. Your job experience and employment history

This section allows job seekers to list their previous jobs, internships, and work experiences. This part is vital in your CV because it will give the recruiter an idea of all you can do.

Note that employers find it simpler to hire a candidate that has functioned in a specific role and not one that has little to no experience. For this reason, it is ideal for you to arrange your work experience in reverse chronological order. This will help him or her to see your most recent work experience before the previous ones.

As you list your previous positions of employment, you are to state your:

• Previous job title
• Name of your previous employer, i.e., the company name
• Dates that you worked, and;
• Short sentences summarizing your previous role.

Also, you are to place your skills and significant responsibilities in bullet points. This will help with readability.

 

Read Also: Tips on How to Dress for a Job Interview

 

4. Your education and qualification

It is vital to note that your education is an essential section that must be included in your CV. Most job descriptions come with educational qualification specifications. Like how you listed your job experience, you are to list your educational qualification in reverse chronological order.

You are to include:

• The name 9f your institution
• The dates you were there
• Your qualification, and;
• Your grades

For those who have gone a little bit further in their career journey and have lots of certifications, you can add your qualifications.

5. Your skills or abilities

If your CV is focusing on showcasing your work experience, expertise, and knowledge, it means you are writing a functional Curriculum Vitae. In such a CV, you are to arrange your job skills in chronological order.

Nevertheless, asides from writing a functional CV, your skills and abilities are among the most vital information you must include in your CV. The skills you write must be relevant to the job role you are applying for.

You are to carefully study the job description to know the skills that are vital to the job. As for your abilities, it is vital to add them when your work experience is not much.

Including your abilities provides a means that tells your potential employer that you are the ideal person for the position. Here, you can add volunteering skills. You are not just writing out your abilities; they should tally with the job you are applying for.

One thing to avoid is using the term “hobby” as it is unprofessional. Do not include activities that suggest you are a loner, as employers seek people who can work perfectly in a team.

Things Not To Include In Your CV

While we have provided you with things to include and the steps to writing the ideal CV, some things should not be found on your Curriculum Vitae. These things include:

• Work experiences that are not relevant

Although it is essential to add your previous work experience to your CV, it is vital that you only add those experiences that are related to the job role you are applying for.

• Personal information

Avoid including personal data like your religious preference and marital status. Information that does not suggest you are ideal for the job should be ruled out. The employers want to know if you are the best for the job and not your personal life.

• Hobbies

Like we mentioned earlier, it is unprofessional. Asides from that, employers do not care if you love to play chess during your spare time or if you love hiking.

• Ridiculous lies

There is undoubtedly no point lying on your CV to please the employer. Having to lie about your skills and qualifications will likely make you unqualified for the job. Statistics have shown that over seventy-five percent of hiring managers can spot a lie on a Curriculum Vitae.

• Physical description

It is unnecessary to add your physical description on your CV as the employer does not need that. This information should be left for the recruiter to see during the interview.

• Salary information

When you add salary information to your CV, it will have a very high negative effect than you can imagine. The salary rate differs in each company, so this information should be ruled out.

Aside from disqualifying you from the position, it can make you earn lesser than you should earn.

Conclusion

On a general note, writing the ideal CV should not be a difficult job. If you are a fresh graduate and you are confused about how to go about writing your CV, this article has provided you with all the necessary details to get that job.

Ensure that you go through the list of things not to include on your CV; it will help you create the perfect Curriculum Vitae.