I have observed that writing a CV in Nigeria
is something people put off for as long as
possible and when they eventually get to it,
they have the impression that so long as
important elements such as work experience,
educational qualifications and bio-data are in
place, a CV is complete.
I beg to disagree. I believe that your CV is an
account or narration of yourself. It is YOU
talking about YOU in YOUR very own words
and in the best way possible. It starts from
who you are, to all the places you have been
and how you have contributed to those
places; your achievements, how you spent
your time, and even personal details like your
marital status and so on. Bearing this in
mind, every detail and information provided
must be meticulously considered and
articulately presented. Put your most
flattering qualities or accomplishments up
front and then move gradually to less
flattering qualities.
In writing your CV in Nigeria, presentation is
everything! Your content, layout, template,
font type, font size, line spacing, bullets and
borders are all crucial in achieving a great
looking CV. If someone has 3 years of
experience and another has 6 years of
experience, and they are both applying for the
same job, the ONLY thing that differentiates
them is the way they both present their work
experiences.
The basic elements of your CV in Nigeria
should be profile, work experience,
achievements (if any), trainings (if any),
educational qualifications, bio-data, hobbies
and referees. Please note that no particular
format or template is cast in stone, every
template can be amended to suit a particular
requirement at any given time.
Profile
I would rather a profile to an objective. An
objective is simply a goal while a profile is a
brief description that summarizes your
qualities, vis-a-vis where you are coming
from and where you hope to be. It shouldn’t
be more than two sentences or three short
sentences at most.
Experience
Your experience(s) should indicate the name
of the company, your designation/title, your
job description and the duration of service.
The address of the company is not
compulsory except you are applying for a job
outside of your state or country of residence.
Your experience(s) should follow a
chronological sequence (most recent to least
recent). Also stick to the present tense when
describing your current job description.
Achievements
This is a run-down of exceptional
accomplishments you have bagged over a
period of time. It can include a record
breaking GP, an award, a surpassed target,
an impeccable record and the likes. Your
achievements are supposed to score you
extra points with a potential employee but if
it does otherwise, chuck it.
Bio-data
Your bio-data which consists of your date of
birth, s*x and state of origin are not
necessarily your most important details.
Infact, it could serve as a disadvantage.
Should you apply for a particular vacancy and
you are past the age requirement, if your age
is the first thing a potential employer sees,
you are likely to be disqualified even before
your CV is given a proper appraisal. So it’s
best to keep those details at the tail end of
your CV.
Points to bear in mind:
1. Chose bold and legible fonts
2. Use simple and unambiguous words. Leave
no room for vagueness.
3. Have a focus and find a way to infuse your
interest and specialization into your CV
4. Be accountable. Always account for time
spent. Ensure your CV reflects that you are
constantly adding value, honing your skills or
getting more education.
5. Never include in your CV what you are not
a 100% certain will be a plus.
6. Keep your CV to a maximum of three
pages except you have had several years of
experience.
7. Ensure that you can defend everything that
you have written in your CV
8. Lastly, don’t forget to KISS! (Keep It Short
and Simple!)
See you at the top!
Comments
Post a Comment