The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals

How to write a CV

As recruitment consultants Portfolio Payroll are often surprised by the varying quality of information and the presentation of the CVs that we receive on a daily basis. The importance of an eye-catching, well written and informative CV can never be underestimated and ultimately could be the difference between you securing that dream job or not.

Whilst it is always difficult to express all of your duties and achievements on paper it is essential to remember that your CV serves as a sales tool to market yourself as an applicant above other competing candidates applying to the same role. Make sure that what you do on a daily basis can be clearly gleaned from your CV, do not overlook specific tasks that you have undertaken or assume that the recruiter will be able to immediately indentify all of your experience.

Take time when preparing your CV and remember attention to detail is key and do not be tempted to over exaggerate your experience. Your CV must be accurate and factual in order to avoid any embarrassment further down the line when your potential new employer undertakes pre-employment checks. Start by listing all of your key duties, responsibilities and major achievements for each role, whilst making sure you accurately detail your dates of employment and your academic grades.

When reviewing your CV a recruiter is always looking to match your experience to their own job specification, looking for evidence of how your career has progressed, your willingness to take on increased responsibility through to your commitment to current or previous employers. It is a common oversight for candidates not to fully explain reasons for leaving or gaps in employment, so please give as much detail as possible to ensure you secure that all important interview.

Take care in the presentation of the CV and ensure that it stands out from the crowd, reads well and crucially is as concise as it possibly can be.

Key points to include when writing your CV:

Personal Information and Profile
Include your contact details, location and personal profile.

Education and Qualification
Include your Academic record from school, to further and Higher Education, professional qualifications and training.

Career History
Detail your current and previous employers, detailing your key responsibilities. Make sure you detail your job title, dates of employment and reasons for leaving.

Key Achievements
Use this as a chance to sell yourself and to discuss the career achievements that you are proudest of. This could include projects you have successfully completed, new procedures you have implemented through to any promotions or management responsibilities that you have achieved.

Software Systems Used
Detail all of the Software systems that you have used as this is becoming increasingly more important in a modern and progressive payroll environment.

Personal Interests
Use this as an opportunity to express some of your personality and interests outside of work and personalise your CV-make it come to life!

Finally if you are unsure how best to present your experience contact a recruitment consultant who will offer immediate advice and support not only in CV writing but who will also manage your career search and pro-actively identify suitable opportunities within the market place.

Need help writing your CV?

Looking for a new challenge?

Contact the UK’s payroll recruitment specialists and the preferred suppliers to the CIPP, Portfolio Payroll on 020 7247 9455 or e-mail: recruitment@portfoliopayroll.com. Our website is www.portfoliopayroll.com so feel free to browse this for the latest payroll vacancies available.

Now that you have perfected your CV you can increase your chance of landing your new job by submitting it to Portfolio Payroll by completing the registration form.