How to Create

a Winning CV
Your essential guide to building CV and cover letters.
Employers will use your applications to decide whether you will be invited for
interview. If you are submitting a CV, application, covering letter or portfolio,
your applications are a critical part of job hunting success.

For more support visit

Careers in The Base on
Alexandra Square.
Drop-in and receive CV
feedback, information
advice, queries and
questions
- no appointment needed
(Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri – 10-
12, 2-4pm)

Visit TARGETconnect to
book an appointment with
an advisor or attend a CV
workshop:

careers@lancaster.ac.uk
01524592767
What is a CV?
A CV is a summary of your professional experience which is part of every job application
and, if done right, it should attract future employers and secure an interview. With this
in mind, it is essential to have a well presented CV that highlights your skills and
achievements in an easy to read format.

A CV should be tailored toward the role you are applying for and contain information that
is wholly relevant to that position. You can find out what is needed by using the job
description and person specification. If these are not available, you can use the internet
and other resources found on the last page of the guide to help you understand the key
skills required for various roles.

Essential Content:
All CVs must contain:

Contact details – full name, phone number and email address (consider including your LinkedIn
address if you have one);
Education – all previous education, listing the most recent first. Include any professional qualifications;
Work experience – this can be internships, voluntary roles or previous jobs. Add the
most recent/relevant positions and examples of tasks.
Skills – for example, the ability to work in a team, manage people, customer service skills, or specific
IT skills;

You do not need to include your date of birth, nationality, gender or a photograph of yourself.

CV Language:
Language should be professional and skills focussed. Where possible, avoid using a list of duties.
Highlighting skills that are specific to the role as well as transferable skills will have greater impact. Try
to avoid over using ‘I’ and steer clear from large blocks of text. Make it as easy as possible for
employers to see at a glance what you have to offer.

Presentation:
CVs should be clear, easy to read and have a consistent style throughout. Use of headings and a clear
font will enable you to highlight key pieces of information to an employer. Using bullet points can be
really effective.

Make a good first impression!

 50% of CVs are rejected due to bad grammar and spelling;
 76% of CVs are rejected due to an unprofessional email address;
 55% of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on
their social media profile.

Skills-Based CV or
Chronological-Based CV:
Your CV can be organised in whichever way suits
your situation best. See the Example CV template
for ideas.
If you have little experience but want to showcase
your potential, you may choose to make more of
the skills section and move that section above your
employment/experience section. The key is to
ensure that the things that are most relevant to
the job you are applying for are nearer the
beginning of your CV. As a graduate, your recent
education is likely to be very important if you are
applying for graduate schemes. However, if it is a
while ago since you graduated, and you have
acquired other skills and experiences through work
or travel which are directly relevant to the role,
you may find that your education section comes
further down your CV. Everyone’s CV will be
different and uniquely tailored to the role you are
applying for.
One page or two?
Sometimes there is confusion about whether to
create a one or two page CV. Most companies are
comfortable with and expect a 2 page CV. The
main exceptions to this are sectors such as finance
or IT where there may be a specific requirement
for a one page, skills-focused CV. Your technical
skills will be the most important aspects to
highlight in these situations. Academic CVs and
Medical CVs maybe much longer and there will be
other expectations about what should be included.
If unsure, check with the company you are
applying to or speak to a careers adviser.
How creative can I be?
A traditional format CV might feel a bit plain and
you may be tempted to make it look more
interesting. However, avoid creating a document
that makes it harder for the employer to read. If
you are applying for a role with a strong, creative
element, you may wish to use your CV as a way of
demonstrating your creative flair. This is fine as
long as you keep the main principles of creating an
easy to read document firmly in mind.
You might also want to create a video CV. The
Careers team also has information to help you
make a Video CV.
Providing Evidence:
Once you have identified the employer’s
requirements, you need to provide clear evidence
on your CV that you have the skills, experience and
knowledge they are looking for. Employers look for
relevant transferable skills e.g. communication,
team work, commercial awareness, problem
solving etc. They may also be looking for technical
or specific specialist skills: e.g. laboratory
techniques, specialist IT/programming languages,
project management, or knowledge/research
specific to the role.
The recruiter is likely to have a shortlisting pro
forma to complete when assessing your
application. Some large recruiters use software to
scan CVs as part of the initial sift where the
software is programmed to detect key words as
found in the job description and person
specification. You will need to provide evidence
that you have the skills you claim to have.
For example:
Avoid: “In my role as … I developed
communication skills, time management skills and
team working skills.”
This is a vague statement that doesn’t tell the
recruiter how effective you were in using these
skills or how you actually used them. You need to
provide more information. For example: Who did
you communicate with – customers, public,
managers, children? How effective were you and
what difference did your communication make?
Consider using the elements of the
STAR Model to evidence your
experience.
The STAR Model:
Situation: What was the situation?
Task: What task were you required to carry out?
Keep it brief, but specific. Information detailed in
your job title/employer often provides this context.
Action: What did YOU do? What actions did you
take? Use active language. Avoid ‘we’ when
referring to teamwork; focus on YOUR
contribution.
Result: What was the outcome? What impact did
your contribution/action have? What was
improved? Qualify and quantify where you can.
*TOP TIP: For extra impact, also reflect on
any insights gained or what you learnt
from the experience.
Be specific: Avoid overuse of general descriptive
words e.g. various, some, many, lots, several. Instead
quantify your achievements: if you met a target give
the numbers; if you delivered presentations say how
many; if you raised money say how much.
Use active language:
See table for a list of active verbs that you could
use in your CV. Important: to be effective, use
them carefully and in context. Quantify your
examples too. For example:
“Enterprising Politics student with 6 months’
intern experience in business management.”
“Co-ordinated a team of five students, delegating
the workload in an engineering design project
which was awarded a first class mark.”
“Spearheaded a marketing campaign for a charity
ball raising over £1500 for charity; twice the
amount raised last year.”
Covering Letters:
A covering letter should be no more than one side
of A4. This is your opportunity to link your
personal skills and attributes to the key criteria
the employer is seeking. Focus on why you want
to work for the company, why the job appeals to
you and why you are the right candidate for the
role. See the next page for an example cover
letter.
Powerful dynamic verbs to demonstrate
your skills and qualities:
Leadership Skills:
Coordinated, Planned, Oversaw, Directed,
Operated, Organised, Motivated, Administered,
Delegated, Supervised, Directed Co-ordinated,
Motivated, Led, Managed, Represented.
Problem Solving & How you made something better
(don’t forget to quantify!):
Customised, Integrated, Overhauled, Redesigned,
Consolidated, Decreased, Reduced, Upgraded,
Streamlined, Strengthened, Improved, Increased,
Generated, Saved, Delivered, Resolved,
Transformed, Doubled, Edited, Refined, Visualised.
Team Work skills:
Volunteered, Collaborated, Supported, Facilitated,
Participated, Co-led , Assisted, Mentored,
Encouraged, Forged, Energized, Balanced, Fostered.
How you take the initiative:
Engineered, Implemented, Launched, Pioneered
Spearheaded, Established, Initiated, Created,
Designed, Developed, Devised, Introduced,
Volunteered, Suggested, Hypothesised, Showcased.
Shared knowledge or taught someone:
Facilitated, Coached, Informed, Advised, Clarified,
Empowered, Enabled, Guided, Trained, Tutored,
Demonstrated, Mentored, Instructed, Disseminated.
Analytical/data handling skills:
Analysed, Assessed, Evaluated, Reviewed,
Researched, Interpreted, Discovered, Identified,
Interviewed, Investigated, Audited, Budgeted.
Organisation and planning skills:
Arranged, Co-ordinated, Organised, Planned,
Maintained, Prepared, Scheduled, Revised,
Processed, Produced, Classified, Prioritized.
Communication skills:
Authored, Briefed, Composed, Conveyed,
Documented, Presented, Persuaded, Advised,
Promoted, Edited, Clarified, Listened,
Summarized, Explained, Suggested, Mediated.
Ability to influence others:
Negotiated, Mediated, Persuaded, Presented,
Liaised, Encouraged, Promoted, Guided, Influenced,
Interviewed, Critiqued, Officiated, Recommended.
Achieved something:
Mastered, Nominated, Achieved, Awarded,
Selected, Won, Attained, Earned, Outperformed,
Exceeded, Showcased, Surpassed, Succeeded.
Customer Service Skills/Interpersonal Skills:
Convinced, Influenced, Built Rapport, Proposed,
Supported, Negotiated, Valued, Publicised, Assisted,
Demonstrated, Familiarised, Resolved, Promoted.
Your personal qualities:
Enterprising, Adaptable, Resourceful, Proactive,
Experienced, Practical, Versatile, Driven,
Dependable, Hard-working, Ambitious,
Accomplished.
The profile might be the only thing an Use your name as a
employer reads; it has to capture their heading, do not use ‘CV’.
attention. Think of it as your trailer; just 4-6 lines to summarise
as a film has a trailer (with all the best 1) who you are 2) your
bits to encourage you to watch the film)
this is your trailer to entice the Jo Jones key skills (that should
match the ones
employer to read more! employers in the job
sector you are applying
for are looking for) and
Your contact details inc. address, 45 Any Street, Lancaster, LA1 3) what you are looking
1AB email/ mobile number. for.
Use a professional
email address.
Profile

A highly motivated, multilingual, 2nd year English Literature student at Lancaster University who welcomes
challenges and working under pressure. Proven skills in working with and motivating others to achieve
targets. Seeking an opportunity to further develop skills and gain experience through a placement in the
…………………… sector.

Education In reverse chronological order; the most recent

educational achievements starting with your
Lancaster University present one Sept ‘19 - June ‘22
BA (Hons) English Literature (Currently on track for 2:1/ First)
Relevant modules include: List some modules that have some relevance to the job role or perhaps
ones you have done particularly well in (aim to keep to 2-3 lines max).
Show how your degree is Sept 2015 - June 2017
Any Town Sixth Form College
relevant to the job
A levels: Maths (B), German (A), Geography (A).

Anytown High School Academy Sept 2010 - June 2015

8 GCSEs A*-C incl. Maths (9) and English Language (8);

Experience Pay attention to your formatting-

make sure it is neat and all in line
TESCasda, Marketing Assistant Sept 2015 - Aug 2017
 Conducted market research and analysis projects for all the Group’s businesses; food, bank,
insurance, funerals, travel and pharmacy.
 Disseminated customer insight through initiatives such as creating a Customer Strategy newsletter,
producing standard customer summary reports, presenting research back to internal clients.
 Designed and constructed the department’s web pages increasing the ease of colleagues locating
customer insight information.
 Consulted with and presented to senior personnel and the board of directors.
 Collaborated actively with a small team to analyse the customer insight information in order to shape
future marketing strategies.

Funky Fashions, Senior Sales Advisor Jan 2014 - Sept 2015

 Provided excellent customer service in a large and very busy retail store.
 Built strong rapport with customers to assess their needs and make suggestions.
 Won salesperson of the week award after positive feedback from customers and
bundled sales.
 Developed interpersonal and sales skills as well as an understanding of how marketing translates to
store level.
Use bullet points that start with strong verbs and give some evidence of how effective you were in
doing these things. See the Powerful Dynamic Verbs list to help you find words to clearly
demonstrate what you did and how well you did it.
ABD Solutions, Office Assistant June 2013 - Jan 2014
 Audited accounts under supervision of manager, enabling me to understand the importance of cash
flow for making business decisions.
 Constructed client databases and updated filing systems, improving business efficiency.

This is an opportunity to highlight how you have developed and gained other skills that the
Relevant Skills job description asks for. Make sure you provide evidence, don’t just list skills.

 Motivatorandteamplayer: Player and Coach for the Lancaster University Netball Team,
developing team strategy and encouraged team members. Won ‘Players’ Player of the Year’
award in recognition of my commitment to the team.

CommerciallyAware: Member of the enterprise team, developed and implemented a
successful marketing strategy to promote the Enterprise Society increasing membership by
 25%.

o TeamHeld
Leadership: key representing
leader, positions of authority:
Lancaster University in the NW universities debating competition
o Elected President of the Young Enterprise Group at school for which I was nominated for the
regional Young Enterprise achiever of the year award by a consultant overseeing the
scheme.

 Supervisor and Influencer: Qualified as a netball referee up to county level and have refereed over
100 games over the last 5 seasons supervising, influencing and staying calm when making decisions.

 Mentor: Course representative for my degree and mentor for several younger students on the
course providing advice and support leading to increased confidence in their studies.

 Competent knowledge across a variety of computer programs: Completed the IBT 2 (Information
Business Technology 2) qualification on programs including Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Access
and trained in website construction and Microsoft publisher.

 Event Organiser: Elected Event Organiser of Lancaster University Eco-life Society and organised
various events, including concerts and treasure hunts to raise money for our chosen charity. During
the year we raised nearly £2000 the highest yearly total ever.

Other skills and interests Show there is more to you than work and study- what else excites you – link it to the role.

 Wall/ Rock Climbing: Completed instructor training and run 2 evening sessions a week for
amateur wall climbers; evidence of my ability to communicate clearly and calmly with authority
and be attentive and observant during activities to ensure safety of all involved.
 Musician: Active member of Lancaster University House Collective as guitarist and have been
production engineer. Confident to perform in public
 Member of St John’s Ambulance: Have been a trained member of the large events team
providing first response care for two years. Trained and mentored new recruits in first aid
techniques. Demonstrating my commitment to a cause and ability to share knowledge.
 Driving licence: Full and clean

References available upon You do not need to provide names and contact details of your
request referees at this stage. This statement is a good finishing point for a CV
 Cover Letter Example
Full name and address Jo Jones,
of organisation, even if 45 Any Street,
submitting online Lancaster,
LA1 1AB,
15th February 2018
Ms. Joanna Green
Lancashire County Council
Social Services. Your name, address
County Hall, and current date.
Preston A sub-heading can make it clear
PR2 1 TG which role you are applying for,
particularly if they have several
opportunities available.

RE: Trainee Social Worker.

Dear Ms. Green, Addressing your letter to the hiring manager personally can be helpful.

I am writing to apply for the role of Trainee Social Worker that is advertised on the Lancashire
County Council website. I am a recent Social Work graduate looking to begin a career supporting
children and young people. Please find attached a copy of my CV which outlines how I meet the
requirements of the role.

Introduce yourself, what you are applying for and where you saw the role advertised.

My studies have equipped me with the relevant theory and practice to pursue a career in
social work. Through my NSPCC placement, I have had the opportunity to directly support
vulnerable children and implement safeguarding and child protection practices. I am eager to
take on this challenging career to make a difference to individuals and the local community.

Choose two or three key skills required by the employer and demonstrate your
knowledge/experience and any achievements, where applicable opportunities available.

Throughout my degree I have specialised in children’s social work, developing in-depth

knowledge of the laws and legislation to protect vulnerable children. As a result, I have
an excellent understanding of correct policy and procedure and its implementation in
the workplace, including confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Research the employer and any key projects. Highlight why you are interested in working for them specifically.

Lancashire County Council Social Services has constantly been displayed as a beacon of support
for children and families within the community. I have a particular admiration for the ‘Children in
Care SIB’ project that has supported the most vulnerable young people within foster and
residential care. My knowledge, skills and passion for supporting children and young people
would make me a valuable addition to your team. Remind them why you would be a great candidate.

I would like to thank you for considering me for this opportunity and I look forward to discussing
my application with you further.
Dear Sir/Madam– Yours faithfully Dear
Yours sincerely, Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss– Yours sincerely
Jo Jones
 CV Checklist:
Here is a quick check to help you decide if your CV is up to scratch. It’s split into the main categories that
can be used on your CV. Tick Yes or No.

Circle yes or no for each item on the check list Yes No

Heading:
Your name (not the words Curriculum Vitae) is in a bold format at the top of the page. Yes No
Personal contact details:
Have you included accurate information so that you can be contacted easily? Yes No
Is your email address included and professional in nature? Yes No
Are your personal details spread over a maximum of 3 lines? Yes No
Personal Profile/Career Objective Section:
Does it clearly highlight key skills and experiences relevant to the role? Yes No
Is it between 4-6 lines in length? Yes No
Is it short, punchy, strategic, highlighting your current situation and outlining your future Yes No
career plans (career objective) or outlines key skills and experiences (personal profile)?
Education Section:
Do the details have your course first and then work back? (reverse chronological order) Yes No
Do you include the name of each institution attended and start and end dates? Yes No
Do you give the full title of the courses e.g. intercalation degree? Yes No
Have you given details of your key achievements or relevant modules to show how your Yes No
degree is relevant to the role
Employment Section:
Do you use subheadings to organise and differentiate between Professional experience Yes No
and other work experience
Do your details start with your most recent experience? Yes No
Start and end dates are always given Yes No
You name the employer Yes No
You give some evidence using bullet points to show actions taken in the role/learning Yes No
gained to show how relevant to the role applied for?
You give details of any particular achievements Yes No
Other Headings - optional:
Relevant skills - give full details and evidence of success in these areas too. Yes No
Teaching Experience – details with evidence of effectiveness Yes No
Developmental activities such as presenting at conferences, management and leadership Yes No
courses
References:
References upon request, unless specified. Yes No
Final Check:
The sections of the CV are arranged in a way that draws attention to the Yes No
important information.
Your CV is well presented and easy to navigate around using logical headers. Yes No
The font is professional looking and appropriately sized (10 minimum to 12 maximum). Yes No
You have left a blank line between categories. Yes No
You have avoided long paragraphs of text. Yes No
You have avoided generalisation and have supported statements with specific examples. Yes No
You have not used jargon or abbreviations that would confuse the reader. Yes No
You have used phrases throughout that indicate your enthusiasm for the job. Yes No
Is error free? Yes No
Have you checked there are no gaps in your history? Yes No
Would you want to read it? Yes No

If your score is It suggests:

35-46 Your CV seems to be in pretty good shape.
21-34 Your CV could benefit from some further work and development.
0-21 A score in this range suggests that your CV may not be up to the
standard expected.

CV self-assessment:
What works well.

Areas for Improvement.

 CV and Covering Letter Support.
The Careers Service offers a range of CV and Covering Letter support to Lancaster University
students and graduates, come in and see us in The Base to get started.

Careers Drop-In:
Available Monday-Friday, 10-12 & 2-4 in The Base to offer individual CV, covering
letter and application support services. To make the most of this service please
ensure you have attempted to draft your CV before attending.

CV & Covering Letter Workshops:

Ever wondered what the difference is between okay and winning CVs? We run a
variety of workshops offering guidance on different CV formats and covering letters,
and the key qualities employers look for that will make you stand out from the
crowd and secure yourself an interview.

Ask Careers – E guidance:

Whether you would like initial feedback on your CV or have questions about an
application, this service allows you to ask your question at any time and receive
support via TARGETconnect;
https://lancaster.targetconnect.net

Prospects.ac.uk:
Prospects.ac.uk offers detailed CV and covering letter advice including step-by-step
guidance and various sample CV and covering letters.

You can also call in with quick queries on 01254592767