Is your CV ready?

by Hannah Clements

Here at UAL Careers & Enterprise we see CVs on a daily basis and provide help and support to UAL students and graduates to develop their CVs to a high standard before sending out to employers, opportunities and contacts.

 The following points are to help you check your own CV and offer tips to use to make sure your CV is the best it can be at every stage of your career. 

Can you answer these following questions positively? If so, great your CV is ready! 
If not, it’s time to give your CV a spring clean and perhaps get some expert advice on how to upgrade it for maximum impact.

Do Your Research

• Have you identified the skills and qualities needed for the job?
• Have you looked at the Employer’s website?

 Target The Job

• Have you provided evidence that you have the skills and qualities needed for the position?
• Are you being honest? Can all statements be backed up?
• Is it concise? Have you only selected information that is relevant to the position?
• Does the order of the sections help your best selling points to stand out?

Look Professional

• Have you used the appropriate style, language and terminology for this employer/industry?
• Has your CV been checked to eliminate spelling and grammar mistakes?
• Is your design consistent in terms of alignment, spacing and font?
• Is the information easy to read, with clearly laid out sections?
• Does it photocopy well?
• Is it email-able?

Create Visual Impact

• Is your CV attention grabbing? Would it stand out from a pile of applications?
• Does the look of the CV show your style and creative abilities?
• Do the design elements help your strengths to stand out without being distracting? 

Seek Feedback

• Have you obtained advice from friends, tutors and people in the industry?  Don’t be afraid to ask for people’s opinions and advice.

Other Important Things

• You may need to have more than one CV depending on what you are applying for.
• Don’t put a photo on your CV unless it adds to a creative idea.
• You don’t need to add your Date of Birth or Nationality.

For more CV Information and Support

• Creative Careers CV Checks and Creative CV Workshops www.arts.ac.uk/student/careers

• Artquest - How to Create a CV: www.artquest.org.uk/building-a-career/how-to-create-a-cv

• Creative Living CV Gallery: www.careers-creative-living.co.uk/cv_creative