A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is more that just a document which lists academic, professional and personal details, it´s a passport to future sucess in the job market. With this in mind, we want to help you write a professional CV quicky and simply. A CV, however, is only half the story. What is lacking is a letter of introduction. The following pages contain suggestions and advice on how to write both a CV and a letter of introduction.

SUGGESTIONS TO WRITE A CURRICULUM VITAE:
The first thing you must remember is that a Curriculum Vitae is a serious document and not an experiment in surealist art. Would-be employers expect to find a CV written in a specific manner. They expect it to follow certain predetermined guideline, to be easy to read and organised logically. Following the advice and suggestions contained below will enable you to produce a professional CV simply and effectively.

Always produce a rough draft of your CV. Always use a typewriter or computer for the final draft.

Your CV should not exceed 2 pages in length and ideally it should be only one page.

Including a passport size photo is not obligatory but is advisable.

It should be presented in a clear, organised manner.

The character size (font size) you choose is important. It should not be so big that it forces you to use more than 2 pages but it should not be so small that you need a magnifying glass to read it.

It is good practice to highlight the section headers in bold type and to leave extra spaces between paragraphs.

Keep the left and right margin equal.

Always spellcheck your CV. A CV that contains spelling errors is destined for the wastepaper basket!

Always use clear unambiguious words. Highly technical words may look impressive but are apt to confuse the reader.

Avoid complicated phrases. Simple phrases are always the best.

Never take things for granted. Explain everything in a clear and concise manner.

Never use abbrieviation unless is it absolutely unavoidable. It you have to use them always explain what they stand for .

Never sign your CV, it´s not required.

Always include a letter of introduction with your CV, especially if you are not delivering by hand.

There are certain phrases and expressions that, when used correctly, will increase the impact of your CV or letter of introduction.

WHAT INFORMATION SHOULD YOU INCLUDE ON YOUR CURRICULUM:

There are hundreds of different types of Curriculum Vitae (all of them are variations on a theme) and all of them contain more or less the same information. Below is an example of a simple but correctly structured CV.

PERSONAL DETAILS

- First and last names
- Place and date of birth
- Nationality
- Home address including postcode
- Passport number
- Telephone number
- E-Mail address

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
(In chonological order beginning with the most recent)

- Name of course and titles awarded e.g. BA Hons in Business Studies
- Name of the academic institution where you studied e.g. Oxford University
- Dates of the course

COMPLEMENTARY COURSES
(In chronological order beginning with the most recent)

- Name of course and tiltes awarded
- Name of the academic institution where you studied
- Dates of the course

LANGUAGES
(Beginning with your mother tongue, if necessary)

- Language
- Spoken and written level (normally: Elementary, intermediate or advanced)

COMPUTING KNOWLEDGE

- Programming languages known or software used
- Level of knowledge (Professional or user)

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
(In chronological order beginning with the most recent)

- Dates
- Name of the company or organisation
- Address of the company or organisation
- Job title
- Brief description of your responsibilites

OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION

Here you should include any other information that might interest a potential employer e.g. the fact that you have a clean driving licence, that you own a car and are prepared to use it for work purposes or that you are prepared to travel if required, etc.

EXAMPLES OF CURRICULUM VITAES:

CV1                        CV2

SUGGESTIONS HOW TO WRITE A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

First thing to bear in mind is that just like a CV, a letter of introduction is a serious document. And, like a CV, there are certain rules you must follow when writing a letter of introduction. First and foremost you mustn´t treat it as a normal letter you would send to a friend or family member. Potential employers'aren´t interested in the state of the weather. A letter of introduction has a definite job and for this reason you need to employ certain tried and tested formulas and structures when writing it. The advice contained in the list below will help you produce a well-structured letter of introduction.

If at all possible, always address your letter to a specific person.

In your letter you must include your home address (top right-hand corner) and the address of the company or organisation to which you are applying (left-hand side, 2 lines below your addres)

Your telephone number

Always sign the letter.

Be sincere and try not to include personal motives when asking for the job

The style should be clear and concise. Only include pertinent information and don´t reproduce your CV, just make reference to it.

The length of the letter is impotant. Ideally it ought to have 4 paragraphs of no more than 4 lines each paragraph. And remember, clarity and ease of understanding is the key to a good letter of introduction.

Select with care the style and size of text (fount) you use and don´t use complicated phrases that could confuse or mislead the reader.

WHAT SHOULD YOUR LETTER OF INTRODUCTION CONTAIN?

The purpose of the letter of introduction is, firstly, to express your interest in the position advertised and to introduce yourserlf; secondly, to convince the empoloyer that you are the right person for the job; and thirdly, to introduce your Curriculum Vitae. Therefore, it ought not to contain superfluous information that may bore the reader, or information that is already included on the CV.

If your letter of introduction is in response to an advert, you should make reference to the advert.
If you are applying to a company on spec, you should introduce yourself to the would-be employer in the first part of your letter.
An explanation of your interest in both the company you are applying to and the job you are applying for.
The fact that you are eager to speak in greater depth about why you think you are suited to the job.
A salutation.

EXAMPLES OF LETTERS OF INTRODUCTION

Letter 1                     Letter 2