What to include in your CV
Your name and contact details
Along with your name and address it is useful to include an email address that you use regularly. Also include a home contact number and mobile number if you have one.
Personal profile
Write around three or four sentences introducing yourself and identifying some of your key strengths.
Skills
List your skills and back them up with examples. Identify what you did, the setting in which this activity was carried out, and what was achieved. Employment history
- List your most recent experience first.
- Give the name of your employer, job title, and town or country where appropriate.
- Focus on major achievements you’ve had in the past rather than just listing your day to day to day duties.
- Include part-time and voluntary work.
Education
- Include the name of the course or qualification you completed, the institution you attended and the year(s) of attendance.
- Start with your most recent education first.
- Include any special projects, thesis, or dissertation work that is related to the job you are applying for.
- Include high school courses if they are relevant to the job.
- Include professional development courses you have undertaken, including conferences and workshops, if they relate to your job application.
Interests
Include activities where you have leadership or responsibility, or where you relate to others in a team. Give only enough detail to identify the interest. You could also include information about any voluntary work you have been involved in.
Referees
You should include the names and contact details of two or three referees on your CV. They may be people from work or former employers, a teacher, someone from your religious community, a sports coach, or any person who knows you well and can vouch for you.
A future employer is likely to want to contact your referees to verify what you have said in your CV, and answer any further questions the employer may have.
For more CV tips, visit the Careers New Zealand website.