Your CV is the first chance you get to make a good impression on a potential employer. A top-quality CV will considerably boost your chance of getting a face-to-face interview, so it is worth spending time and effort on the content and presentation. It will make all the difference in obtaining the position you want. You must therefore highlight your skills, expertise and value.

Make sure that you are concise and accurate. Your CV should not, generally, be longer than two pages, so make sure that you tailor it specifically to the job you are applying for and include the skills, qualifications and experience which are most suited to the job. An employer will want to find the following information in your CV:

Personal details – Include your name and address, a phone number, and your email address. You may also add your nationality, gender and date of birth if you wish, but they are not obligatory.

Personal profile – This is optional, but it can be very effective in summarising your areas of expertise and characteristics. It is good to include your enthusiasm about working as a Legal Secretary and what motivates you about the industry. Use keywords and keep it brief and concise.

Key Skills – Include any skills you have learnt such as secretarial or IT skills. Explain what you think your personal skills are.

Employment history – Start with your current or last employer and work backwards. You should include the dates of employment, your job title, name of employer, nature of business, responsibilities, duties and achievements. Try not to leave gaps in your employment history; if you do, it is advisable to account for such times.

Education and qualifications – Write in chronological order a brief list of school, college and university qualifications, such as GCSEs, A levels, etc., together with the grades you obtained. Then list any further qualifications you have obtained, together with the names of the awarding bodies. When you include the Legal Secretaries Diploma, make sure that you mention the units you covered and that you studied through The Institute of Legal Secretaries and PAs. If you are currently studying for a qualification, mention it together with any results achieved so far.

Interests – This is optional but gives you a chance to portray something about your personality. Keep it simple, mention what you do in your free time and note any achievements.

References – There is no need to write the details of your referees on your CV. Simply state that they are available on request, but make sure that you know who your referees are and that you have asked their permission to use them.

Presentation as well as content is important. There is no set way in which to present your CV but the following advice should be noted:

• Use good-quality paper
• Be clear and concise
• Highlight headings so that they stand out
• Use bullet points for focusing on key points, rather than large blocks of text
• Check your spelling and grammar
• Be neat and precise
• Use a confident tone and positive language

Employers can receive many CVs for a job which has been advertised so it is important to create a good impression to attract their attention. Most people do not
spend as much time on their CV as they should, so if you write a professional, high quality CV you will stand out from the rest.

Members of the Institute can receive help with improving their CVs.  We will make sure that it is of a high standard so that you have the best chance of securing employment.  If you are a member of the Institute and are looking for work please e-mail your CV to us.

o not make the mistake of underestimating the importance of your CV. People who do not consider their CVs as important as themselves will lose out big time.

In this article, we’ll try to give a wakeup call to all those people who have this mentality, but also to remind everyone else on the importance of writing a good CV…

Martin Yate, a best-selling careers author, states in his book The Ultimate CV Book (2003, Pg.3):

“Your CV must speak loudly and clearly of your value as a potential employee. And the value must be spoken in a few brief seconds, because, in the business world, that’s all the attention a CV will get. The CV takes you only the first few paces toward that new job. It gets your foot in the door, and because you can’t be there to answer questions, it has to stand on its own.”

Why writing a good CV is important…

1) Everyone needs a CV nowadays

No matter what job, or in which industry you’re applying for, you will need a CV in the process of the application. Even jobs that some people consider ‘low-end’ will ask for your CV.

Jobs that are found through word-of-mouth also require a CV (sooner, or later in the recruitment process). The only exception that we can think of is when you’re applying for a job at your dad’s antique shop!

2) You = (your) CV

This simple, non-Einsteinish formula says that you are what your CV shows and tells who you are; after all, it is your personal sales brochure. No matter how good the service or product is, if it is presented in a bad light it will be considered of little value. It is as simple as that.

Littleford et al. In their book Career Skills (2004, pg.10) mention:

“The market place will initially judge you by your CV and letter of application (i.e. Cover Letter). Their importance cannot be overstressed, in that these two documents are, in effect, your passport to enter the world of employment.”

This point alone should illustrate the importance of writing a good/professional CV.

3) Your first point of contact with the potential employer

You’ve probably heard the expression ‘First impressions are lasting ones’; your CV is usually your first impression with a potential employer. Your CV has the power and authority to either make or break your chances of being invited to an interview!

Bright & Earl in their book Brilliant CV (2001, pg.1) use the analogy of a first date to emphasise the importance of making a good first impression:

“Remember the first date, or the first time you went out with your partner? Did you make sure your clothes were right, your hair right, you were wearing the right perfume or aftershave?

Well, at least that much effort should go into getting your CV right! CVs are ‘first dates’ in the selection process that could land you on a new career path.

Like the first date, they are the first time an employer gets to form an opinion about you – the first impression can make all the difference… The CV is your vital opportunity to present yourself at your best. CVs are important.”

4) The competition is rife in the job market

The good ol’ days of jobs being available to anyone getting a school, college or university certificate are long gone.

What you’re facing now is a monster. It’s called the 21 st century job market.

Getting a job in the 21st century job market means that you will be competing for a single job with at least a few dozen other highly-qualified and job-hungry applicants.

Can you afford to be left behind?

5) Save yourself time (and headache!)

Since you’re going to write a CV anyway, why not make it of a high standard straight away?

Low quality CVs do not tend to get much attention at all; this will make you frustrated and damage your self-esteem.

Let me tell you this, the problem is not with you!

It’s not that you’re not good enough for any of the 100 jobs that you have applied over the past few months; it is – most likely – your CV that is not up to scratch! Save yourself time, give the right importance to it, invest some time in writing it and only then start apply for jobs.

Without the proper CV, you’re fighting a losing battle, I am afraid.

Conclusion

These were just five reasons for the importance of writing a good and professional CV. If you give it the appropriate importance and time; it will improve your chances of being invited to interviews considerably.

 
Curriculum vitae is a Latin term that literally means "the course of life". Your CV is a means of providing targeted information about yourself. It is your first opportunity to make a good impression. Your CV is your jobseeker's business card, a selling tool that needs to ensure that the recruiter would like to meet you. 

When writing a CV, it is important to bear in mind that a recruiter does not read CVs. They scan them for aspects that match the profile they are searching for. Research has shown that a recruiter takes two to three minutes on average to judge a letter and CV. Therefore make sure that your letter and CV are capable of convincing in those few minutes.