How to Write a CV

Tailoring your CV for your application to Compass will improve the impression you give to our Central Resourcing Team. When we review your CV, we’ll be considering you for not only the role you’ve applied to, but also the firm as a whole. So think about how you can make a contribution to Compass in the short and long term, and show us your commitment to doing so.

What information should a CV include?

A good CV should include information under the headings below. The order in which you present these can be varied slightly and you should be willing to tailor your CV to promote your suitability for any particular application, according to the description or specifications of the particular job.

Personal details

Include your postal and email addresses and phone number/s
State any work permit/current visas you have
Include a personal statement
Don't feel you have to give your date of birth or marital status – this isn’t mandatory.

Education and qualifications

Say where you studied and when, starting with the most recent place
State your degree grade and pass rate for any professional qualification/s
Don't include every subject at GCSE or A Level unless you feel these are relevant
State any work experience you have
State each position you’ve held in reverse order, starting with the most recent, making sure there are no unexplained gaps
List all the relevant responsibilities, skills, projects and achievements against each role
Emphasize the most recent jobs and provide more detailed information
Use a bullet point format and make each point clear and concise
Don't write your work experience in paragraphs
Don't include excessive detail that’s not relevant to your application.

Other

Include any computer skills and/or foreign language abilities
State any other recent training/development that’s relevant to your application
Include hobbies and interests, but keep it brief
Mention that references are 'available on request'.

General

Remember, your CV is marketing you. Bear this in mind when choosing the information you include. Keep things clear and concise, explain any gaps in your career history and double-check your details. And of course, avoid falsehoods and inaccuracies. Check the entire CV carefully for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, and ensure each point makes sense. Then ask a neutral person to review the whole document before you send it.

Also, bear in mind that we’ll want to use the details you provide to form some of our interview questions. So while there’s no need to include your reasons for leaving each job on your CV, be prepared to answer these questions in your interview.

Your CV should ideally cover no more than two pages and never more than three. And there’s no need to include your current salary details.