How To Write A Curriculum Vitae

By Leeanne Utiger
Knowing how to write a Curriculum Vitae is of up-most importance when applying for a position of employment in the workforce. This is the document that can and often will make you stand out above all else, and be requested to come in for an interview with the company you have forwarded a job application off to.

In a Curriculum Vitae, you should cover a few things. These range from where you attended school/college/university/varsity to personal details about yourself. Below is a list of what you will need to have detailed information about within your Curriculum Vitae.

Personal Details such as: Your name, your physical address, your telephone contact numbers, (both a landline number and a mobile phone number, if you have one), an email address (if you have one). Other personal details you would be wise to include are your aims, your goals, and it is also nice to have a little about who you are as a person in this document as well. This in hindsight lets the employer know a little about what type of person you are, and what your interests are.



Education History: You should have in full detail here where you went to school. List them from latest down to earliest, with the years you attended each next to the name of the education institute/place. Along with this, also list all the qualifications you obtained at each of these institutes. Don't forget to include any extramural study you may have undertaken as an adult after your school years concluded.

Work History: In this category, you will need to have all places of work listed, along with the position you held within that company or place of work. Also, state how long you were employed with that business with a detailed outline of what the position you held involved. Another words, what you physically did in your position, who you answered to. Don't forget to list everything you can think of. Often an employer at an interview will query as to why you left a previous position. You could also, if you chose to, include these reasons within this field on your Curriculum Vitae. Once again, list from the latest downwards to the earliest position you held. Next to the listed company name, it is suggestive that you also provide the name of the person who employed you, or the boss of the business. In addition a contact number is also advisable. This is for the boss of the company you have applied for a position at to be able to make contact with a previous employer, to gain a reference.

Do not forget to also in addition include any voluntary work you have previously been involved in, or any you may still be involved in. This all counts to your work history information.

Personal Attributes: What you think makes you stand out from some others, how you portray yourself, your given qualities, such as respect, honesty, loyalty, just to name a few. Employers like to see what qualities you see in yourself, and what you feel you would be taking with you to a new position and new company. Don't feel like you are being egotistical. A Curriculum Vitae is the place where you certainly need to promote yourself as best and accurately as you possibly can. The workforce is a tough world to break into, or move around in. It is fiercely competitive, therefore you simply can do nothing but self promote to the fullest.


It is also a very wise to make a list of references, people who can be called upon, phoned by the boss/manager of the company you have applied for a position with. These references can be as mentioned above, along with character references. A character reference is a person that can give an honest opinion of you as a person in general. How you portray yourself to others, how you interact amongst others and just general personal qualities. You will need to include with these names, a contact telephone number and possibly a physical address, though not completely necessary.

As mentioned above, knowing how to set up and write a Curriculum Vitae is a very important step in gaining successful employment. In following the guidelines above, you should be able to create a masterpiece for success.

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