6.1 Preparing your CV

How you organise and present information about yourself and your activities, will send key messages about your suitability as a potential employee. Be prepared to spend a considerable amount of time on creating and reworking an effective document. You want to make sure that you present yourself positively and accurately. So when it comes to preparing your CV, you need to ask yourself a few key questions:

• What’s the area of work I’m after?
• Which employers or organisations am I approaching?
• What messages do I want to send about myself, my strengths and qualities?
• What experiences shall I emphasise?
• How can I match the style of my CV to the type of organisation(s) I’m sending it to, as well as the work I want?