Writing a curriculum vitae is never easy, especially when it is your first time writing one from scratch. There are many things that you need to take care of while writing your CV such as to include all your skills, experience, and achievements in a concise manner while maintaining an effective format. In this article, we will go through various examples of different types of CVs for different types of professionals based on their field of expertise and experience.
A Basic CV
A basic or traditional CV is the most popular type of curriculum vitae commonly used by aspiring interns and new professionals. It includes a personal statement or a career objective followed by the academic history of the candidate in reverse-chronology.
This type of CV is mostly already concise as there is not much to present in the form of experience. The biggest mistake candidates make in a basic CV is by over-stuffing it with unworthy or irrelevant achievements. You should try to fit everything within two pages, but single-page CVs are the best if you are going for a basic one.
CV for Graduates
For recent graduates, there is not much previous experience to showcase and hence the focus is more on the academic accolades. When we talk about education it should not just include degree classifications and the A level results. Rather, it should include greater details about the modules you have undertaken, especially the ones which directly reflect the skills suitable for the role you are applying.
Focus more on the projects and what you achieved through them. This will help to demonstrate your wider knowledge of the subject and its applications. This will really highlight your profile among a bunch of CVs.
Your personal statement and the cover letter should also be backed up by the course you have taken. This will streamline your complete CV to align it with your academics.
CV to address a career break
When you have a career break, it is important to address it in your CV with genuine reasons so that it does not hamper your employability. Having the confidence to address your time out will speak volumes about your personality and character. It will also help you avoid answering the same question asked by recruiters in each interview and in each phase of the interview process.
Without getting into details, explain the reason for your career gap in one to two lines. Also, always say the truth about your gap and never be tempted to lie as almost all companies now do a solid background check on all their candidates.
CV when you switch careers
You should always tailor your application to each job that you apply for, especially when it is completely different from your last job.
When you decide to switch fields in your career, the work history takes a back seat as the previous experience will not always be relevant to the job you want to apply for. Here, you need to restructure your CV to precede with the transferable skills. It will help you present yourself strongly with your abilities and shift the focus from your lack of experience.
Back these skills with real-life experiences and examples. Mention the freelance work, if any, that you have done in the same domain as the job that has your interest.
CV for creative roles
Graphic designers, content creators, social media experts, etc. are the roles that are high on the creativity quotient. For such a role, your CV should also exude creativity and engage the recruiter while showing off your skills.
Recruiters might be impressed if you add an element of creativity that demonstrates that you are a suitable candidate for the job. But extravagant and colourful CVs might not always be the way to go forward with such CVs. You should be 100% sure of what is required for each creative role you apply for. Some employers might believe in minimalism and simplicity, you do not want to go overboard there. Others might seek grandeur and bling, in such applications do not shy away from going overboard. Bottom line is that before going ahead with applying creativity to your CV, you should make sure what your prospect employer finds attractive and repulsive.
We hope this article helps you to find the right fit when it comes to the type of CV one should choose while applying for specific jobs.
