How To Write A CV For A Job (Plus Free CV Sample)

By Lilian Wamaitha

Are you working on a CV right now? Not really sure what to include?

A CV is basically like a sales pitch where you convince a potential employer that you are the right candidate for the job.

Do it right and you have got yourself an interview, but do it wrong and you are on an endless road of frustrations and heartaches.

Here is a complete guideline on how to write a CV for a job.

How to Write A CV For A Job – Mistakes Job Seekers Make

A mistake made cannot be corrected once you send you CV. I spoke to Ms. Rebecca Nyawira, a Professional CV Writer in Nairobi about the mistakes that job seekers make and which you should avoid and she had this to say;

1. Grammatical errors and typos

It is unforgivable to have grammatical errors in your CV. Just like it is annoying to read a story with a lot of errors, so it is with a CV. Go through your CV before sending it, correcting any mistakes.

2. Unprofessional an email address

When applying for a job, you want to look as professional as possible so that the recruiter can take you serious. Email addresses like ganjaboy@gmail.com or badderthanmost@yahoo.com will only scream immaturity and your CV will most definitely end up in the trash.

3. Including too much irrelevant information

Say you are applying for a customer care position, your CV should be tailored towards that particular job.

This means including only information that you believe is relevant to that position. It also means getting rid of irrelevant work experiences like IEBC clerk or worse Games Captain.

4. Failure to demonstrate results

You have all the work experience that the employer is looking for but your CV does not demonstrate this in any of the positions you have listed to have held.

The only thing the recruiter can see is a list of responsibilities. When working on how to write a CV for a job, you need to show how well you did your job as compared to what you were supposed to do.

Tips On How to Write A CV For A Job (Sections To Include)

The job market is competitive as it is and therefore you cannot afford any errors no matter how tiny you think they are.

The worst thing is that, the damage is irreversible once the employer gets to read your CV. When writing a CV for a job, here are sections that your CV should have;

1. Contact Information

This is the first thing that an employer sees when they open your CV and it should include your full name, email address and phone number.

The days of including too much personal details like marital status and gender are gone.

Unless the employer asks for that, stick to the basics.

2. Career objective or profile summary

Placed right after the contact details, a profile summary is a detailed paragraph explaining who you are as a professional and what makes you the ideal candidate for that position.

It should also describe your career goals now and in future and what you are looking to gain in your career journey.

3. Educational/academic qualification

On how to write a CV for a job, the educational background section should include relevant information in chronological order starting with the most recent.

It is good to note that KCPE qualifications do not matter. Just include a degree and KCSE. As you grow in your career and add more knowledge, you will get to eliminate some things that are not relevant to the job you are applying for.

4. Work experience

In a job market where experience matters more than papers, this is the most important section in a CV. This sections should include positions that you have held that are relevant, responsibilities and achievements.

5. Trainings and Workshops attended

If you have attended any trainings in your line of career, you can place them after the work experience. Trainings add key skills that employers look for in candidates like leadership, communication, IT skills among others.

6. Hobbies

Hobbies are meant to complement your experience and should therefore include those that are related to your career e.g. blogging, programming, graphic design etc.

7. Referees

Finally, the finally piece of the puzzle. The kind of referees you choose can either help you land that job or can end up ruining your chances. Referee should be people you have worked with mostly on supervisory level and someone you know can vouch for your great work ethics.

How To Write a CV For A Job Free Sample

When all that is said and done, here is a sample CV that you can use when applying for a job.

Lilian Wamaitha
0722000000
lilianwamaitha@yahoo.com

Career Objective
A result oriented community development practitioner experienced in providing administrative support to complete projects. I am knowledgeable in: disseminating project information to project stakeholders, monitoring the progress of projects, developing and maintaining project deliverables and gathering and inputting data into databases. More so, I have been involved with HIV/Aids initiatives, community mobilization, monitoring and evaluation, field research, capacity building as well as planning and implementing community based projects. I am looking for a position in a challenging environment that strives for organizational and personal development.

Education Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Communications & Public Relations (First Class Honours – Egerton University; 2012-2016)
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (B plus) – Kamahuha Girls’ High School; 2008-2010

Work Experience
Customer Service Intern
XXX Online Platform July 2016- October 2016

Duties & Responsibilities

• Made and received customer fulfillment calls, quality calls, renewal calls, follow up and Cold calls.
• Gave transfers to the senior Agent / supervisor.
• Responded promptly to customer inquiries.
• Handled and resolved customer complaints.

Achievements

• Integrated the databases of all departments
• Created an online system where every department can access information rather than using hard copies.

Referees

Please feel free to contact the under mentioned in regard to my competence, work ethic, performance and / or any other aspect with respect to me:

Referee A
Position
Company
Tel:
Email

Referee B
Position
Company
Tel:

Referee C
Position
Company
Tel:

If you struggling about how to write a CV for a job the most important thing to understand is that you need to include the most relevant information. Still struggling to write a CV that makes an impact in 20 seconds? Have your CV reviewed by a professional today. Click here now for CV writing service.