An Industry Oriented CV

Writing a CV is often a two step process.

Step 1. Go online and search for a template you like the look of. Look for one with a touch of colour and that appears easy and fast to skim read. Nobody in industry enjoys reading CVs. Fill in the prompts, but make the template your own.

Step 2. Seek some advice on this draft and revise it accordingly. Key things to ask your reviewer;

  • Do I sound like I am in the right frame of mind for this role? For example, do you introduce yourself as a student or a technical person who just happens to be studying right now. Check this against the job's job title, are you applying to be a "Student" or "Junior Dev"?

  • Have I prioritized the most important information first? For example, have you established that you have the technical skills to do the job? The soft skills to work with others on your team? Are you enthusiastic for this kind of work?

  • Have I described what I have done? Or do I use abstract terms and concepts that also apply to most other students. For example, "I am a hard working tech student, really interested in learning more and making great stuff." versus "In my own time I have created a personal website using the web languages I have learned and hosted it for free on xyz.com". One version talks about making great stuff, the other version is already doing great stuff - which would you hire first?

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