Methods of application

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A curriculum vitae (or CV) is a summary of a candidate’s education, qualifications and career experience, along with any other relevant facts that a potential employer may find useful. When a candidate applies for a job by sending their CV to a potential employer, this is their first opportunity to impress the employer and convince them that they are the best candidate for the job.

When a business receives CVs from candidates, they will often compare them against the person specification, to decide which candidates are potentially the most suitable for the job.

A candidate can decide exactly what they want to include in their CV, and they may even create different CVs to suit different job applications (highlighting different areas of experience, skills, etc). A candidate’s CV makes their first impression on a business and, for this reason, the CV must be accurate, thorough, well-presented, concise and interesting...it has to stand out amongst potentially hundreds of other CVs!

A CV must include the following sections of information:

• Personal details – such as the candidate’s name, date of birth, contact details, whether they hold a clean, full driving licence, etc
• Education/qualifications
• Experience

A candidate may also choose to include additional sections in their CV, such as:

• A personal statement (you will learn more about personal statements shortly)
• Skills
• Hobbies and interests
• References

All of the sections in a CV should be clearly headed and well spaced out, to help the employer to quickly find the key details they are looking for. All of the information should be listed in reverse chronological order (i.e. with the most recent at the top) – this helps the employer to see the candidate’s most recent/relevant experience and qualifications first.

Application form

An employer may ask potential candidates to fill in an application form. This is a form devised by the employer, with a series of questions for candidates to answer. Some businesses prefer to use application forms, as it allows them to collect the same information from every candidate – making it easier to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each application.

The application form will typically collect similar information to what a candidate would include in their CV – such as personal details, previous employment, education and qualifications. A business may ask candidates to complete a paper-based form, or an online form.

Filling in an application form can be a more time-consuming task for candidates, as opposed to putting together a CV. However, the questions on an application form can help the candidate to see exactly what the employer is looking for, and they can tailor their answers to make sure they match what it is the business needs.

Covering letter

A covering letter would normally be included with a CV. The candidate will use this letter to introduce themselves to the employer, explain why they believe they are suitable for the job and give a short summary of the key skills/qualities they have.

The letter should be well written and error-free…it may be the first thing an employer reads and, if it is badly worded or full of spelling mistakes, this can form a poor first impression.

Personal statement

A personal statement is usually included at the beginning of a CV or application form (after the personal details section). It is one of the first sections an employer will read when looking at a CV or application form. A candidate may choose to include the following information in their personal statement:

• A brief introduction/overview of who they are and why they feel they are suitable for the job
• The skills and personal qualities they have to offer, which are relevant to the job requirements
• Key areas of expertise and experience they can bring to the job

Personal statements need to be short (no more than two paragraphs long) and relevant to the job vacancy. It is the candidate’s opportunity to really sell themselves, highlighting their best skills and qualities, and helping the employer to see why they might want to employ this person.