The Curriculum Vitae

Only about 1 in 50 of the CVs received would warrant employment in the commercial world. Don't let yours be one of the other 49.

This page?

The aim is to provide key information on the 'art' of the CV. No claims are made that the information is definitive nor that is hasn't been said before elsewhere however, it is hoped that it might point you in the right direction. A large number of web resources will be linked, USE THEM, there are some incredible free or low cost resources out there. One thing to remember throughout the guide - there is no right or wrong way to present a CV - but you can make your CV look a lot more professional and make a greater impact by taking note of advice.

What is a CV?

Hopefully you should already know the answer to this but just in case... CV is the abbreviation for the Latin Curriculum Vitae meaning 'the story of your life' or at least something like that. Apparently it is also known as a Vitae (possibly a US term) and of course résumé though technically this is a slightly different piece of paper. It is the your primary marketing tool and is designed to show what you are all about in a compact and easily-digestible form. Like any other advertisement, the essential details must register at a glance. The principal purpose of a CV is to secure a job interview but it can also provide a useful structure for that interview. Note: the correct abbreviation of Curriculum Vitae is CV or C.V. (the former is most commonly used) and not cv or c.v. The usual, and most readable, plural abbreviations are CVs or CV's- BOTH ARE CORRECT.

What is a résumé?

A résumé is very similar to a CV, used primarily in the States (CVs are used in the US but tend to be geared towards certain jobs/applications), the main difference is that it contains less information (especially academic) than a CV. Note: resume is a verb, résumé is a noun however resume (as a noun) is usually accepted as an alternative to résumé.

Do I need a CV?

Yes. There are however the odd exceptions:-

if you only apply for jobs using ESF (Employers' Standard Forms) or SAF (Standard Application Forms - usually only applicable if applying via a university careers office), which of course is very unusual. The BBC and occasionally Carlton are generally the only companies that use ESFs in the media industry although it it very common practice in other areas of the business world.
if you only apply for jobs online, again this would be unusual. The majority of BBC jobs use the online equivalent of ESFs, most other companies prefer the traditional CV and cover letter applications.
if you are incredibly experienced and your name speaks for itself, even then most will still have CVs lodged with their agents.

Does the 'perfect' CV exist?

No, although some CV producing companies may try to imply otherwise. What might appear to be the perfect CV to you might be hated by employer A but liked by employer B. Ultimately it is down to the employer's personal taste which obviously you can't gauge, however you can take note of following advice to make your CV as near perfect as you can.

Is there a standard CV?

No but there are of course key pieces of information that need to be included on all CVs and a number of different types of CVs (see later sections.)

What types of CV are there?

There are a variety of types but the main 5 are:-

Performance CV - shows your employment history in reverse chronological order, with your most recent job first (a newer version of the Chronological CV and most widely used in the media industry)
Chronological CV - a traditionally used style now generally superceded by the Performance CV
Functional (aka Skills) CV - highlights the main functions/achievements of your whole career
Targeted CV - emphasises your abilities and achievements which are directly relevant to a specific job target
Alternative CV - suitable for creative careers in, for example, writing, public relations and fashion design

Note for future reference a large number of CV related websites mention performance/chronological/function/skills, they do appear to be very similar. It has been advised for example - if you are following the same career path, the performance/chronological CV is probably right. If changing direction or planning self-employment, consider a functional/skills style. Planning ahead for a number of months or years might suggest a targeted/predictive approach. I'd say don't worry about what it is called, chose the format that looks best/works for you, most likely performance.

What is the right CV for me?

I would strongly advice that you use the performance CV wherever possible however if you are a recent graduate with no commercial experience a targeted CV might be more appropriate. For example you can highlight future related skills that you may not have had actual work experience in (e.g. experience gained on a course.) To check out the pros and cons and decide what might the most appropriate for you refer to Alec's free CV, job hunting & interview tips. This in an excellent site but please note that it is not media specific and therefore some potentially contentious issues in industry in general e.g. a string of short term jobs, gaps in employment aren't quite such sticky areas in this industry (see later section on hints and advice.) Do however note that as there is no such thing as a standard CV, what may turn out to be the best format CV for you may well share more than a few elements from at least two types of CV. A performance CV basically takes elements from a functional (skills) CV and is followed by further elements from a chronological CV. Ultimately don't worry about what the actual type of CV is called, just focus on the elements to include and we'll give links to samples, templates and wizards etc.

How long should my CV be?

Two pages, no more and no less. Unless you have specifically been asked to provide a 4 page or single page version don't. Occasionally employers request a single page summary, other than that a single page is only usually relevant to actors.

But my CV is 6/9/14 pages long

If it is, it needs some serious editing, even the most experienced practitioners manage to produce a 2 page version. Let's face it you are a relative newcomer to the industry and you really can't have done enough to warrant that many pages. Yes, 6 and 9 page CVs have been seen (I've received them) and 14 has been cited as the longest CV ever received.

What are employers looking for?

Employers want to know what you can do for them, the following information will be looked for and should be on the front page:

A 'career objective' - it's about you, what you have done, what you can bring to the job and where you want to go
Appropriate keys skills
What new ideas and skills can you bring with you
Who you have worked for
Your address
Where you can be contacted

Do experiment with the order and highlight skills and abilities wherever possible. Make the CV work for you and make the most of your experiences. The following sections and associated links will help with the above points.

What should I include in my CV?

The general, though not definitive, order of a CV is:-

Name/contacts/DOB
Personal Profile
Skills
Employment history
Non production employment history
Education/qualifications/training
Additional information

Should I include the heading CV?

No, a heading (CV or Curriculum Vitae) isn't necessary. It wastes space and it should be obvious what the document is.

Do I need to include a personal profile?

No but it is a good idea to include one as it provides employers with a short summary statement about you. The skills for media site recommends including a profile as written well they can be very effective and employers do take them seriously.

What should I include in a profile?

Profiles can be very difficult to write but as they seem to be welcomed by employers and can help get you that job, spend some time on it. Chose your words wisely and keep it short and punchy - around 30 choice words. Further information will be added shortly.

Do I need to include a skills section?

Once again no, this is entirely up to you. The more experience and credits in a particular role you have the less it may be required. However it is worth bearing in mind that as most employers spend so little time viewing a CV a list of your key skills may be just what is needed to catch their eye.

What is a skills section?

It is usually a short bulleted list of what you can do, what you know, what you can use etc and saves the employer a great deal of time wading through text in employment history just to find a key piece of information. (Examples will be added shortly.)

But isn't it stating the obvious?

Technically yes but think in terms of I might know what a production co-ordinator would normally do but if you don't tell me I don't know for example that you have experience in booking crews. You should always bear in mind that job titles to actual job can vary considerably from company to company and often vary greatly even within the same company. Production assistant for example can actually be two completely different roles i.e. junior member of a production team often working in a predominantly administrative role or at the director's side in a studio gallery in a much more senior capacity. Some roles are obviously more defined but even for example as a focus puller it wouldn't do any harm to state that you've worked on 16mm, S16mm and 35mm and which cameras you know inside out.

A few useful links

Skills for Media	Bradley CVs UK
Skillset	Alec's free CV, job hunting & interview tips
Prospects	Permanent Prospects - CV writing