Curriculum Vitae Writing

1. Curriculum VitaeWriting Exit Group 2010

2. CV • What is a CV? • What should be in a CV? • How do you write your CV? • How is your CV read?

3. CV • Employers perspective • What do they want? • Right skills / attitudes / experience for job • Picture of person fitting into team • To help make the right choice of candidate

4. CV • Produce 4 main areas • Education • Work experience • Activities and interests • Demograhpics

5. CV • For each area produce list of things that you have done Education - Medical degree / university Work experience - VTS rotation / GP registrar year Interests - Play squash

6. CV • Go through each item on your list and write down the highlights • Academic prize • Prize winning audit on tft’s in hypothyroid patients ! • Represented England at squash

7. CV • Go through these highlights and identify knowledge and skills gained and list attributes demonstrated or developed.

8. Communication skills Organisational ability Problem solving Team work Drive and imitative Taking responsibility Analytical skills Creativity Leadership Motivation Planning Working under pressure CV

9. CV • Some areas will be missing! • Give evidence to support claims made above – “ I have good leadership skills “ – evidence for this would be “ I wanted to make the appointment system more effective and worked with the reception staff / manager and DNA’s were reduced by 30%”

10. CV • This is starting to develop a different type of CV – Competency Based CV • CV styles • Chronological • Competency / Skills based

11. Chronological CV • Name • Personal details • Contact addresses / phone numbers • Emails • Nationality • DOB • Gender / marital status optional

12. Chronological CV • Education • Put in reverse order • MRCGP • Degree • School education • A levels no real need to list GCSE’s

13. Chronological CV • Work experience • GP Registrar year • VTS / Hospital posts • Emphasise responsibilities / achievements / positions of responsibility / skills achieved relevant to primary care • Relevant skills – IT / languages

14. Chronological CV • Interests • Travel / Outside interests / sports / family responsibilities • Try to have balance of active / passive / group / individual pursuits References – ask first!

15. Skills Based CV • Advantages – focuses key skills and will make your cv stand out. • Disadvantages – more thought needed, may need rewriting for different jobs e.g. partnership / locum post

16. Skills Based CV • Personal details as before • Key Skills • Pick out key skills from advert / job spec and demonstrate why you meet them • Must have interest in women's health • Attained DFFP Loc IUD Produced an audit on cocp usage in the over 40’s

17. Skills Based CV • If you are enthusiastic and motivated we would like to hear from you • We would encourage you to develop a special interest to compliment the partners • BMJ Editor – you must be a proactive team player with excellent communication skills and have a track record of critical appraisal of research.

18. Skills Based CV • Some examples of skills include communication, team working, problem solving skills, leadership, time management, academic ability, drive, working under pressure etc. • Make each skill a subheading and bullet point the evidence • Use specifics • For each skill use different examples and your personal role and involvement • Team working is not just about leadership – include delegation, motivation, co-ordination, completer.

19. Skills Based CV • IT / Languages • Can be worth mentioning skills eg EMIS / IPS ability • Education / Work Experience / Interests / Activities / References as above • Clean driving license!

20. First Impressions • Laser printed onto 100 g/m² paper – what colour? • Ideally no longer than 2 sides A4 on separate sheets • Black ink to ease photocopying • Use A4 envelope and same paper for covering letter • ? Prepare professionally • Use a simple font – Tahoma / Arial / Times New Roman • Use BOLD / Italics / Underlining to separate pointsBUT NOT ALL AT ONCE