Generally, CVs in most countries look similar, but every land has its own peculiarities in CV writing, understanding and including which your resume can take advantageous position. Professional CV writing in British style refers to:
- Standard A4 format (21×29.7cm)
- Photo only on demand
- At least 2cm margins
- Only one front style
- Bold and italics are used to emphasize key words, underlining is used only in paragraph titling
- Bullet points in list
- Own name first, family name – second
- Postcode – address – telephone number (area code in brackets) – e-mail
- Education section in reverse chronological order
In the left – the column of dates: the first three letters of the month followed by the last two digits of the year.
In the right – only formal educational qualifications (e.g. universities and colleagues), their name, the name of the town and country, main subjects studied and your score(not obligatory). If you mention your grade, make certain it meets the British university grade system. It’s needless to name any school you’ve attended before the age of 15.
- Professional experience in reverse chronological order
In the left – the column of dates: the first three letters of the month followed by the last two digits of the year.
In the right –list the name of the company, its location and area of work, your position, main responsibilities and achievements.
- Skills
List of languages you know and exams you’ve passed, special courses, computer skills, typing speed, possession of a driving license, etc.
- Personal details
Nationality and date of birth (day, month, and year) can be mentioned as well as your main hobbies and interests.
- References
Only on employer’s request
- Covering letter
It’s a good form to provide your CV with one-page covering letter.
Before CV submission check its spelling using British English variant of spell-checker on the computer or ask the native speaker to reread it.
Even if you are rejected, won’t be shy to ask about the reasons, because they can help you to improve your further applications. Don’t forget: nobody is perfect!
