What personal details and interests should you
include on your CV?*
1. Your name, address and contact details
should always head the CV, with your name in a
larger font. If your name is unusual, meaning that
employers might be unsure which gender you are,
include a title (i.e. Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms). They'll
then know how to confidently address you. Also
include your home and mobile phone numbers, and your
email address. If including a current work number,
always say whether there are times when it is
appropriate to call you. Be sure that you can
regularly check whichever numbers you provide, as
the employer may be trying to set up an interview.
2. It used to be normal to provide more personal
details, such as gender, date of birth and
marital status, at the top of your CV. However,
times have changed and now most people include some
of these details in brief at the end of their CV
instead.
3. You might wish to include your date of
birth, but it isn't always expected nowadays. If
you are looking for a job in the country where you
were educated, an employer can usually calculate
your age from your educational background. You may
be worried that your age will put employers off. You
could omit it, but your Career History will usually
give some hints as to your age group.
4. Marital Status doesn't need to be
included in today's CV, although for specific jobs
it can be helpful to be up-front about this. For
instance, if the job you're applying for involves
unsociable hours or lots of travel, stating that you
are single could be advantageous. This may not seem
fair on the grounds of discrimination, but it's as
well to be realistic about the concerns that might
rightly or wrongly be in the employer's mind.
5. Nationality isn't essential. Use your
judgement to decide whether your nationality is of
concern to the employer involved and include it if
you think it is.
6. A driving licence is, quite naturally,
an asset in a job where a degree of travel is
involved, so is worth mentioning. Even if you expect
to be tied to a desk throughout your working day,
there may be times when your ability to drive is
useful. If you mention your driving licence, do
mention that it's clean (assuming that it is!).
7. Inclusion of hobbies and interests is
entirely optional. On the one hand, it helps provide
a rounded picture of you that goes beyond Career
History. Sometimes your strengths can shine through
in the activities you list, as can your personality
type. This section can be especially useful if
you're at the start of your career. Don't go over
the top, though - list no more than five at most.
And do think about how your interests might be
perceived by other people. Train-spotting, for
instance, does not have a positive image in the
public consciousness. Likewise, a list of solitary
activities will not make you look like a good team
player.
8. You may want to include your name in a
small font in the bottom right hand corner of your
CV. Use the footer in a word processing document and
include the page number alongside. This is useful in
case the two pages of your CV become separated
during photocopying.
9. When you write your covering letter,
make sure your personal details are presented in
exactly the same way as on your CV.
10. If your CV is in a Word document,
check its properties. Do this by going to the File
menu and clicking on Properties. Look at the Summary
and ensure your name appears in the Author box. Some
employers check this to see whether you have written
the CV yourself!
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