Electus

There is not a single, universal CV designing method. However, there are a few basic rules to be observed to make the CV look professional and achieve its goal: capture the attention of the employer and provide him/her with clear information resulting in you being short-listed and invited for an interview.

Rules for writing a good CV

1. Ordeliness and good layout - Write your CV on the computer, preferably using table layout. It is recommended not to use too many effects, different font types, etc.
2. Clear and concise - Relative to your experience, the CV can be one, two or more pages long. If you do not have any significant working experience and your CV is thus short, do not exaggerate with a lengthy account of other information.
3. Style - The information about education and working experience are set forth in reverse chronological order; use technical terminology, but try to avoid extensive use of abbreviations (it indicates negligence), and keep in mind correctly written grammar.
4. Accuracy - Never put forward inaccurate information in your CV or something that you would find uncomfortable to talk about during the interview.
5. Use of e-mail - If you write your CV in Word Editor, use .rtf extension to save it (instead of the .doc default) to avoid sending a virus which could delete your CV even before it has been read. Thus, you implicitly show to your employer that you are well aware of Internet safety.
6. Visuals - Unlike in the USA, in Croatia it is uncommon to send a CV with visuals unless the job vacancy advertisement explicitly asks for it. If you decide to send your visuals anyway, do not attach them as a separate e-mail file, but instead integrate them into your CV next to your personal data.

The content of a good CV

The main task of the CV is to convince the employer to call you for an interview. In order to achieve that goal, your CV needs to be professional, well laid out and clear. It should contain the following information:

Personal data: Name, surname, birth date and place, address, telephone number, e-mail address are obligatory. If you leave out any of these details, it could indicate the applicant’s superficiality and insincerity. The marital status, driving license and regular military obligations are optional, unless otherwise specified in the job vacancy advertisement.

Formal education data: High school, university, postgraduate study. The information should be laid out in reverse chronological order; always mention accurate periods, names of institutions, and vocation. If you leave out any period, it would be difficult to follow the course of time from high school, university enrolment and diploma to your first employment.

If you are looking for the first job and you think that your knowledge and competencies derive primarily from the lectures you attended, do not unnecessarily burden your CV with such information. You should rather include a short description of the acquired knowledge during formal education in your application form, directly pertaining to the job you are applying for. It is also good to mention your grade average, especially if it is very high.

Additional education: Courses, seminars, projects. Put forward the accurate name, short content if the name is not indicative enough, the period when it was held and the name of the institution. Even courses or seminars that are not directly connected with the position you are applying for are essential details about you as they bear witness to your engagement and scope of interest.

Working experience: Company, position, responsibilities, employment period. Working experience should be laid out in reverse chronological order (current job, all other jobs and finally your first job). Put forward the accurate company name, location, accurate employment period (month and year), short company description, position you worked at and a brief description of duties.

The job description should be adapted to the position you are applying for. Thus, emphasize the relevant experience. You should also mention part time jobs in your working experience: if they are relevant to the position, then with the job description or otherwise just as a proof of your additional engagement.

Knowledge of languages and computer applications: This information can be included in additional education if you have finished the courses, and make sure you mention them as such. In any case, try to specify the languages you know, how well you know them (active, passive, oral and written knowledge, any translations you may have made), computer applications you know and how well you know them.

Do not exaggerate with evaluations because your knowledge might be tested.

Also prepare your CV in a language you specify that you know well, but try to have it proof-read by a person who is a linguistic professional for that language. Your CV in a foreign language is only an addition to your CV in Croatian.

Activities: Membership in different associations, leisure time and hobbies. This section indicates that you are a versatile person. A specific hobby could be an advantage for the job, because of its content or inclinations of the Clients you will need to communicate with. The sport activity suggests that you are an active person, a team player and that you have discipline.

It is good to mention awards and certificates of merit even when they are not directly connected with the job you are applying for, because they show you in a good light.

Motivation for the position you're applying for - Briefly describe the career goal that is clearly connected with the position you are applying for.

Recommendation: Put forward the names of some of your former professors or employers who are ready to give you recommendations (name, position, company, telephone number, e-mail). However, first check if these persons are willing to give you recommendations to avoid potential embarrassment.

After you have made the first draft of your CV, study the advertisement again and check if you have left out a piece of information about something mentioned in the conditions of the advertisement. If you have left something out because it does not exactly correspond to the conditions in the advertisement, try to prepare an answer that would make it clear during the interview that regardless of incompliance with the specific condition you are still a good candidate for the position.