CV/Resume Notes
Writing a CV/resume in English
is very different to writing one in French. It is important to understand the structure
and vocabulary used in English CVs/resumes.
Heading
Name: In English, the
first name is written first, followed by your last name with only the first
letter capitalized.
(ex. John Smith)
Address: This should be
written on two lines and include a postal code.
In English, only the first letter of a city is capitalized.
(ex. 49100 Angers)
Phone: Include the country
code for your phone number so those who need to reach you can do so easily.
(ex. +33 6 12 34 56
78)
Email: you do not need to
write the word “email” before the heading, it is clear that this is your email
thanks to the @.
(name.lastname@gmail.com) ß make sure that the email address
is something professional that has your name in it, not something such as
frenchgirl234@gmail.com
Birth Date: this is optional on an English
CV/resume, however you may include it if you wish. Make sure that you label this as Date of
Birth on the CV and use the English date format of Day/Month/Year. (ex. 3/12/1990)
Nationality: this is also not necessary to
include, but if you would like to make sure that you have labeled it
correctly.
Objective
This part of the CV is important to give your future employer a quick
definition of yourself and why you should be hired. This is a short headline that is a
description of how you fit into the job opportunity.
(When using numbers here make sure
that any number under ten is written out in word form.)
Work Experience
This is the most important part of your CV, so make sure that you are
thorough in your descriptions.
1.
Make sure you put the date of your work experience
either in a separate column or in bold
so that it is easy to identify. Use at
minimum the years that you worked (ex. 2005-2007) but if you know the precise
months include those as well (ex. June 2005 – September 2007). If you are still currently working at this
job write the date you started followed by present (ex. June 2005 – present).
2.
Write the name of the company that you worked for in
another style such as bold or italics followed the location (city,
country) where the company was located in regular font.
3.
Write the title that you held during the job and
whether it was full time, part time, or an internship (stage en français). (ex. Assistant Manager, Full Time)
4.
Then you should give a brief description of what the
company does and your role within the company.
This could include any major achievements made during your experience
(ex. Raised inventory productivity).
5.
Work experience should be listed from most recent to
least recent. There should be no large
gaps in your experience unless it is accounted for by school. You do not need to include seasonal jobs that
do not relate to the opportunity that you are applying for.
6.
DO NOT include specifics of how many hours you worked
a week or how much money you earned, these can be discussed in an interview
later if needed.
7.
Avoid using the word “I” in the CV; instead write your
information without the subject (ex. Oversaw construction site personnel).
8.
Here are some helpful "action verbs" (for
example: achieved, arranged, assisted, co-ordinated, completed, dealt with,
developed, established, expanded, handled, helped, implemented, improved,
increased, interviewed, introduced, maintained, managed, negotiated, organised,
planned, processed, programmed, proposed, promoted, purchased, redesigned,
reduced, reorganised, revised, sold, solved, streamlined, supervised, trained,
translated, worked, wrote).
Education Experience
Education is important to getting a job in the future and it is
important that you list the equivalences correctly of the French system to an
English system.
1.
Make sure you put the date of your education
experience either in a separate column or in bold so that it is easy to identify. Use at minimum the years that you were in
school (ex. 2005-2007) but if you know the precise months include those as well
(ex. June 2005 – September 2007). If you
are still currently attending, write the date you started followed by present
(ex. June 2005 – present).
2.
Write the Name of the School in English in another
style such as bold or italics.
(ex. University of Angers or Charles de Gaulle High School (US) David
d’Angers Secondary School (UK)).
3.
For university, write the equivalent in English only
if possible, however you may write the French title and then translate it to
English in parentheses. (ex. L3 Anglais
(equivalent Bachelor’s of English)).
4.
Next for lycée, write what you obtained in the French
system in French followed by the English or American equivalent in
parentheses. (ex. Baccalauréat (High
School Diploma), specialty, with honors) or for UK (ex. Baccalauréat (A levels
in (state the subjects), with honors).
5.
Write about any other training that you received
through educational courses with descriptions and dates.
6.
Underneath every school write any special mentions you
received or activities that you did that might be applicable to the job.
7.
Do not include grades because they are often not the
same as the systems in Anglophone countries.
You can write that you were at the top of your class or had a high
standing if that is the case.
8.
Do not write about any schools attended before the age
of 15.
Languages
1.
Include all languages that you speak and their level
including any diplomas that you have received for language.
(ex. French (native language);
English (fluent) TOEIC 789; Spanish (conversational); Italian (beginner)).
2.
If you have different levels orally and in written
form be sure to specify those as well.
Programs/Skills
1.
Write about any skills in computer or other programs
that you have that are useful to the job you are applying for.
(ex. Proficient in Microsoft
Office, HTML, CSS and Content Management Systems).
2.
Do not list surfing the internet or email as a
skill. You can include a driver’s
license if that will be important for your job.
Interests/Activities
1.
If you have room you may include any interests that
you have that are interesting. Do not
put anything here that you would not want to discuss during an interview.
2.
This could include sports or trips that you have
taken.
References
Often times employers will ask you to provide references from other
jobs, you may decide to list references in this format:
Name, Title, Company,
Location, Phone, Email address
Or simply write that References are available upon request.
Important Tips for
Writing a CV
·
Keep a simple format; use the same font throughout the
CV to keep it clean.
·
To emphasize important words or headings, use Bold, italics, underlines, or CAPITALS.
·
A CV should fit neatly onto one page and have an easy
to read font and size. Use simple fonts
like Times New Roman or Calibri in sizes 12 at the largest to 8 at the
smallest.
·
Always list things in chronological order from most
recent to least recent.
·
List education first if you are applying to a school
and work experience first if applying to a job or internship.
·
Always type and print your CV in black ink.
·
You do not need to attach a photo in the US or the
UK.
·
Be short, simple and concise in your phrasing.
Words for
Interests/Extracurricular activities
Licencié dans un
club Member of a club
Pratique en
competition At
competetion level
Titulaire du BAFA Diploma
in organising activities and looking after children
Secourisme First Aid
AFPS First Aid
Certificate
Educateur sportif
(tennis) I have a
certificate which allows me to teach sport to children
Animateur (colonies
de vac) Children’s
Summer camp organizer
Soutien scolaire Help children in difficulty
with their schooling
Scoutisme I am Boy/Girl
Scout
Travail saisonnier Seasonal
work
Address
Address
Email address
Phone Number
Date of Birth: dd/mm/yyyy
Career Objective:
Explain
why you are looking for a job and what position you hope to find.
Qualifications:
Concrete
reasons why you are qualified
Experience:
Dates Name
of Company,Location Title
List your main duties
Dates Name
of Company,Location Title
List your main duties
Dates Name
of Company,Location Title
List your main duties
Education:
University Name (Dates Attended)
Current
Status
Major
and Program
Mentions
Awards
High School (Dates Attended)
Final
Note
Awards
Activites
Languages
Skills/Hobbies
References available upon
request.
Bad Example:
Fiona Jenkins
13
Valley Lane
Dundee
DD3 7UH
Tel: (01382) 1234567
hotbabe@mail.com
Marital Status: Single
Children: None
Health: Very good
Nationality: British
1993 –
2000 Highgate Primary
School, Dundee
2000 –
2005 Balgay High School,
Dundee
Achieved
3 Highers and 8 Standard Grades
2005 –
Present Tayside
College, Dundee
Currently
studying to achieve HNC Retail Management
Retail Assistant,
Kensington Clothing, Dundee 2002
- 2005
Duties: Worked part time in a clothes shop.
Assistant
Manager, Streetwise Fashions, Perth 2005 - Present
Duties: Asisting in the running of a busy
high street clothes shop.
I enjoy watching TV, playing games on my
computer and going out with my friends.
Fluent
in French and Spanish
Mrs Stewart Mr
Jenkins
Tayside
College 13 Valley Lane
Dundee Dundee
DD8 7PL DD3
7UH
