Writing a CV for a technical post?

 

 

 

There isn’t a huge difference between CVs for all graduate level posts and CVs for technical jobs in STEM areas, all CVs must be tailored to every job anyway.  The main difference when applying for a STEM post is the  importance of  identifying and portraying your technical abilities and skills alongside your transferable skills and we will look at ways of doing this.

Although there are no absolute right or wrong ways of writing a CV we will looks at some guidelines to follow. There  is a lot more on our website to help you http://about.brighton.ac.uk/careers/cvs-and-interviews/your-cv/writing-your-cv/#typesand also the Target website looks specifically at writing CVs for technical jobs. https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/engineering/advice/284775-cvs-and-covering-letters-convince-engineering-recruiters-youre-perfect-for-their-graduate-

So no more than 2 pages  with Font Arial or Calibri 9-12 is advisable. Always make everything clear to the reader, keep the same format  and always, always check spelling and grammar.

Here goes…

Personal details – 4-5 lines

Personal profile or career aim – this can be an excellent way of showing you have the necessary skills and knowledge. Connect yourself to the company. Introduce the technical skills you have gained on your degree and on an industrial placement . There isn’t a lot of space here as its needs to be concise  -s o 4 or 5 lines. You can say more in your cover letter.

Education – Degree first – if you are a postgraduate list this first. Again as with all applicants it can be difficult to list all modules so  identify key modules that are relevant to the job, are interesting or you are good at ( these factors often go together).

List all A/AS levels and GSCEs with grades.

If you hold other qualifications list these and if possible give some sense of comparison with UK qualifications.

Skills and Employment can be separate sections or can be interwoven. See what works best for you.  There is also advice on skills based and technical CVs on the Prospects website. https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-cover-letters/example-cvs

Skills – list your technical skills – highlight the relevant ones first and the others as space allows and then list your key transferable skills – so communication, commercial awareness, team work- look at  the job description for help with this.

Employment  – relevant employment first so include an industrial  placement  or other relevant work experience. Always give the job title, company and dates and keep the format the same. The list can also include unrelated jobs as there will always be some transferable skills, team work, organisational skills, problem solving for example. There will be a lot more so keep thinking about this and recording it. use the Graduate Toolkit for help with this.http://about.brighton.ac.uk/careers/develop-your-skills/graduate-toolkit/

Interests – a short section on what you enjoy and don’t forget leisure interests can show key skills such as leadership or networking.

References– one should be your personal tutor at university and the other ideally an employer.

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