Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Careers Advisory Service

The checklist below has been designed to be used on an existing CV. Although by no means definitive, the criteria listed are what most employers would expect to see on a graduate CV.

Use the checklist to reflect on your CV and get some idea of how to develop it further. Simply check the appropriate boxes and then calculate your score at the end. Your score will give you an indication of how effective your CV is likely to be.

What Your Score Indicates:

35 to 45 - Your CV seem to be in pretty good shape. However, you may still want to bring it to the Careers Service to ask a Duty Adviser to give it a final check.

25 to 34 - Your CV could benefit from some further work and development. It would be useful to have a look at the information in the CVs section of the Careers web site. Once you have developed your CV further, you can bring it to the Careers Service to get it checked.

0 to 24 - A score in this range suggests that your CV is probably not up to the standard expected by graduate employers. To help you produce a more effective CV, come and talk to an adviser at the Careers Service.

CV Heading
CV is headed with your name in a bold font that is easy to read?	Yes	No
Personal Details Section
Address and telephone numbers where you can be contacted easily?	Yes	No
Email address that you check frequently?	Yes	No
If you are a non-EEA national and you think it would be advantageous to your application, have you stated your nationality and given any relevant work permit/visa details?	Yes	No
Personal Profile Section (Not really essential, but if included):
Is it no longer than 3 sentences?	Yes	No
Is it a short, punchy statement highlighting your current situation and outlining your future career plans?	Yes	No
Education Section
Details are listed starting with your current course and work back?	Yes	No
Start and end dates are given for each institution attended?	Yes	No
Name of each institution attended?	Yes	No
Full title of courses?	Yes	No
Indication of actual or expected degree classification?	Yes	No
Focus on modules/courses most relevant to application and that highlight your interests and strengths?	Yes	No
Brief details of main project/dissertation?	Yes	No
Pre-degree qualifications have been summarised?	Yes	No
Work Experience Section
Details start with your most recent experience and work back?	Yes	No
Start and end dates are always given?	Yes	No
Name of the company/organisation?	Yes	No
Nature of company/organisation business?	Yes	No
Job Title?	Yes	No
Brief summary of the 'employability' skills you developed, your main duties and responsibilities?	Yes	No
Most space given to the most relevant job/placement?	Yes	No
Skills Profile Section
Skills profile included?	Yes	No
CV demonstrates clearly your 'employability' skills by citing brief examples of how these skills were developed?	Yes	No
Skills highlighted in your CV reflect the skills required by the employer as stated in their advert, job description, person specification and company information material?	Yes	No
Interests Section
Focus on interests that demonstrate most the skills and abilities required by the job?	Yes	No
References
Referee's name?	Yes	No
Referee's job title?	Yes	No
Contact address?	Yes	No
Contact telephone number?	Yes	No
Referees have agreed to provide references for this application?	Yes	No
Final Checklist
The various sections of your CV are arranged in a way that draws attention to your most important information early on?	Yes	No
The length of each section reflects the importance you feel it deserves?	Yes	No
Reverse chronology has been used throughout?	Yes	No
Your CV is, ideally, no more than 2 pages long?	Yes	No
Your CV is word processed?	Yes	No
Good quality white or neutral paper has been used?	Yes	No
You have experimented to achieve the best effect using bold, italics, tables etc?	Yes	No
Avoided long paragraphs of text! Used short, dynamic phrases?	Yes	No
Avoided generalisations and have supported statements with specific examples wherever possible?	Yes	No
Have not used jargon or abbreviations that may confuse the reader?	Yes	No
Used 'action verbs' to highlight your positive qualities e.g. Initiated, Led. Created, Produced, Organised, Proposed etc?	Yes	No
Used phrases throughout that indicate your enthusiasm for the job?	Yes	No
Someone has proof read your CV for spelling and grammatical errors. Did not only rely on computer's Spellchecker!	Yes	No

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How Good is Your CV?

What Your Score Indicates: