Contents of a good CV or Curriculum Vitae

Cover Letter : A covering letter should be included with every curriculum vitae you send. Your covering letter provides detailed information on why are you are qualified for the job and explains the reasons for your interest in the company. 

A good cover letter must include :

• The content of your cover letter should be brief and structured, avoid lengthy repetition of information covered in your CV. Unlike a CV, it is acceptable to write a covering letter in the first person.

• Your letter should address the relevant contact, whose name often appears in the job advert. Avoid Sir or Madam if possible.

• If you are replying to an advert, say so. Mention job title, any reference number and where and when you saw it.

• In some cases, an advert will indicate a more substantial letter is required. Always follow a specific instruction and include any information if it is particularly requested, for example, current salary.

• Briefly, outline your current situation and why you are seeking change. Include current or last job, qualifications and professional and academic training, tailoring your information to make it as relevant as possible to the organization or job applied for.

• Tell the potential employer a little about themselves to demonstrate you have properly read the advert and that you have done some research into the organization. Also, state why you are interested in them as an employer.

• You need to succinctly emphasize why an employer may want to meet and employ you. Highlight your transferable skills, achievements and versatility; what you can contribute and what makes you different. Mention personality traits relevant to the role applied for, taking care not to appear too subjective.

Contents in CV

• Ensure that your CV covering letter flows freely however and does not slavishly match every point on the job description. The reader should be left with an overall impression that you are a potentially valuable addition to the workforce.

• Negative information of any sort should be avoided in your covering letter as well as CV.

• Close your letter with a polite expression of interest in further dialogue with the recruiter. Do mention that you would like the opportunity to discuss your suitability further at an interview and that you await a response in due course.

• Ensure your letter is neatly and clearly presented with no grammatical or spelling errors.

• Email covering letters should be written in a common font with standard formatting and should emulate a handwritten letter in terms of style.

• Contact information: At the top of your CV, include your name and contact information (address, phone number, email address, etc.).  Personal information, such as gender, date of birth, marital status, and even names of children, etc are extra information unless asked by the company.

• Education: This may include college and graduate study. Include the school, college and universities attended, dates of study, and degree received.

• Honors and Awards: This may include dean's list standings, departmental awards, scholarships, fellowships, and membership in any honours associations.

• Thesis/Dissertation: Include your thesis or dissertation title. You may also include a brief sentence or two on your paper, and/or the name of your advisor.

• Research Experience: List any research experience you have, including where you worked, when, and with whom. Include any publications resulting from your research.

• Work Experience: List relevant work experience; this may include non-academic work that you feel is worth including.   List the employer, position, and dates of employment. Include a brief list of your duties and/or accomplishments.

• Teaching Experience: List any teaching positions you have held. Include the school, course name, and semester. You may also include any other relevant tutoring or group leadership experience.

• Skills: List any relevant skills you have not yet mentioned. This may include language skills, computer skills, administrative skills, etc.

• Publications and Presentations: List any publications you have written, co-written, or contributed to. Include all necessary bibliographic information. You should also include any pieces you are currently working on. Include papers you presented at conferences and/or associations: list the name of the paper, the conference name and location, and the date.

• Professional Memberships: List any professional associations to which you belong. If you are a board member of the association, list your title.

• Extracurricular Activities: Include any volunteer or service work you have done, as well as any clubs or organizations to which you have belonged. You can also include any study abroad experiences here if you have not already mentioned them.