CV Clinic

A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a concise document which summarises an individual’s unique skills, character, experience and achievements. CV is short for Curriculum Vitae, which is a Latin phrase which loosely translated means ‘the course of my life’. A CV outlines a person’s academic and professional history which is usually used for applying for jobs.

Principles to remember:

• Don’t lie – employers often run background checks and false claims will be uncovered.
• Introductions first – put your academic qualifications at the back, if you’re buying a new car would you want to see the technical spec or the glossy picture first?
• Sell yourself – what are your unique qualities, personality traits, skills and experience that make you stand out from the crowd?
• Provide evidence of your qualities - You then need to go through all the requirements and desirables mentioned in the person specification and explain how you meet each one, giving examples from your experience. Provide concrete examples and solid numbers wherever you can.
• Don’t leave unexplained gaps – if you had a career break to travel or raise a family, explain what skills or experience you gained from this.
• Be clear and concise – CVs should be a maximum of three pages long and should be easy to read.
• Don’t make mistakes – check your spelling and grammar meticulously.

In most situations, a CV is the first contact you have with a prospective employer and it is your chance to make a good first impression. You use it to show your prospective employer why they should hire you and what the benefits of having you on their team will be. It is ultimately a marketing tool – your shop window! It is far more than just a run-down of your career history, it is your passport to

After you’ve signed up for the service we’ll send you a link to submit your CV and to complete a questionnaire. The answers you provide will assist us in finding any gaps in your CV.

You have two options of which documents you can submit:

1. CV (2 page limit) and Cover Letter (1 page limit)
2. Personal/Supporting Statement (1500 word count limit)

A skilled professional will return the updated document to you with tracked changes and tips within 2-3weeks.

Please note that depending on the clarity of your existing document you may be invited to attend a short call to provide more information.

There are no hard and fast rules for creating a winning CV as each job is different and each employer will be looking for different things. CV writing etiquette also changes over time, so it’s advisable to keep your CV updated and tailor it to each job that you apply for.

Although you are required to submit a supporting statement for all NHS roles, the information gathered in other areas of the application form will require education and employment history as provided in your CV.

Not all employers accept CVs, many require a detailed application form or supporting statement which on average has a 1500 word limit.

When applying for a job employers will often request you send a ‘supporting statement’ along with a CV or application form. This is very similar to a cover letter and gives you the opportunity to expand on your skills, experience and qualifications and really ‘sell yourself’ as the best person for the role. A supporting statement should never simply repeat information from your CV and needs to be written specifically for a job application.

Before you begin, make sure you have read the instructions (if any) for the supporting statement so you know exactly what to include.

Also make sure you read the person specification for the role very carefully, as this document will be key in putting your supporting statement together.