What is a Resume/CV?
A resume, also known as a CV (Curriculum Vitae, a Latin term meaning "course of life"), is a brief summary of your personal and professional qualifications, experience, and education. Its primary purpose is to showcase your potential as a candidate and to make a strong impression on prospective employers. It provides concise, fundamental information about the individual, and it is crucial for the CV to be as clear, concise, and structured as possible, avoiding narrative or storytelling styles. The document should primarily contain dates and factual information.
Your CV serves as an initial representation of yourself to employers, acting as a sort of business card. Therefore, it is important to dedicate sufficient time to its preparation.
There is no universal standard for creating a CV; however, there are essential components that every CV should include.
CV Structure
Contact Information: This should be positioned at the top and include your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (it is advisable to use this platform for job searches). Ensure that your email address is professional.
Example: name.surname@alte.edu.ge / s.surname@gmail.com. It is preferable to use university or Gmail domains. Avoid using mail.ru or similar domains.
Education: As you are at the beginning of your career as a student or recent graduate, your education is crucial. In your CV, list your most recent educational experiences first, in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the institution, the degree you are pursuing or have obtained, and the dates of attendance.
Example: 2023 - Present, Bachelor's Program in Business Administration, Alte University.
Additionally, if you are studying at another institution (e.g., a language center, college, or academy) and believe this information is relevant to the position for which you are applying or highlights your interests and future plans, please include it.
Work Experience: Typically, this section includes positions relevant to the vacancy for which you are submitting your CV. However, at the beginning of your career, all experience is valuable as it underscores your work ethic and skills. Therefore, include any work experience, internships, or volunteer positions. For each position, list your job title, the full name of the organization, and the dates of employment, starting with the most recent. It is advisable to include key responsibilities and duties for each position.
Example: 01.02.2024 - Present
Contact Center Manager, LLC Alte University.
Key Responsibilities: Responding to incoming calls and redirecting them to the appropriate personnel, monitoring missed calls and following up, weekly reporting.
01.10.2023 โ 01.02.2024
Contact Center Specialist, LLC Alte University.
Key Responsibilities: Responding to incoming calls and redirecting them to the appropriate personnel, monitoring missed calls.
Skills: At the beginning of your career, and beyond, this section is one of the most important for employers. Here, you will list your soft and technical skillsโthose you have acquired or developed during your studies or work experiences that you believe make you suitable and competitive for the position.
Example: Teamwork and collegiality, results-oriented and attention to detail, strong sense of responsibility, communication, planning and organization, ability to adapt to new information, openness and transparency, empathy, data analysis, knowledge of project management tools, etc.
Keep in mind that during the subsequent stages of the job search, especially during in-person interviews, employers will likely ask you questions about these skills and request examples to support your claims. Therefore, be honest when listing your skills and consider in advance what examples you will provide.
Languages and Software Proficiency: In this section, you should indicate your knowledge of languages and software programs, detailing your proficiency levels. List all languages and programs you know, along with your level of proficiency.
*Example: Languages
Georgian - Native;
English - B2;
Russian - B1;
Italian - A2;
Turkish - A1;
Software Proficiency:
MS Word - Proficient;
MS Excel - User level;
MS PowerPoint - Proficient;
SPSS - User level;*
Training/Workshops/Extracurricular Activities: In your resume, allocate a separate section for training, workshops, and extracurricular activities. List activities relevant to the position in question (however, at the beginning of your career, you may include other activities as well), in reverse chronological order from the most recent to the oldest.
References: This section is not mandatory, but employers often request references. Therefore, it is advisable to speak in advance with 2-3 individuals who can be contacted by employers to provide recommendations if necessary.
Photograph: Including a photograph in your CV is not mandatory and may increase the chances of discrimination. Therefore, if the employer does not specifically request a photo, you can submit your CV without one.
Additional Considerations
Your resume (CV) should be tailored to the specific position and requirements for which you are applying. Avoid sending the same CV for vastly different positions within the same company, as this may give the impression that you are unsure of your career direction and may be taken less seriously by the employer. The CV should be concise, ideally no more than two pages, and easy to read. Generally, employers spend less than a minute reviewing a resume before deciding whether to proceed. If you lack work experience, focus on your education, training, volunteer activities, and internships. Continuously update your resume as you gain more experience. Pay attention to grammatical errors and punctuation. When submitting your CV, use PDF format to avoid technical issues (Word files may not open correctly on all computers or may have font discrepancies). Before sending an email, double-check and ensure that you have attached the correct file. Always send your resume from a professional email address. In the subject line, indicate the title of the position (and any additional requirements, if applicable) and send it with the appropriate text.
CV for First Job
Creating a resume can seem challenging at the beginning of your career, especially when you have no work experience. However, for entry-level positions, employers are less focused on work history and pay more attention to your education, interpersonal skills, and interests.
For your first resume, emphasize the skills and qualities that make you a strong candidate, such as teamwork, adaptability, and a willingness to learn. Highlight your education, workshops, and training, as well as all relevant extracurricular activities from which you have gained knowledge and experience suitable for the position.
CV Templates
- Free Template Site: https://create.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/resumes
- CV Builder Site: https://europa.eu/europass/eportfolio/screen/cv-editor?lang=en
CV Builder Site: https://mycv.ge/en/builder
Wishing you success! ๐
For additional information, questions, or consultations, please contact us at careerservices@alte.edu.ge.
