Preparing your job application

Creating a CV

Your CV provides the first important opportunity to sell yourself to a potential employer. So what makes a great CV?

• It should make an immediate impact, should be factually correct – informative yet clear and concise.
• Most CVs are reviewed for no more than a minute or two, so ideally, make yours no more than two pages long.
• List the most recent academic achievements and work experience first.
• Ensure the layout is easy on the eye – use bullet points wherever possible.
• Remember the CV is a written representation of who you are – use spell check and make sure it is grammatically correct.

Don’t let one careless error ruin your chances of securing that dream job. For an example CV, please click here.

Personal Detail

Always ensure your name is at the head of the CV, together with your contact details: address, phone numbers and email. Do not include photographs of yourself.

Qualifications

Your academic qualifications should be listed in reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent achievements first). In addition to the institutions where they were acquired, you should include all relevant courses, electives, grades and dates. If you omit grades, inferences may be drawn that could affect your chances of success.

Career

Your career history should also be listed in reverse chronological order, and include exact dates, job titles, practice areas, duties and responsibilities.
While it is important for the CV to be thorough and account for career breaks or alternative career employment, be mindful of its purpose – to secure a legal position – and focus mainly on your previous legal employment and the relevant experience gained to date.

Additional Information

Remember you are more than the sum of the grades and experience you have gained to date. Potential employers are also interested in your personality, how well you’ll fit in, and whether you’ll be comfortable with the culture of their firms. So remember to touch on your hobbies and interests, any positions of responsibility (outside of work), and outstanding achievements, etc.

Skills

In a technological age, IT proficiency is incredibly important. You should include a skills section outlining your IT and typing skills, listing the software packages on which you are proficient. Language skills are important, too – if you have them, be sure to include them.

References

Include reference details of two previous employers or academic tutors. In addition to their names, job title, postal and email addresses, be sure to include their relationship to you (i.e. employer or tutor).

Prolaw contacts all referees prior to securing candidates a temporary assignment, so before entering any details in your CV, please ensure your nominated referees have been alerted and permission has been given to contact them.

Only once we have assessed your CV and conducted a thorough interview, will we propose your CV for a specific vacancy – and only then having first sought your express permission.