The CV represents the business card with which each of us introduces himself to a company or its intermediaries and today more than ever it is necessary to write the curriculum vitae with great care and be careful not to run the risk, among hundreds and sometimes thousands of participants, of being excluded from the selection.

Many of us will probably have yet another CV written to respond to a job advertisement that interests us. Many will be grappling with this document for the first time and are not sure what the best way to write it is.

In any case, reading the advice of Laura Mazzolini, Doctor of Occupational Psychology – HR FourStars area, we will realize how frequent it is for recruiters to have CVs that are not understandable or incomplete and, consequently, how we will be able to write the CV profitably. Otherwise? We will not even be chosen for the first cognitive interview.

D: Laura, the CV represents the business card with which each of us introduces himself to a company or its intermediaries and today more than ever it is necessary to prepare it with great care and attention not to run the risk, among hundreds and sometimes thousands of participants, of being excluded from the selection.

A: Yes, the Curriculum Vitae is a document of great importance for the selection: the subsequent interview depends on the screening of the CV.

Q: Among the hundreds of CVs you examine during your business, what is the percentage of CVs written correctly, completely?

A: About 50% of the CVs we review are incomplete and unclear. Professional experiences are poorly written. CVs are often not updated on the latest experiences already completed or in progress. Yet it would be enough to pay attention to some simple rules to write a clear and easy-to-read Curriculum Vitae.

D: We’re here to listen to you!

A: A linear, concise and precise presentation allows the recruiter to find key information more easily and arouse interest in the profile in question.

It is necessary to take care of both the form and the content of the document since writing the curriculum vitae schematically allows better accessibility of information.

D: Shall we go into detail, Laura?

A: Of course! If you are not yet a senior candidate, the text must not exceed two pages and the information must be divided into macro areas that we can summarize as follows: personal data; professional experiences; education and training; technical skills and competencies; interpersonal skills and competences.

Now I will go into detail on each of these areas to better explain their content.

Personal data:

Indicate your personal details correctly: name, surname, place, and date of birth, address, and complete residence.

It is important to indicate your willingness to move from your current home if you are applying for positions in other cities or regions.

Always make your telephone number and e-mail visible.

In this section, it is also preferable to insert a passport photo, current and with a neutral background.

Professional experience:

Enter the experiences from the most recent to the least current: enter the period of collaboration, the position held and the name of the company, followed by a brief description of the role and tasks performed.

Keep the same scheme for all the experiences carried out, preferably indicating the type of insertion.

In the case of first work experience, it is also advisable to include experiences of lesser importance, such as work carried out during the course of studies and/or small collaborations.

Thanks to these details, the recruiter will be able to get a clearer idea of ​​the person in question.

Education and training:

Clearly indicate the academic qualifications, enter the year of enrollment and the year of graduation, the qualification, the grade obtained, and the name of the Institute that issued the qualification.

If you consider it consistent with the position, indicate the topic of the thesis carried out and a brief description of it.

Technical skills and competencies:

Linguistic and IT skills are among the most requested technical skills.

It is essential to include a truthful and sincere assessment of skills: the knowledge really possessed, in particular the linguistic ones, will be tested during the selection phase, and a self-assessment far from true risks negatively skewing the judgment of the recruiter.

For language skills, refer to the CEFR (A1, A2, B1, B2, C2, C2) making sure to enter the level of competence correctly.

Remember to add the latest certification obtained.

Concerning computer skills, indicate information on basic skills (Office package, use of the Internet and e-mail, known operating systems) and information on advanced skills (e.g., programming languages), alongside the level of knowledge for every single data.

If the application is for specific technical profiles, deepen and indicate the skills you possess related to this role.

Relational skills and competencies:

Describe interpersonal skills and competencies, indicating communication skills, adaptability, flexibility, and open-mindedness.

Indicate organizational skills: leadership skills, aptitude for teamwork, collaboration, listening skills, and the degree of autonomy in carrying out certain tasks.

Do not forget personal characteristics such as precision, thoroughness, and punctuality.

Describe yourself by logically connecting the different aspects of the personality and specifying in which area these skills were developed (training, work, leisure activities).

Additional information:

Dedicate a few lines to indicate any articles and publications, hobbies, and personal interests.

Do not forget to insert the legal reference for the protection of privacy at the bottom of the Curriculum Vitae.

Date and original signature conclude the CV.

Q: Laura, the most common mistake in CVs?

A: Among the most common errors we find the inclusion of non-current and unprofessional photographs and self-assessments on language skills that deviate significantly from reality (self-assessments too high).