The criteria of a good CV

If you were going to assess your CV, what mark would you give it out of 100? In order to assess it, you need some criteria against which to evaluate it. This section provides you with such criteria.

Complete:

Does it have any missing sections? Have you missed out anything significant from any of the sections?

Conveys information in a way that is quick and easy to absorb:

The person-who-has-the-power-to-give-you-an-interview will probably have very many CVs to scan, and the ones that are hardest or slowest to read are likely to be discarded.

Looks professional:

If your CV looks professional then you are likely to come across as a professional person, which is an important criterion. Spelling errors, for example, indicate that you have not taken the trouble to proof-read it properly.

Reader-friendly:

For example, if it contains any obscure abbreviations then you should mark it down on this criterion.

Fit for purpose:

Its purpose is to provide a prospective employee with an executive summary of your background, as someone they would gain from employing. How well does your CV achieve this purpose?