Writing Effective CVs & Covering Letters
An effective CV or job application is one that gets you an interview. Employers may not read your CV in full and may initially be looking for a reason to reject you!
Typically this could include:
- Poor spelling and grammar
- Unprofessional presentation
- Content lacks relevance to the role applied for
- Ability not adequately evidenced
Producing an effective CV is essential if you want to get noticed for the right reasons.
Beds Career Builder contains a wealth of information to help you perfect your CV and job applications.
- Creating a great CV - videos and articles to help you, including tips from employers
- CV Builder - create a professional CV based on your skills and experience
For tips on how to write your CV and what to include, you an also download our guide which also includes samples of different styles and subject specific CVs, covering letters and speculative letters:
A Guide to Writing a Winning CV & Covering Letter [PDF]
The following guides have been produced by the University's Learning Development Team and offer advice regarding spelling, grammar and professional writing to enhance your applications.
CV360 - Helping you Optimise your CV
Once you are happy with your CV, the first step is to upload it to CV360 on Beds Career Builder.
CV360 scores your CV against more than 50 checks using the latest technology. You will receive instant, detailed feedback to enable you to optimise your CV and significantly boost your chances of getting to interview. You can resubmit your CV as many times as you want for additional feedback.
When your score reaches 80% or more you will be given the opportunity to submit your CV to be reviewed by a member of the careers team and receive personalised feedback, maximising your chances of getting the job you want!
Book an appointment
If you would like to speak with an adviser following the feedback that you receive from CV360, appointments can be made via Handshake
Any questions? Please email careers@beds.ac.uk
The University of the Arts London have tips on how to write a creative CV.
Download the Creative CV Guide by Jan Cole to find samples and tips for writing CVs in the creative sector including art, design, fashion, photography and more.
The University of Leeds Careers Centre has some sample CVs in different job sectors which can be downloaded including: fashion and design, law, management consultancy, marketing, medical school, publishing and social media jobs. There are also examples of academic CVs.
To give you an idea of how to tailor your application to a specific area, see the examples below. This is not exhaustive but will show you how to demonstrate your suitability for working in a particular sector.
For details of employment legislation and when to disclose personal circumstances for applications please see Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
address
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University of Bedfordshire
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Please note that the University of Bedfordshire Careers & Employability Service does not endorse specific employers or organisations linked to the website.
telephone
During office hours
(Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm)
+44 (0)1234 400 400
Outside office hours
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+44 (0)1582 743 989
General Careers Enquiries
careers@beds.ac.uk
Employers
recruit@beds.ac.uk
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employabilityunits@beds.ac.uk
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