CV Preparation

A CV should be typed or printed on good quality, white or off–white paper. Complex layouts or coloured papers will not win you any points within a conservative profession. Each CV should, ideally, be individually prepared for each specific application.

Include in this order:

·  Personal Profile, name, address etc.

·  Current employment.

·  Experience and achievements gained.

·  Education and Qualifications.

·  Salary (current and/or requirement).

·  Miscellaneous additional information.

Dos and Don’ts

Dos

·  Do remember to put your address and contact details on the CV, not just on the covering   letter.

·  Do provide information on your Leaving Certificate

·  Do describe your degree by subject, level achieved and where gained.

·  Do include honours if they are relevant. Academic or professional honours, in areas that relate to Property, are of obvious relevance. Your swimming prize and acting trophy may not be, unless of course you know for a fact that your interviewer is passionate about those subjects.

·  Do indicate where you undertook your secondary education.

·  Do describe your current and past employment fully but briefly. Include the name of your employer, your title and dates, month and year of employment. If you believe that something in your past experience is particularly relevant to the position in question make sure to mention it.

·  Don't

·  Don’t offer information about failed professional examinations. If you have had to take your examinations more than once, your CV should indicate only the date of passing without referral. If the subject is raised in your interview, of course you must be frank. But if you don’t raise it, the subject may not come up.

·  Referees

·  It is best practice not to put referees on a CV. When they are required, they will be asked for.

Covering Letter

This can sometimes be harder to write than the CV. Indicate the position for which you are applying; the employer may already know, but may also have advertised more than one position. Be helpful and be clear about what you want. Do not waste time with pleasantries. And do not add information you have not considered important enough to include in the CV.

A proven methodology is to call attention to a section of your CV that you believe is of particular interest in relation to the position. A hand–written letter is preferred unless, of course, your handwriting is difficult to decipher, in that case, type it.

Whatever medium you are using to apply for a vacancy, your covering letter/email is a key differentiator. An astonishing number of application letters are verbose, over written, or convey little additional appropriate information. Keep your covering letter brief, a maximum of one side of A4, but clearly state your case.

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 Source: Macdonald & Company