CV and Resume
A CV, or Resume, is a document that employers use to screen job applicants. The document should provide a brief but accurate account of your professional and educational history. Most employers expect fresh graduates to limit their CVs to a single A4 page.
Clear and well-formatted documents will instil confidence in potential employers. The following sections should be included in your CV:
Personal details
Details such as your full name, correspondence address, email address and contact number should be listed prominently. Date of birth is optional, but you should not include your ID card and passport numbers.
Example:
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CHAN Tai Man Contact number: 9XXX XXXX Email address: chantm@gmail.com Corresponding address: Room X, Y/F, No. 567 ABC Road, Hong Kong. |
Expert tip! Use a proper email address in your CV. Casual names (e.g., happybaby@xyzmail.com) may come across as unprofessional. Make sure the email address is reachable before including it in your CV.
Professional summary
Your professional summary is a short bio that introduces you to the reader. This section sums up your best qualifications and explains your ideal career path.
Education
List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent qualification first. Include all qualifications you’ve earned and those you’re pursuing.
Example:
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Education Bachelor of Education in History | 3.6 GPA | 2020 The Education University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) | 2016 Attained 5** in History and 4 in English Language |
Expert tip! For HKDSE results, only list your better scoring subjects or those relevant to the position that you are applying for.
Work experience
Detail all your practical work experience so your prospective employer can see your career path, including, full-time and part-time employment, internships, research projects, lab work, volunteer work, and field experience.
Include the job title, the name and location of your employer, and employment dates. Below the job title, list two to three bullet points that explain your job duties.
Example:
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Work experience Volunteer Teacher | 2019-2020
Student helper | 2018-2019
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Achievements / Extracurricular activities / Awards (Optional)
You may include some outstanding achievements made in the past. Ideally, the achievements and awards should be relevant to the position you are applying for.
Example:
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Awards Dean’s Honour List, Faculty of Liberal Studies and Social Sciences, The Education University of Hong Kong (2020) |
Skills and abilities
Skills and abilities can make you stand out from other applicants. State expected skills related to software and language, and unique skills that are relevant to the position. You may add licences.
Example:
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Skills and abilities Software: MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); MS Teams; ZOOM. Languages: Cantonese (native), English (fluent written and spoken) and Mandarin (fair). Licences: Class 9 vehicle licence |
Expert tip! Be precise when describing your skills and abilities as employers may test your proficiency.
Referees
Most job ads will ask you to list at least one referee. A referee is someone who can provide background on your skills, knowledge, and experience such as an employer or university teacher. Include the name, title, affiliation, email address, and phone number of your referee.
Example:
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Referee Dr. Peter Chan Assistant Professor, Department of History The Education University of Hong Kong Email address: peterchan@eduhk.hk Phone: 2948 8888 |
Expert tip! Make sure you have sought a person's permission before listing them as a referee. It's also good practice to send them a copy of your CV so they have a ready reference if someone asks about you.
Availability and salary
Many job ads ask applicants to include their earliest start date and expected salary. Include both but do some research on the salary range before offering a figure.
Example:
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Availability: Immediate Expected salary: HK$16,000 (Negotiable) |