Create your master CV
Create a practical, adaptable reference document that will lay the foundation for winning CVs that are adapted for North America. You will use your master CV to record all your experience, skills and knowledge. Never send it to a recruiter without first adapting it.
Have you decided on your career objective?
You cannot write an effective CV without clear career objectives, such as the type of position, activity sector or company you’re targeting. Without clear objectives, your CV will appear unfocused and too general, and it won’t get recruiters’ attention.
Step 1: Make a list of your experiences
Write down all the relevant experience you’ve had. Be thorough and think management. Brainstorm and don’t censor yourself.
Examples (not exhaustive)
- Member of a professional group
- Volunteering, business volunteering, international cooperation
- Scholarships and awards
- Contests and competitions
- Professional experience
- Education
- Associations
- Interests and hobbies
- Supervised project
- Personal projects (e.g. entrepreneurship, fundraising, blog)
- University projects
- Publications and conferences
Step 2: Identify transferable skills that you can demonstrate
Think about your transferable skills and the highly sought-after skills in your field of interest. Then explain when and how you have demonstrated them.
Resourceful, able to work independently, leadership skills… Don't just list your transferable skills. You have to be able to explain when and how you have demonstrated them.
EXAMPLES
- Innovative thinker: Rearranged work stations to speed up product delivery.
- Team oriented: Have played on a hockey team on a regular basis for the past six years.
- Time management: Studied full time while working 15 hours a week in a customer service position.
Use the following step to further demonstrate your skills.
Step 3: Highlight your achievements
An achievement is something you have accomplished, either on your own or in a group, that yielded a tangible, valuable result.
You can present various types of achievements on your CV, be they professional, personal or related to associations, a school or your university.
See our examples of achievements and learn how to highlight your own.
Step 4: Sort
- Identify the achievements that best match your career objective, or that demonstrate that you have the right transferable skills, e.g., in innovation, leadership and communication.
- Define the headings for your master CV. Only select the ones you have something to write about.
- Place your achievements under these headings.
Step 5: Write
Assemble all the information and insert it into the layout of a document that you will later adapt to specific jobs.
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