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What is a CV

A curriculum vitae, often called a CV (from the Latin “curriculum vitae”), is a document that summarises an individual’s professional history. It is used to present the jobseeker to potential employers and is intended to convince them of his or her qualifications and suitability for the job.

What types of CVs we have

There are three basic types of resumes:

1. Chronological CV: This is the most common form of CV. It lists work experience in reverse chronological order, from most recent to oldest. This type of CV focuses primarily on work history and is therefore ideal for candidates with a continuous and coherent work record.
2. Functional CV: This type of CV focuses on skills and competencies rather than chronological work history. For this reason, it is an ideal choice for individuals who have gaps in their work history, are changing careers, or have little work experience.
3. Combined CV: A combined CV combines elements of a chronological and functional CV. This type of resume lists work experience in chronological order, but also gives emphasis to skills and accomplishments.

In this article we will focus on the form of the chronological CV, which is the most commonly used type. However, the information we provide here can be applied to other types of CVs as well.

Why not underestimate the CV

The CV is a key tool in the job search process and is essential for several reasons:

• First impression: the CV is the first document a potential employer sees. A well-crafted resume shows that you are diligent, organized, and seriously interested in the position. This significantly increases your chances of being invited for an interview.
• Presentation of skills and experience: a CV gives an overview of your education, work experience, skills and achievements. It allows you to highlight your most important skills and experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
• Targeted approach: you can tailor your CV to the specific job. This allows you to show how your experience and skills match the specific needs of the employer.
• Competitive advantage: A professionally written and structured CV can help you stand out from other candidates.

How to write a professional structured CV

A structured CV should be clear, concise and include all relevant information about your career, education and skills. So let’s take a look at the basic information to include and the principles to follow:

Basic information

Personal Information:

• Name,
• date of birth (optional),
• contact address,
• phone number,
• email address.

Introduction:

A short paragraph (3-4 sentences) about you that summarizes your career path, skills, and career goals.

Work Experience:

Start with your most recent employment and work backwards in time chronologically. Include the company name, position, dates of employment (month/year), and a brief description of the job and major responsibilities. Include key accomplishments and skills acquired in the position.

Education:

Start with the highest level of education attained and work backwards chronologically. Include high school, college and university degrees and any courses, retraining, etc. completed. Always include the name of the institution, the field of study, the date of graduation (month/year – month/year), and the degree earned, if applicable.

Skills:

• Technical skills (e.g. programming languages, computer skills).
• Soft skills (e.g. communication, teamwork).
• Language skills (indicate level of proficiency in each language).

Other information:

• Volunteering, membership of professional organisations, publications, conferences.
• Interests and hobbies (if relevant to the position).

References:

You may indicate that references will be provided on request or include contact information of persons who can recommend you.

Principles to follow

There are certain principles to follow when creating a CV. The main ones include:

• Clarity: the structure of the CV should be logical and easy to understand. If you follow the above structure, you have nothing to go wrong. Use a standard format and font such as Arial or Times New Roman in size 10-12. Highlight important information in bold. Use short sentences and bullet points to make it easier to read.
• Minimalism: Use a simple and clean design. Avoid unnecessary graphic elements and exaggerated colour combinations. Focus on what is essential. Omit information that is not relevant to the position.
• Relevance: your CV should always contain the most up-to-date information about your education, work experience and skills.
• Honesty: Provide truthful information about your skills, experience and education. Avoid exaggerating or misrepresenting facts. It might not pay off. If you have career gaps or other problematic points, be prepared to explain them during the interview.
• Relevance: only include relevant information. Omit details that are not relevant to the position.

What not to include on a resume

When writing a resume, it is important to avoid certain information and elements that may appear unprofessional or unnecessarily lengthen your resume. Personal information such as marital status, number of children, etc. should not be included in your CV. Unless the employer specifically requests a photograph, it is best not to include one so as not to detract from your qualifications and experience.

You should also omit irrelevant work experience that has no relevance to the position you are applying for. Only give reasons for leaving previous jobs if they are relevant and positive. Salary requirements should only be discussed during the interview or in further communication with the potential employer.

Also, do not include information about your medical condition on your CV unless it is directly relevant to the job. Personal interests and hobbies that have no relevance to the job should also be omitted. Mention only those that can positively influence your professional profile. Complicated graphics, bold colours or extravagant design can detract from the content and appear unprofessional, so avoid these as well.

Exaggerated or false information about your education, experience or skills is now very easy to spot. So be sure to avoid them. Use a professional email address, ideally in the format of jméno.příjmení@domena.cz, and avoid inappropriate or humorous email addresses that you used in primary school.

Finally, don’t give overly detailed descriptions of all your work assignments. Focus on key accomplishments and skills that are relevant to the position you are applying for. This will make your resume professional, relevant, and easy to read for potential employers.

What an employer may ask in an interview

Employers must follow certain rules when interviewing job applicants to protect them from discrimination and to ensure that their personal information is protected. So what can and cannot an employer ask?

What an employer can ask:

• Work experience and skills: questions about previous jobs, responsibilities, achievements, expertise and skills relevant to the position. They may also ask you about how you liked the job and why you quit, or what the two-year gap on your resume means.
• Motivation and interest in the position: Questions about why you want the position, what motivates you, etc.
• Future: e.g. a typical question about where you see yourself in five years. However, this question should only be about your career path, not your personal or family life.
• Availability: Questions about starting a job or availability for shift work or overtime.
• Eligibility: Questions about your eligibility to work, for example whether you have the necessary work permits (in the case of foreigners).

What an employer can’t ask:

• Personal, non-work-related questions: questions to find out your marital status, number of children and plans to start a family. Questions about pregnancy or plans to become pregnant are generally prohibited.
• Health: The employer cannot ask for information about an applicant’s health, except where medical fitness is essential to the job and is required by law.
• Political and religious beliefs: Questions concerning political opinions, religious beliefs, etc.
• Ethnicity, race and nationality: The employer may not ask questions concerning the ethnic origin, race or nationality of the applicant.
• Sexual orientation: Questions about sexual orientation are prohibited.

How to defend against inappropriate questions?

Just because some questions are inappropriate or outright prohibited does not mean that you will not encounter them in practice. But how do you defend yourself in such a situation?

• Stay calm and professional: Even if the question is inappropriate, try to remain calm and professional.
• Don’t answer: Politely decline to answer the question and explain its inappropriateness. For example, “I would like to stick to questions that relate to my qualifications for this position.”
• Answer generally or vaguely: You can also try to answer in general terms without revealing anything factual. For example, to a question about pregnancy, answer, “My personal plans will not affect my job performance.”
• Answer the question with a question: Confront the employer directly. For example, “May I ask how this information relates to my duties in this position?“
• End the interview: If the situation becomes uncomfortable and the questions are repeatedly inappropriate, consider ending the interview. Realistically, you wouldn’t want to work under such a person anyway, so there’s nothing holding you back in the interview.

Itis illegal to discriminate against job applicants, and questions about pregnancy or sexual orientation are considered discrimination. Therefore, you may want to continue to address the whole unpleasant situation to prevent the employer from discriminating in the future.

One option is to file a complaint with the State Labour Inspection Office. The Inspectorate will then inspect the employer and, if it finds that there is discrimination against employees or job applicants, it may impose a fine of up to CZK 1 million. The second option is to file an anti-discrimination lawsuit in court. The employer will then have to prove that there is no discrimination.

Summary

Creating a CV is a key step in the job search process. A well-crafted CV that is clear, concise and includes all the relevant information about your career, education and skills can significantly increase your chances of landing your dream job. When creating your resume, keep the information clear, minimalist, up-to-date, honest and relevant. Avoid unnecessary and unprofessional elements that may detract from your qualifications. Remember that a well-written resume is your calling card and the first step to success in the working world.