WRITING A STELLAR CV Having read your outstanding cover letter, firm representatives should want to know more about you – in other words, a brief summary of your work experience, extra-curricular activities and achievements in the form of a CV.
GENERAL TIPS
STRUCTURE
1. Be honest – don’t include anything that you could not discuss in detail during an interview.
Whilst the exact structure of your CV is a personal choice, it should definitely include the following information:
2. Use professional language – in particular, include action verbs like achieved, delivered, and attained.
1. Your Details: Name, address, phone numbers, and email address. You may also wish to include your LinkedIn profile address.
3. To calculate your Law WAM (referred to as ‘Course Weighted Average’ at Macquarie University): a. Write up a list of all of the LAW/ LAWS/LAWZ units that you have completed. b. Multiply the final mark for each graded of these units by the value of that unit in terms of credit points. c. Sum the resulting values (weighted marks). d. Divide the sum of the weighted marks by the total number of credit points that you have attained in LAW/LAWS/LAWZ units. 4. Keep it up to date – in general, leave out any content older than 4-5 years. 5. Be as brief as possible – this is a summary of the highlights, so keep your sentences short, use bullet points, and do not exceed 3 pages. 6. Tailor the information – relate your experience and achievements to the criteria in the job description – this shows HR that you’ve taken the time to consider and research the firm as a serious choice. 7. Be consistent in your formatting. We recommend Times New Roman or Arial in size 12 point. 8. Whilst narrowing the margins may help fit more content, ensure that your page still appears uncluttered. 9. Thoroughly proofread your CV, paying attention to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 10. Like with your cover letter, convert it to a PDF before you submit the file.
Macquarie University Law Society
2. Education (including any relevant achievements) a. Tertiary b. High School 3. Work/Professional Experience a. Company and Job Title i. Responsibilities ii. Key Achievements 4. Extra-Curricular Activities a. Society/Activity/Sport i.
Position Titles
ii. Achievements iii. Participation 5. Community a. Organisation i.
Brief explanation of the organisation if it isn’t well-known
ii. Positions held 6. Hobbies or Other Qualifications a. Hobbies b. Other Qualifications, such as a First Aid Certificate or Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificate. 7. References: most people do not provide these and state that they are ‘available upon request’. Firms do, however, like for them to be included. Include the name, job title, company, and a contact phone number.
Clerkship Guide 2016 | 17