CV & Cover Letter

Writing a clear, concise CV is essential.

Before applying for contract work, you really should dedicate some time to maximising the impact of this essential document. 

Your CV should be 1 to 2 pages long - ideally 1 page - , no more and remember when you submit it to a prospective client your CV will consist of two documents, the CV itself and your covering letter.

We recommend that you create a generic CV - listing your past employers, skills and anything else which may help you get the edge on the competition. Of course if you see a contract role advertised which is of interest, you can always ‘amend' the core CV to highlight the skills that are relevant to the particular role you are after.

As a contractor your CV should be a little different to traditional ones for permanent staff. It should be more of a profile of your skills and less of a job-by-job countdown and personal record. So list your key skills and experience. List each of your previous contracts, and its length. Be sure to include the names of the organisations you've worked for, not the agencies. Give brief details of what the work involved, what your role was and what new skills you might have developed. Where appropriate, mention how your work has helped that organisation's success.

Personal details such as marital status and hobbies are not required. Do not list your rates leave this until after you've been selected for the contract. Let employers know when you'll be available.

Once you're happy with your CV and ask previous employers permission to provide references (2 references is usually enough).

Then focus on your cover letter. Most people use a cover letter to do nothing more than announces that they have enclosed their CV!  This is a wasted opportunity.  A cover letter should create a sense of anticipation for the reader, and leave them keen to read the CV. It needs to be short and concise. It is important because it can give you the edge over your competitors.