How to Write an Irish CV

Your curriculum vitae (CV) serves as your first impression to a prospective Irish employer. Get it wrong, and it could also be the last impression you’ll ever make. Thus, it pays to know how to make a CV Ireland if you want to land a job in this highly developed northern European country. Use the tips below to craft a winning Irish CV.

How to make a CV Ireland: Formatting tips

In developing your Irish CV, you need to give the process the attention it needs to ensure a pitch-perfect application. From the layout and overall appearance to the grammar and spelling to the content, you can’t afford to be careless with any aspect of your Irish CV. Here are some basic CV Ireland writing tips to keep in mind:

• Use white A4 paper for your CV, and limit the length to two pages.

• Include only professional information relevant to the job you’re applying for. The more relevant the info, the more qualified for the job you’ll appear in the eyes of recruiters.

• Use clear, contemporary, and easy-to-read fonts like Helvetica, Cambria, Calibri, Georgia, and Arial. Keep your application clear and concise, with adequate white space for better readability.

• Stay consistent and use only one font for your entire CV. Keep the size between 10 to 12 pts., and limit font variations such as bold and italics to a minimum.

• Use active verbs to make your sentences more engaging and impactful.

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation must be completely error-free, so read your CV over and over until you are satisfied with the quality. If in doubt, ask a friend who’s good in English to review your CV for any errors you may have missed.

What to include

Like any good dish, your CV in Ireland has to have all the right ingredients for a five-star application. Below is a list of an Irish CV’s must-have sections, along with a few important tips on how to write them.

1. Header

The first pieces of personal information that Irish recruiters should see on your CV are your name and contact details, which should include your phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile link. Make sure your contact details are accurate—you don’t want to end up not getting a response only to discover you gave them the wrong number. Make sure your email address appears formal and business-like. Use the example below as a guide for your Irish CV header.

Anthony Malloy

Automotive Technician

+43-567-6564

anthonymalloy@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/anthonymalloy

2. Professional summary

As the tone-setter for your Irish CV, your professional summary should encapsulate why you are the perfect candidate for the job. Use your professional summary to highlight your most impressive skills and biggest on-the-job achievements, as well as state the goals that you want to achieve for your job and the company. Here is an example:

Registered nurse with more than five years’ experience in the healthcare industry seeking a similar position when I relocate to Texas with my family in August. A regular Nurse of the Month awardee, I am eager to apply my vast experience and training as part of your good hospital. You can expect me to be a diligent employee who will uphold the exemplary reputation of your establishment.

3. Work History

List your work history (aka work experience) in your CV Ireland in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. Include the name of the company, the length of time you worked there, your job title, and responsibilities. Enumerate your responsibilities using bullet points, and state your achievements in a quantifiable manner, because recruiters love seeing solid numbers that back up your success at your previous jobs.

The Irish Bank - Bank Teller II

February 2009 – March 2020

• Balanced and maintained ATMs, as well as Teller Cash Dispensers/Recyclers, delivering accurate financial reports ten years in a row.

• Processed counter transactions for clients including withdrawals, deposits, checks, loan payments, and more, averaging 20 transactions completed per hour.

• Responded to customer account inquiries in a prompt and courteous manner, earning the trust of multiple clients and receiving a total of 154 client commendations throughout my 11 years of employment.

4. Skills

In your skills section, you have to make it instantly obvious that you have what it takes to be an effective employee. You can make this happen by carefully reviewing the job posting and how they use certain terms and keywords, and include them in your Irish CV exactly the way the employer wrote them. For instance, if the posting requires someone who is “content writing,” with “social media management” and “Microsoft Office Suite,” you should mention these terms in your skills section in similar order. Here is a sample:

Key skills include:

Content Writing: Written numerous articles ranging from automotive, law, home improvement, healthcare, and music, among many others.

Social Media Management: Well-versed in use of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube

Microsoft Office Suite: Adept with the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook

5. Education

Most employers are only interested in tertiary education, so unless required, only include college-level education in your CV in Ireland, as well as any post-graduate degree, if you have any. Also, include in your CV any pieces of training and courses that you have taken that are related to the job you’re applying for. When listing your education, include your degree, the name of the school, its location, and graduation date, although not necessarily in that order. Add any special academic accomplishments, such as a 3.5 GPA or higher. Here is an example for your reference.

2020 – Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Xavier University, Manila, Philippines

• 3.9 GPA

• Outstanding Student Leader Award 2019

• Magis Awardee for SY 2018

6. References

References are character witnesses who can speak positively about your reputation. It goes without saying that you need to pick your references for your CV in Ireland wisely. Don’t choose people who have the same surname as you, because relatives and family can appear biased in a recruiter’s mind. Instead, look for managers and mentors with whom you have worked in the past. This is important because you will be including their job titles, and you want your reference list to be impressive. Aside from their job titles, make sure to include the name of their company, business address, phone number, and email address, like this example:

Elizabeth Barstow - Marketing Manager

Devlin Developers Inc., Anzac Ave., Auckland CBD, New Zealand

(623) 733 9246

lizbarstow@devdev.com

Make sure to get their permission and let them know that they should expect a call from a potential employer. That way, they won’t be surprised by the call and end up answering questions about you unprepared.

Let Resumeble handle your CV writing needs

With Resumeble’s help, you no longer have to worry about how to make a CV Ireland. Choose us to handle your Irish CV format for you to ensure an application document that will get noticed by Ireland’s recruiters and hiring managers. Aside from CV writing, we also offer resume writing, LinkedIn write-up, cover letter for CV Ireland, and more. Reach out to us today to inquire about our services.