There’s no right or wrong way to write the perfect CV, but it should always be clearly formatted and tailored to the role you’re applying for. Your CV is your opportunity to make a positive first impression with recruiters and hiring managers, so taking the time to make sure your CV presents you in a positive light is time well spent.
What information should you include on your CV?
Personal Details
A key item in times like these is your contact details; this allows the recruiter to reach you promptly after you apply for a role and ensure that you are presented to opportunities quickly. It may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people forget to include their name, email and contact phone number. Instead of putting “Curriculum Vitae” at the top, you could use your name and make it larger, centralised and bold. Next should come your address, followed by your email address and contact number.
Personal Statement
Recruiters are often required to present candidate profiles as part of the submission process and a short personal statement is a key part when standing out from the crowd. It explains who you are, what you’re offering, and what you’re looking for. For example a personal statement for a B1 could read
‘I am a time-served aircraft maintenance engineer from a base maintenance environment with a current B1 license, my license is typed with A320-V2500 and B737-800, which I am current on; I also have my type rating for the Bombardier Q400 , however am not current. I am looking for an opportunity to work in Europe.
Work History
Starting with the most recent first, this is the most helpful section and with the changing requirements in security also helps JMC Aviation considerably when arranging airport security passes, therefore it is key that the dates in the CV are as correct as possible.
This section should include all of your relevant work experience; including your job titles, the name of the organisation, aircraft maintained, time in post, and your key responsibilities during the employment / assignment. Items key to the aviation sector at this point are if you have supported specific modification programs or conducted a number of service bulletins on specific aircraft.
Any extra information, such gaps in career history should also be included to assist with the application and security pass process further.
Education and Training
Your training / educational experience should be listed here, along with dates, the type of qualification and/or the grade you achieved – specific parts of your training that you include in your CV will depend on your role and the type of role you are looking for.
We will always interview you as part of the prequalification process against your experiences to support the application process further; this also helps significantly when matching an individual’s motivations to the environment within a particular client.
How should I create my CV?
Microsoft Word is the best platform for creating a CV, try and avoid using table layout, PDF and picture files where possible; this is cleaner and allows freedom for a recruiter to work with your CV prior to submission to a hirer.
To ensure readability of your CV and ease of navigation, you should always:
- Keep it short and concise – two sides of A4 will almost always suffice
- Choose a clear, professional font to ensure easy reading
- Lay it out in a logical order, with sufficient spacing and clear section headings (e.g. Work experience, Education)
- Order your work experience and training / education in reverse chronological order to highlight your most recent experience and achievements first
- Check your grammar and spelling thoroughly.
We are always willing to provide feedback on CV’s, if you would like to register your CV with JMC Aviation for future aviation opportunities please send your latest copy to team@jmc-aviation.com.