WRITING A CURRICULUM VITAE by Samson Mwita

WRITING CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) /RÉSUMÉ

This is a written record of your education and the jobs you have done, that you send when you are applying for a job. A well-written, well-produced, appropriate CV/résumé is vital for getting you to the interview stage for job.

This is a very important document to be attached to your application letter because it sells you to your employer a forehand before he/she sees you in person. It also helps your employer to know how to treat you if he decides to offer you the job. So the skills for writing a CV are as much important as the skills for the application letter.

A CV must include among other things your personal particulars, educational qualification, working experience, other skills, experiences, interests, hobbies, the referees, etc it can be long enough depending on someone’s education and working profile but some scholars propose that it should not be longer than two pages if possible. It is also advisable to present yourself positively and accurately.

Make your CV attractive and easy to read: use capitals, bold type, spacing and underlining and don’t send a photo unless asked to.

COMPONENTS OF A CV

a.    PERSONAL PARTICULARS/DETAILS

Here you talk something about you in brief. Things to include are as follows though it is not binding that all these elements must appear in your CV.

a)      Surname.

b)      Other names (as they appear in your academic certificates)

c)      Sex (male/female)

d)      Age / Date of birth (Year of birth alone is also acceptable)

e)      Marital status(single/Married)

f)       Occupation  (your current job if any)

g)      Education (the highest level reached e.g. BA-ED hons)

h)      Year of graduation

i)        Nationality (Tanzanian)

j)        Religion (Christian/Muslim)

k)      Languages (fluent in ……)

l)        Contact address (including phone no and e-mail address if any)

b.    EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION/BACKGROUND/HISTORY

State your education history showing the schools/colleges you have attended. The common convention is that which begins from highest level to lowest. (From most recent to the oldest) E.g. beginning from University to Primary although some authors suggest that we omit primary school. E.g.

*YEAR	*Institution and qualification/awards
2011-2014	University of Dodoma (UDOM) Bachelor of Arts with Education. Second class (BA-ED)
2009-2011	Mwenge High School. Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE)
2005-2008	Mogabiri Secondary School. Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE)
1998-2004	Kenyamanyori Primary school. Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC)

  * You can omit the titles

It can alternatively be arranged as follows

*YEAR	*Institution	*qualification/awards
2011-2014	University of Dodoma (UDOM)	Bachelor of Arts with Education. Second class (BA-ED)
2009-2011	Mwenge High School.	Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE)
2005-2008	Mogabiri Secondary School.	Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (CSEE)
1998-2004	Kenyamanyori Primary school.	Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC)

c.    WORKING EXPERIENCE

This is also arranged just as much the same way as we arrange the education history. The difference comes in that here we don’t use qualification but rather position you held. It is also advisable that you say the duties you were doing, than simply the position.

*YEAR	*Institution  and Position
2011-2014	Teaching English in all classes and assisting as Academic master at Main Greenhill Secondary school
2009-2011	Teaching English/literature and assisting as the head of Language department and coordinator of English club and also assisted in school drama production at Mwenge High School.
2005-2008	Teaching English subject and coordinating the language department and later appointed as a Second master at Mogabiri Secondary School.

d.    OTHER EXERIENCES/INTERESTS/SKILLS/ HOBBIES ETC

Here you add other experiences, skills, interests and all the potentials you have whether academic or non-academic but which in one way or another may add value to your job. Some people separate skills with interests.  These include,

a.       Leadership,

b.      Computer knowledge

c.       Driving skills, entrepreneurship skills,

d.      Hobbies; singing, chatting, reading etc

e.       Interests in Community services and volunteering spirit.

Etc

e.    REFEREES

These are people who can give confirmatory remarks regarding the information you have given. They can be your former heads of schools or your former bosses. Get them informed when you use them as referees. Give their names, titles, contact address, and phone number.

A sample of a CV.

CURRICULUM VITAE (CV)

PERSONAL PARTICULARS

Surname               : Marwa

Other names         :  Samson Mwita

Nationality            : Tanzanian

Education              : Bachelor degree (BA-ED)

Religion                : Christian (Seventh - day Adventist)

Marital status        : Married

Languages        : Fluent in English and Kiswahili

Contacts           : P.O.BOX 11050

DAR-ES-SALAAM

0765656800/0712504704

Email-samwiterson@gmail.com

EDUCATION BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS

YEAR                INSTITUTION AND AWARD

2009-2012  :University of Dodoma (Bachelor of Arts with Education    (BA-ED)- Upper second 4.2 GPA)

2006-2008  :Mwenge High school advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination. ACSEE=DIV 1-4points)

2002-2005  :Mogabiri Secondary School Certificate of Secondary Education Examination CSEE =Div 1 -15 points)

1995-2001  :Kenyamanyori P/School Primary School Leaving Certificate (PSLC)

WORKING EXPERIENCE

YEAR            INSTITUTION AND POSITION

2013 - 2014  Maroroni secondary School (English teacher, assistant academic master head of language department, School secretary)

2012-2013       Main Grenhill Secondary school. (English & Kiswahili teacher)

OTHER EXPERIENCES, INTERESTS AND SKILLS

Ø  Computer literacy in Ms office, Adobe Photoshop, Logo creator, graphics design, etc

Ø  Writing educational and religious materials and participating in community services and church evangelism.

Ø  Entrepreneurship skills, drawing, blogging, reading, and sharing knowledge.

Ø  Interests in drama both acting and directing. (was a member of the university of Dodoma theatre group)

REFEREES

Peter Marwa

Headmaster,

Mwenge High School

0754545454

Mr Werema James

Senior Lecturer

University of Dodoma

0769075600

EXERCISE

Mr Joshua Marwa was born in 1984 in Tarime district. He attended Kibumaye Primary school from 1990-1996 and then joined Buhemba Secondary school for Certificate of Secondary Education Examination and completed in 2000. He was selected to join Mwisenge Technical High School for Advanced Certificate of Secondary education examination and graduated in 2002. He undertook a diploma course in Civil engineering at Kilimatinde Technical College from 2003 and completed in 2005. The next year he was employed at Uyole district as a district Civil Engineer where he worked until 2008. He applied for further studies at the university of Dar-es-Salaam in 2009 where he pursued Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. At the university he also learned other skills like driving, computer, well drilling, and video shooting. He graduated in 2013 and married the same year. He is now working for Samwiterson Construction Co as a Project Supervisor. He is fluent in Kiswahili and English. He likes reading, travelling, working in a team, and working with graphics.