A good CV should be short and specific. It is a 1- to 3-page presentation of you: your career path, personality and aspirations. Your retail appeal and professional specialization must stand out at a glance. Don’t forget that the recruiter needs to understand your service offer right away.
NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Always start with your first and last name. Then come your address, telephone number, cell number and e-mail address.
Get an answering machine or voice-mail if you haven’t already done so, so that interested companies can leave you messages. Note: avoid quirky greetings; stick with messages that are neutral and clear, as you would do for your voice-mail at work.
EXAMPLE:
| Julie Martin 2302 Des Érables Sherbrooke, Quebec J1E 2R1 Tel: 418-111-1111 Cell: 418 222-2222 julie.martin@xxxx.ca |
SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE
Summarize your retail experience in a sentence or two, making sure to highlight the link with the job you are currently seeking. If you have little experience, this heading is not required.
EXAMPLE:
| 15 years’ experience in customer service and sales for prestigious clothing boutiques |
CAREER OBJECTIVE
Particularly useful when you are switching careers, this heading lets you specify your professional ambitions in a few words, but is not required.
EXAMPLE:
| Career objective |
To become the store manager of an outdoor goods store
|
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
As its name indicates, it is a summary of qualifications using key words: main skills, personal qualities, language skills, etc. Don’t forget that soft skills are now as important to employees as what you know.
You can also include professional titles, membership in a professional association or which software you know.
The purpose of this heading is to clearly show how your profile matches the target job, so focus on those qualifications that have a definite impact on your future job.
EXAMPLE:
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Use this section to detail the key points of your various jobs, from the most recent to the oldest. Pay particular attention to the experiences useful for the job you want. Specify your performance, initiatives, achievements, main tasks, etc.
EXAMPLE:
| 1999-2006 Sales advisor Company XXX – Edmonton, Alberta |
|
EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
If you have a university degree, you don’t have to mention your high school education, unless it’s relevant for the job you are applying for. Specify your last diploma and your professional development training, which is particularly important in the retail sector.
EXAMPLE:
|
2002 “Managing a team”
3-day professional training – YYY Institute |
|
2003 “Selling in stores”
7-day internal professional training – Company AAA |
|
1995 High school diploma
XXX School, Vancouver
|
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
Don’t neglect this section, as volunteer work can shed light on your personality and help to convince the employer of your merits. If you don’t have a lot of experience, it can enhance your CV.
EXAMPLE:
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HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
Employers use this heading to know you better. Your personality and how well you share the company’s values will have a big impact on the selection process, so this section can pull a lot of weight. Be concise, though, and focus on things that are linked to your objective. If you’re looking for a job as a salesperson in a sporting goods store, for example, practising a sport is an excellent asset.
EXAMPLE:
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