It goes without saying that you need to check for typos but what else do you need to tick off when crafting the ultimate social work CV? Here are some of our top tips:
Layout
Beginning your CV with a professional profile overview is an opportunity for you to show your personality and set yourself apart from other candidates. This short paragraph should demonstrate your natural aptitude for social work and how your experience in the field has enhanced your capabilities.
Your next main section should highlight your core skills and qualifications, and should not be extensive but simply list those points most relevant to the job.
Your work history should be date-ordered - starting with your most recent experience – and briefly outline your responsibilities and any major achievements. Refrain from repeating similar points for different jobs and instead illustrate what was unique about each role. You may then choose to list your education following on from this section.
The layout of your social work CV should be kept simple, using professional fonts such as Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman and a font size no smaller than 11.
Tailor for the job
Are you including the right terminology and keywords? If the job description mentions emotional resilience as a key skill needed then either include it in your professional profile or weave it into your work experience. This makes sure that the person reading your CV identifies you as a suitable candidate for the job.
Use the STAR model
Saying that you have excellent organisational skills won’t prove anything to the recruiter or employer reading you CV - you need to evidence it. For each of your key skills, describe the situation, task, action and result (STAR). Here’s an example: “When working for company X I had 27 cases. To stay on top of all my clients’ needs, I devised my own caseload weighting system. As a result, I efficiently prioritised the clients’ and ensured they all received the care and attention they needed”.
Keep it concise
When you’ve written your CV, set yourself the challenge to cut it down to half the size. As brutal as it may seem at first, you will soon notice there are lots of sentences which can easily be shortened (like this one). Next, cut out lengthy descriptions of roles which are more junior or less relevant – focus on your recent experience. This will make for a snappier CV and hold the reader’s interest.
Now you’ve got a gleaming CV, it’s time to prepare for your social work interview.
Find your next Tradewind Recruitment Social Care
If you’re a qualified social worker and looking for your next role we’re here to help. We have a wide range of jobs – which you can view here – yet being a boutique agency we’re small enough to provide a personalised service for our candidates. Or if you’d like more information on upcoming opportunities contact us.