University of Manchester Careers Blog

Writing your CV can seem like a real chore but paying someone else to write it is not a good plan. Here’s why…

1  The Careers service offers a free service to help you write a CV

• There is a simple CV template to help you get started with formatting.
• A CV & LinkedIn guide to help you format and tailor it for the job you  are applying for
• Example CVs to see how other people have done this and the language they use.
• Daily 1-1 appointments to help you understand what the employer is looking for, and how to give strong evidence on your CV.

2 You need to adapt your CV to each job you apply for

Employers normally have their own list of what they are looking for in an employee for a specific role,  so one CV really won’t work. Imagine paying for 50 different CVs!

Avoid paying for CV writing services:

• It is unlikely to get you the bespoke CV you need, certainly not at a bargain price! You would need to spend 1-1 time with someone to write a CV from scratch.
• What qualifications or training does this person have. Is it even a person, is it a computer programme?
• Is the website reputable/secure – how sure are you that this is not a scam?

Avoid paying for proofreading: 

• Yes your CV should be free from spelling and grammatical errors, but this is a skill you need to learn to be employable.
• Have you checked what credentials or training your proof reader has?

Use with caution

CV templates ( eg. those in MS word or if you Google!)

• Not all are suitable for the UK job market.
• Some will help you with spelling and making sure your tabs and bullets are neat.
• Not all are aimed at graduate or University student level jobs, internships and placements.
• They can be very inflexible if you want to move information around.
• Most won’t tell you how to research the employer and job role to understand what is needed in your CV and how this will affect the layout and content.