Writing your CV: Personal details

The personal details section seems like the simplest thing to get right on your CV but there are a few things to be aware.

• You are your own brand so make your name stand out with a larger font in bold.
• Your personal details should be on the top of the page or to the top left if using a column format with your CV.
• Don’t use take up too much space with your personal details. Use two lines maximum further to your name
• Don’t forget to include your name, address, phone number and email
• You may want to include your visa/nationality that shows you are eligible to work in the country for which you’re applying for work.
• IMPORTANT TIP: If you are applying for a role outside your area put (Will Relocate) in brackets next to the address listed. This will save you from being excluded immediately if they look at your address and see you are not commutable to where their office is. It can also help you get found with recruiters CV database searches.
• You should put a link to your Linkedin page (make sure it up to date and try and get as many written recommendations as you can). If you have an online portfolio of your work and your applying for roles that will want to see a portfolio you should add a link to it.
• There is no need to list information such as religion, health status, smoking status, relationship status, disabilities you may have, date of birth, sexual orientation, sex etc. The only time you should list such information if it works in your favor. e.g You might be Catholic and applying for a role at a Catholic school, you might be a smoker applying to a Tobacco company or be from the LGBT community applying for a a role with a LGBT magazine.
• Only put a photo if the job you are applying for asks for it or if it really does put you in a good light. It used to be a shock to see a photo on a CV although with today’s technology it is becoming more common.