How long has it been since you looked at your CV? Weeks, months, maybe even years? Or maybe you haven’t actually written one yet, and instead are finding yourself sitting down at a blank page, trying to work out what to write that will land you that perfect HGV driving job. If you’re looking for a new role, or trying to kick start your new career, then your CV is your strongest tool. But what needs to be included so that you can give prospective employers all the information they need, and the best chance of hiring you? Today, we’re going to tell you.
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First things first, who are you, and how does an employer get hold of you if they want to interview you? This is the most essential information, so you want to make sure it’s at the top of the page. You should include:
That’s it. Don’t be tempted to include your age, marital status of a photo of yourself – all of that only puts off hiring managers. Or worse, it can actually cause them to throw away your CV, because they give away prejudicial information that could influence the hiring decision. No company wants to be accused of this, so they often don’t even look at CV’s with this kind of information included.
This is your chance to shine. In your personal summary, you should tell your prospective employer (briefly) about you, and why you would be a good fit for their company. You can personalise this section to the job role and company you’re applying to, or you can leave it generic – it’s really up to you. In this section you should also talk about your work ethic, how your previous jobs have prepared you for the role, and how much you love being on the road and driving!
This is one of the most important parts of your CV. Here, you need to tell prospective employers all about your previous work experience. The best way to do this is in reverse chronological order, so starting with your most recent position and working backwards. Be sure to include:
Don’t worry if you don’t have any experience driving HGV’s. You can still use this section to cover what skills you’ve learnt in your previous roles that you could use in your new job as an HGV driver. For example, you could talk about how a certain role taught you time management skills or hitting targets on time.
Now if your time to shine. If you’ve just completed a qualification for HGV driving (Cat C, Cat C+E etc), this is where you put them. Again, it’s best to do this in reverse chronological order, so that you present the most recent qualification first. You’ll want to go back as far as your end of school qualifications (so GCSE’s or O Levels), along with any A-Levels, BTEC’s or degrees you may have.
Your CV is your first impression, so you want to make sure it’s perfect before you send it off. That means double and triple checking it for spelling and grammatical errors, and make sure you haven’t missed anything important out. You also want to make sure your CV isn’t too long. You don’t need to go on for pages and pages – just cover the essentials. 2 pages maximum is all you need, since you’re trying to convince them to bring you in for an interview, and not giving them your life history.
At The HGV Training Centre, we make it our job to help aspiring HGV drivers into their career. Our experts don’t just teach you how to drive HGV’s – we help you get jobs too! We will help you hone your CV and practice your interview skills, so you’re ready to go into the world of work as a driver. If you’d like to know more, just get in touch with our team today.
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