This is not an essential requirement for a CV but if used, it should provide a strong summary of your qualifications, experience,  key achievements and career objectives and address the essential requirements of the job for which you are applying. This helps recruiters and employers evaluate your application quickly. 

ODYSSEY TIPS

1. The profile should consist of 2-4 sentences or bullet points, the facts experessed conscisely without excessive or unnecessary detail.
2. The profile should be edited and updated for each job application where eligibility criteria vary.

Personal and Contact Information should be placed on the first page of your CV before or after your personal profile. The details required are:

1. Full Name and salutation (do include any relevant accreditations i.e. MRCP)
2. Date of Birth 
3. Nationality (and visa or work permit details where relevant)
4. Home Address
5. Contact Telephone Number (mobile, home & work)
6. Email Address (personal and work)
7. LinkedIn Profile ID (if applicable)
8. Preferred method of communication

ODYSSEY TIP

1. Ensure that the information is correct and up to date

List your qualifications with the highest level of qualification first and work backwards from there.

Details which should be documented about each qualification are:

1. Qualification name
2. Date of Award
3. Awarding institution
4. Dates of course attended to obtain qualification.

ODYSSEY TIP

1. A summary of a thesis for PhD or Masters degrees can be included in the qualifications section or alternatively you can add another section headed "Eduction" and list details under that heading.

List your employment / practise history or experience in reverse chronological order starting with your current or most recent job first and work backwards.

Details of employment required:

1. company / employer name
2. dates of employment
3. job title 
4. responsibilities and skills deployed

Employment gaps of one month or more should be listed and explained on your CV. Appropriate explanations include:

1. exam preparation
2. research or study
3. relocation and travel time
4. extended leave (provide the reason)
5. gap year (explain what you did)
6. illness

ODYSSEY TIPS

1. List responsibilities and skills in bullet form for ease of identification by the CV reviewer.
2. Align responsibilities and skills of current or recent job to the requirements of your job application.
3. Do not try to conceal employment gaps, always identify and explain any employment gaps longer than one month. If you have had a serious illness, explain your current health and likely impact of any physical or mental limitations on job performance. 

Publications can be highly relevant to job applications and should be included in your CV if appropriate.

Details Required:

1. Name of publication
2. Authors
3. Journal where published
4. Date of publication

ODYSSEY TIP

1. Large lists of publications can add excessive length to the CV and will in general not be read by CV reviewers or employers.
2. We would recommend listing the most relevant publications in the body of the CV and the remainder in an appendix which can be submiited and reviewed as required.

Details of research and audit projects should be added if relevant to the job application. A summary of each project should include the following information:

1. Title and Subject of the project
2. Institution 
3. Dates of project
4. Personel involved

ODYSSEY TIPS

1. Extensive details of resarch and audit projects can add excessive length to the CV and are often ignored by CV reviewers.
2. These should not be included in the body of the CV unless relevant to the specific job appliction. These details can be documented in an appendix for review at the discretion of the CV reviewer or employer. 

Attendance at conferences relevant to the job application can be added to the CV but only the most recent should be included. Details of papers presented can be included.

ODYSSEY TIPS

1. The tendency to list all conferences attended over many years or even an entire career should be resisted. Cumbersome lists of past events adds unnecessary bulk to the CV and nothing of tangible benefit to the job application. 
2. List only recent conferences and presentations which illustrate expertise in skills relevant to the job.

If appropriate,  provide evidence of  participation in programs essential to maintain professional registration or standards.

ODYSSEY TIPS

1. Whilst it is essential to show participation in activities which enhance and update skills and knowledge in relevant fields, a summary of these activities is more than sufficient.
2. Employers are not interested to read vast details and will ask for these in a separate document if they must be evaluated.

It is common practice to provide two or three professional references when applying to a new job. These should be from your current employer and either a previous employer or an academic reference. Most employers require references from recent employment, usually within the last 2 years and will not accept references which are older.

ODYSSEY TIP

1. Finish your CV with the phrase "References are available upon request" and provide the referee names and contact details to your recruiter. This avoids the prospect of an employer contacting your referees directly without notice or your authority.

Proof read your CV to check for spelling and grammatical errors, unexplained employment gaps, and other errors or ommissions.

Errors of fact, syntax or grammar can raise doubts over your attention to detail.

ODYSSEY TIPS

Use a spell check to quickly test for spelling errors. 

Cast a friend or colleague in the role of prospective employer to read the CV and discover errors or suggest improvments.

Cover letters are required by some employers but not all.  When required, the cover letter should be a targeted introduction of your application for a specific job summarising your suitability for the role. Cover letters will therefore need to be updated for each job application.

The cover letter should: 

address the selection criteria for the job

summarise your expertise and suitability for the job.

ODYSSEY TIPS

Cover letters should not exceed one page. If excessive, the CV reviewer will rapidly lose interest.

Do not include personal reasons for wanting the job.