THE ULTIMATE CV FORMAT GUIDE FOR NIGERIAN JOB SEEKERS

After finding your dream job, now you have to construct a professional cv in other to land the job. Be it the first job you are seeking or you are a worker with years of working experience, you have to determine which cv/resume format works best for you. Belo are the three major cv formats for job seekers in Nigeria.

1. Chronological CV Format
2. Functional CV Format and
3. Combination CV Format.

THE CHRONOLOGICAL CV FORMAT

The chronological Cv format is the most common CV format choice for most job seekers, this CV format places your work experience at the front and centre. This is best for applicants with several years of woring experience. 

A chronological CV or Resume, also referred to as the reverse-chronological CV format, is bread-and-butter resume format of choice for most Nigerian job employers. The chronological CV format clearly shows your career history and progression at a glance - where you were employed, the positions you’ve held, and for how long.

The Advantages Of The Chronological Cv Format For Job Seekers

The chronological CV/Resume format works best for the following set of job seekers

• Nigerian Job seekers with a long work history and experience and track record of accomplishments.
• Job seekers applying to large/multi-national companies, as job recruiters are familiar with the format and prefer it to other cv/resume formats.

The Disadvantages Of The Chronological CV Format For Job Seekers

• This CV format makes gaps in your work history easily noticeable.
• The chronological CV format is not convenient if you are applying for a position in a field you have little or no work experience before.
• This CV format is not good for entry-level/fresh job applicants as the format shows your lack of experience at a glance.

Major components of a Chronological CV/Resume

This CV format contains the following sections:

• Header

Center-align this at the top of the page and include your contact information. Insert your name (starting with your surname), location (city and state), email address and phone number.

• Professional Summary

Briefly summarize your professional/job qualifications and what type of job position you’re seeking, example; "Certified elementary secretary seeking secretarial positions in company XYZ" or "Experienced Plumber seeking a position that utilizes my knowledge and repair skills in a commercial or residential environment."

• Work Experience/History

Summarize your past job history/experience(s) in reverse-chronological order. Start with the most recent job experience and go back about 4-10 years, depending on how many jobs you’ve had. This is the best CV format for people who have held long-term job experience and worked for multiple employers. Chronological CVs that include measurable achievements in the section standout to job employers.

• Skills

Summarize you skills and your capabilities relating to the job opening your applying for.

• Education

List your academic qualifications with the year of graduation and where you earned them.

Below is pictorial example of a chronological CV/Resume

THE FUNCTIONAL CV FORMAT

A functional CV format focuses on what a job seeker is good at over what you’ve accomplished. Work history is still provided, but it’s primarily a list of job titles and employers.

The Advantages Of The Functional CV Format For Job Seekers

The functional CV works best for the following set of job seekers in Nigeria

• Job seekers who do not have a lot of years of job/work experience.
• Job seekers who don’t have the exact work experience required for the position they are applying for.
• Job applicants with gaps in their work history/experience or candidates returning to the workforce after some time off.
• Job seekers who are transitioning into a new career.

The Disadvantages Of The Functional CV Format For Job Seekers

The functional Cv has some set of draw backs for job seekers;

• This CV format could cause job employers to believe you are purposely excluding employment history details.
• Hard to see career/work progression and development in the format because of the lack of emphasis on work history.
• Job applicants in traditional fields don’t fare well with this format because hiring managers are looking for additional specific information in CV.

Major components of a Functional CV

This CV format contains the following sections:

• Header

The top of a functional CVs are should contain your full name (starting with your surname), city, state, professional functional email address and phone number.

• Summary Statement

Keep it brief, your summary statement should tell in a nutshell you capabilities which must be rlated to the job you’re seeking also use it to briefly summarize your qualifications and the position you are seeking and why.

• Summary of qualifications

This section of the CV should contain the summary of your qualifications which should be related to the job opening. You can skip this section if you do not have any relevant qualifications

• Work Experience

This section of the CV outlines your major qualifications for the job opening you are applying for. This should be a concise bulleted list with a short explanation of the skill or achievement.

• Work History

The section of the CV is vastly different from the chronological CV format. List the job title, how long you worked there, the company name and its location.

• Professional Skills

This is the focal point of a functional CV. It should be closely tied to the skills mentioned in the job opening.

• Education

List your academic qualifications with the year of graduation and where you earned them.

Below is pictorial example of a Functional CV

THE COMBINATION CV FORMAT

A combination CV involves the best of two formats - the functional skills-focused approach and the chronological work experience approach. The combination, sometimes called hybrid, resume works well for job seekers who have lots of relevant work experience, strong skills and accomplishments.

The Advantages of the Combination CV Format for Job Seekers

The combination CV works best for the following set of job seekers in Nigeria

• Job seekers with many years of work experience/history, strong skills and accomplishments or who have worked for the same employer.
• Senior executive job applicants that require highly-specialized skills.
• Job seekers seeking a career change, as it givesthem that leverage in pointing out transferable skills.

The Disadvantages Of The Combination CV Format For Job Seekers

The combination CV works best for the following set of job seekers in Nigeria

• Resume/CV page length can become a problem as this format can easily go beyond the recommended two pages.
• Writing in this format can easily lead to repetition in the skills and work history sections which can be a turn off for job employers.
• Though it is great for a career change, this CV format exposes job hopping and employment gaps to employers.

Major components of a Combination CV

This CV format contains the following sections:

• Header

This includes your contact information. Provide your name(surname first), location (just city and state), business-professional email address and phone number.

• Professional Experience

This section of the resume is for your work experience. List the company, job title or position held and how long you worked there with bullet points underneath that mention key responsibilities and most importantly measurable achievements.

• Qualifications Summary/Skills Section

This resume section should highlight your current job title, job position and key skills and responsibilities.

• Education/Credentials

Just like the other two formats, the education section is found at the bottom of your resume. List relevant degrees and where you earned them.