Gap year CV example

Outlining education on a NOC engineer CV

While it tends to be less important than the previous CV sections, education can still set you apart if the competition is fierce. You can discuss school, college, and university courses, professional training, and memberships to governing bodies. Basically, anything that proves you have the fundamental knowledge to get the job done!

There are a few tips to keep in mind when fleshing out the details. Firstly, you don’t need to mention incomplete courses or bad grades – we doubt they’ll impress the hiring manager. Secondly, you only have a limited amount of space to play with, so you can leave out older qualifications (like GCSEs) if you’ve completed higher education (such as an undergraduate degree).

What does it take to become an NOC engineer? Most candidates complete a foundation degree, degree, or higher national diploma in a related subject, such as Network Engineering, Computer Science, or Software Engineering. Otherwise, you could search for apprenticeships or college courses that offer on-the-job placements.

When outlining your education, run through:

• Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level – e.g. GCSE or bachelor degree
• Qualification result

Example of education for an NOC engineer CV

What contact details should I include in my gap year CV

You may not believe this, but many candidates forget to add their contact details at the top of their CV. This is a surefire way to drop your employer’s interest, as it prevents them from contacting you. You want to make sure that they can reach you, so it’s important to note your information somewhere near the header, in a large or bold font. Make sure you include:

• Full name – first name and surname
• Location – including county and postcode
• Phone number – mobiles are best
• Email address – make sure it’s professional

Example of contact section for a gap year CV

Gap year CV personal statement

Are you looking to make a terrific first impression? Create a persuasive personal statement that sums up your most important achievements, skills, and qualifications. Hiring managers are looking for a candidate that wows them. However, it’s important to note that you won’t have a lot of words to do this in. You need to try and do this within three to four short sentences. But how can you cover everything so quickly? Check out the below formula.

Sentence one is all about introducing yourself. Explain your experience, your career focus, and give the employer a fast understanding of what you’re about. The second sentence should outline what you have achieved with real world evidence. Let’s say in your gap year you helped to restore a bombed church – this would be a great time to mention this!

Sentences three and four can explain any specialisms you have. It’s here you want to outline your special skills that will help to bolster your application.

Here are some other important factors for you to keep in mind:

• Write in the third person to sound more professional
• Keep to the word count between 50 and 100 words
• Keep the tone friendly but formal
• Use keywords and phrases from the job advert to catch the hiring manager’s eye

Example of personal statement for a gap year CV

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Work experience on a CV with a gap year

While you might lack direct work experience for a CV following your gap year, it’s vital to include all relevant work experience you’ve gained over the years! It is one of the first places where an employer will look, so you’ll need to make sure that it is cohesive and informative.

How can you format this section so that it catches the employer’s eye? You’ll need to list any relevant experience and note multiple responsibilities for each. Try to tailor this section so that the responsibilities you list line up with the job advertisement or required skills for the course you’re applying for. Make sure you include:

• Your job title or type of experience
• Start and end dates
• Company or organisation name
• List of key responsibilities
• Achievements or awards

As with your personal statement, it’s a good idea to add some real-world evidence. Make sure you include facts and figures that show the reader how effective you have been. For example, if you did charity work in your gap year, include details such as “helped to build a well that will give water to the local village”. Anything like this will act as an important talking point if you get a callback. Remember that being specific will only strengthen your application.

It’s also vital that you don’t add anything that is boring or repetitive. Ensure that each responsibility you include is relevant to the job you are applying for and that it strengthens the image of you as a candidate. You should focus on important skills that are transferable.

It’s also a good idea to use plenty of positive adjectives and action verbs to engage the reader. For example, you might be “punctual”, “collaborative”, or “creative”. Action verbs are anything you can use to replace “responsible for”. Some of the best ones to use are words such as “motivated”, “advised”, or “oversaw”.

Example of work experience for a gap year CV

CV skills after a gap year

When employers are short on time, they may skip right to the CV skills section of your CV. This is so that they can get a quick understanding of what you bring to the table. These keywords and phrases are going to ensure the reader that you have the transferable skills and direct experience needed for the position in question. We would suggest that you note around 12 skills in total – split between hard skills and soft skills.

For the uninitiated, hard skills are anything that you have gained through direct experience or through education. It could be “literacy”, “languages”, or “numeracy”. Soft skills, on the other hand, are anything personality-based. This means anything that paints a picture of you as a candidate. You could be “punctual”, “a great team player”, or “reliable”.

In short, you’ll need to list both to succeed. Experience is not important without a good character profile. By contrast, having a positive attitude is not a replacement for a lack of direct experience. By creating a balance of both, you will be able to show the employer that you are a well-rounded individual who excels in various settings.

Are you looking for some more ideas? Check out our lists for inspiration:

Get education right on your gap year CV

Your education section will act as a strong foundation for your CV. Although it’s important no matter what you’re applying for – it’s especially vital for a CV when you’ve had a gap year. This is the time to show that your educational background is stellar and that you have the brains to back up your application. You should discuss your school, college, and university courses, as well as any professional training you have had. In short, it’s anything that could set you apart from your competition!

However, there are some things to keep in mind for this section. You want to avoid mentioning any poor grades or incomplete courses as these won’t strengthen your application. You should also avoid any qualifications that aren’t relevant to the job you are applying for. You only have limited space here, so make sure that each qualification counts!

Always list your highest qualification first and explain the result you achieved. Since your work experience is likely to be limited, you can spend a little longer on this section to make sure that it truly shines.

When outlining your education, use the following format:

• Name of school, college, university or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level
• Qualification result

Example of education for a gap year CV