- 13th September 2017
CV advice for Maritime job vacancies
The purpose of your CV is to summarise your professional experience and qualifications as well as impress your potential employer.
This CV advice is to help all applicants looking for a career in the Maritime industry from commercial shipping positions to yacht brokers.
Things you should include in your CV:
- Your contact details, such as; your address, email address and main phone number.
- Your education and qualifications. This can also include any knowledge you have developed or key achievements.
- Your employment history – this should focus on key responsibilities and highlight your skills and strengths.
- Any previous work experience, this can include anything from volunteering to work shadowing.
Things you should not include in your CV:
- Your age or date of birth.
- An unprofessional email address.
- Any previous or current salary information.
- Reasons why you left your previous company or position.
Layout
When you are creating or updating your CV, it is best practice to start with a small introductory paragraph giving the employer a quick overview of your experience, skills and qualifications.
Next you can put your employee history or qualifications, depending on what you feel is more relevant when applying to the job role.
For example, if you have just completed a degree in Maritime Science and are looking for your first Maritime position, it is more beneficial for your employer to understand what you have studied, any projects you have undertaken and work experience you have completed during university.
Whereas, if you have had several jobs in the Maritime industry and are looking for your next step, employers are more interested in your recent employment history and responsibilities.
Your employment history should be in reverse chronological order, ensuring your most recent role is at the top.
Each employment entry should include; the company, job title and how long you were in that role. You should also provide a small paragraph about the company and some of the responsibilities you had when you were in that position.
When applying for a job in the Maritime industry, you need to ensure you include any related qualifications and experience you have. For example, this could be STCW or previous seagoing experience.
Finally
- Always ensure you are being honest in your CV.
- Achievements are very important as they show that you were effective in the role.
- Make sure that you can talk knowledgeably about what you include on your CV.