General Assistant CV example

Are you looking for a role as a general assistant? If so, you need a CV that highlights your impressive and varied skill set.

In our step-by-step guide below, you’ll learn how to showcase your transferable skills and relevant experience, to increase your chances of being invited in for an interview.

You can also check out our general assistant CV example for more inspiration.

 

 

 

General Assistant CV example

General Assistant CV 1

 

This CV example demonstrates the type of info you should be including within your General Assistant CV, as well as how to format and layout the content in a way which looks professional and is easy for time-strapped recruiters to read.

This is the look and feel you should be aiming for, so remember to refer back to it throughout your CV writing process.

 

CV builder

 

General Assistant CV layout and format

The format and structure of your CV is important because it will determine how easy it is for recruiters and employers to read your CV.

If they can find the information they need quickly, they’ll be happy; but if they struggle, your application could be overlooked.

A simple and logical structure will always create a better reading experience than a complex structure, and with a few simple formatting tricks, you’ll be good to go.

 

How to write a CV

 

Tips for formatting your General Assistant CV

  • Length: Two sides of A4 makes for the perfect CV length, though one page is okay for less experienced applicants. This forces you to make sure that every single sentence adds value to your CV and ensures you avoid unnecessary  info.
  • Readability: Help out time-strapped recruiters by formatting your CV for easy reading. Using lots of bullet points and lists will help them to skim through your info, while clearly formatted headings will allow them to navigate towards the content which is most useful to them.
  • Design: It’s generally best to stick to a simple CV design, as funky or elaborate designs rarely add any value to your application. A clear, modern font and a subtle colour scheme work perfectly and allow your skills, experience and achievements to speak for themselves.
  • Photos: Profile photos or aren’t a requirement for most industries, so you don’t need to add one in the UK – but if you do, just make sure it looks professional

 

Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of their eye-catching professional CV templates.

 

CV formatting tips

 

 

CV structure

To make it easy for busy recruiters and hiring managers to digest your CV, divide the content into several key sections when writing it:

  • Contact details: Always list your contact details at the very top to avoid them being missed.
  • Profile: Start with an introductory paragraph that catches recruiters’ attention and summarises your offerings.
  • Work experience/career history: List your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current position.
  • Education: Provide a concise summary of your education and qualifications.
  • Interests and hobbies: You can include an optional section to showcase any hobbies that demonstrate transferable skills.

Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.

 

Contact Details

Contact details

 

Begin by sharing your contact details, so it’s easy for employers to give you a call.
Keep to the basics, such as:

  • Mobile number
  • Email address – It should sound professional, with no slang or nicknames. Make a new one for your job applications if necessary.
  • Location – Simply share your vague location, for example ‘Manchester’, rather than a full address.
  • LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Remember to update them before you send your application.

 

General Assistant CV Profile

Recruiters and hiring managers are busy, so it’s essential to catch their attention from the get-go.

A strong introductory profile (or personal statement, for junior candidates) at the top of the CV is the first thing they’ll read, so it’s a great chance to make an impression.

It should be a short but punchy summary of your key skills, relevant experience and accomplishments.

Ultimately, it should explain why you’re a great fit for the role you’re applying for and inspire recruiters to read the rest of your CV.

 

CV profile

 

CV profile writing tips:

  • Make it short and sharp: When it comes to CV profile length, less is more, as recruiters are often time-strapped. Aim for around of 3-5 persuasive lines.
  • Tailor it: Recruiters can spot a generic, mass-produced CV at a glance – and they certainly won’t be impressed! Before you write your profile (and CV as a whole), read through the job advert and make a list of any skills, knowledge and experience required. You should then incorporate your findings throughout your profile and the rest of your CV.
  • Don’t add an objective: If you want to discuss your career objectives, save them for your cover letter, rather than wasting valuable CV profile space.
  • Avoid generic phrases: Clichés like “blue-sky thinker with a go-getter attitude” might sound impressive to you, but they don’t actually tell the recruiter much about you. Concentrate on highlighting hard facts and skills, as recruiters are more likely to take these on board.

 

Example CV profile for General Assistant

Dedicated General Assistant with 8+ years’ experience providing cleaning and patient support services at assisted living homes and care homes for elderly people. COSHH Certified cleaner with proven success in implementing systems and adapting schedules to improve productivity. Excellent communicator and patient support provider back up by regular positive feedback from residents, colleagues, and families.

 

What to include in your General Assistant CV profile?

  • Experience overview: Recruiters will want to know what type of companies you’ve worked for, industries you have knowledge of, and the type of work you’ve carried out in the past, so give them a summary of this in your profile.
  • Targeted skills: Employers need to know what skills you can bring to their organisation, and ideally they want to see skills that match their job vacancy. So, research your target roles thoroughly and add the most important General Assistant skills to your profile.
  • Key qualifications: Be sure to outline your relevant General Assistant qualifications, so that anyone reading the CV can instantly see you are qualified for the jobs you are applying to.

 

Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.

 

Core skills section

In addition to your CV profile, your core skills section provides an easily digestible snapshot of your skills – perfect for grabbing the attention of busy hiring managers.

As General Assistant jobs might receive a huge pile of applications, this is a great way to stand out and show off your suitability for the role.

It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points and be made up of skills that are highly relevant to the jobs you are targeting.

 

Core skills section CV

 

Important skills for your General Assistant CV

Communication – Communicating effectively with residents, family members, and staff members.

Administering Care and Medication – Paying close attention to details when providing care and administering medication.

Compassion – Showing empathy and compassion to residents and their families.

Challenging Situations – Remaining patient and calm in challenging situations.

Record Management – Organising and maintaining resident records, schedules, and medication logs.

Cleaning and Sanitisation – Utilising knowledge of cleaning and sanitising procedures to maintain a clean and safe environment.

 

Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.

 

CV builder

 

Work experience section

Recruiters will be itching to know more about your relevant experience by now.

Kick-start this section with your most recent (or current) position, and work your way backwards through your history.

You can include voluntary and freelance work, too – as long as you’re honest about the nature of the work.

 
Work experience
 

Structuring each job

Lengthy, unbroken chunks of text is a recruiters worst nightmare, but your work experience section can easily end up looking like that if you are not careful.

To avoid this, use my tried-and-tested 3-step structure, as illustrated below:

 
Role descriptions
 

Outline

Begin with a summary of your role, detailing what the purpose of your job was, who you reported to and what size of team you were part of (or led).

 

Key responsibilities

Next up, you should write a short list of your day-to-day duties within the job.

Recruiters are most interested in your sector-specific skills and knowledge, so highlight these wherever possible.

 

Key achievements

Lastly, add impact by highlight 1-3 key achievements that you made within the role.

Struggling to think of an achievement? If it had a positive impact on your company, it counts.

For example, you might increased company profits, improved processes, or something simpler, such as going above and beyond to solve a customer’s problem.

 

Sample job description for General Assistant CV

Outline

Provide personalised care for 20 elderly residents and support clinical staff at a small, residential elderly care home in Greater Manchester

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide emotional support and companionship to residents and their families by engaging in conversations and activities with them
  • Assist in serving meals to resident and cleaning up afterwards
  • Operate laundry equipment and ensure residents’ clothes were washed on time
  • Complete daily cleaning of residents’ rooms, common areas, and bathrooms

 

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

 

 

Education and qualifications

At the bottom of your CV is your full education section. You can list your formal academic qualifications, such as:

  • Degree
  • GCSE’s
  • A levels

As well as any specific General Assistant qualifications that are essential to the jobs you are applying for. Note down the name of the qualification, the organisation at which you studied, and the date of completion.

 

Hobbies and interests

The hobbies and interests CV section isn’t mandatory, so don’t worry if you’re out of room by this point.

However, if you have an interesting hobby, or an interest that could make you seem more suitable for the role, then certainly think about adding.

Be careful what you include though… Only consider hobbies that exhibit skills that are required for roles as a General Assistant, or transferable workplace skills.

There is never any need to tell employers that you like to watch TV and eat out.

 

CV builder

Once you’ve written your General Assistant CV, you should proofread it several times to ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.

With a tailored punchy profile that showcases your relevant experience and skills, paired with well-structured role descriptions, you’ll be able to impress employers and land interviews.

Good luck with your next job application!