Expert Guest Post: How to write a Photographer CV
Trying to write a CV is difficult at the best of times, but as a photographer, you’re going to experience a lot more obstacles than, say, people who work in a retail environment. The scope that the photography industry has is so vast, and it can be extremely difficult to make yourself stand out in such a competitive industry.
However, today we’re going to explore the way you can create the ideal CV to help you stand out from the crowd, allowing you to secure your next photography job, possibly kickstarting your dream career!
New Application, New CV
Always remember, just like with other careers and industries, you need to create a new CV for each vacancy that you apply for. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to start from scratch.
If you’ve already got an existing photographer’s CV, you will need to edit it to match your new application. A recruiter will know when you’ve sent out a generic copy.
In the Beginning
At the very top of your CV, you’ll want to include your personal details such as your name, your address, your email address and your best contact telephone or mobile number. This makes it easy for your recruiter to locate and identify your CV.
The Introduction
The first main paragraph of your CV will need to be titled something along the lines of ‘Professional Summary’. This is where you can introduce yourself as an individual. Remember, this will be your first impression so make sure you make an impact.
You might want to include the type of photographer you are, such as confident and skilled as well as how much experience you have in the industry and your knowledge and specialist skills with a camera.
Describe Your Work History
Most employers will want to see your work history. In many cases, you’ve either worked for a company or on a freelance basis where you’ve worked for multiple clients. If this is the case, only choose your most important clients or clients that relate most to the job that you’re applying for. There’s no need to list them all.
“When filling out your work history, it’s not essential to date your jobs which could be difficult if you had multiple clients. Instead, put your best achievements at the top and list in descending order.” – Sarah Watkins, a resume editor for Ox Essays.
Use Tools for Accuracy
Accuracy is everything when it comes to writing a CV. Here are several tools you can use to make sure your CV is perfect for your application.
Resumention: An online resume builder with templates and assistance of all things CV-related.
Via Writing: This blog is full of guides and resources for brushing up on your grammar skills.
CV Service: A writing agency that can answer all of your writing-related queries.
State of Writing: An online blog full of all things relating to writing such as proofreading guides and resources.
Word Count: A tool for actively tracking and monitoring your word count.
Boom Essays: A writing blog featured by the Huffington Post in Write My Essay For Me that can be used as a guide when writing your CVs.
Cite It In: A tool for adding professionally formatted quotes, references and citations to your CV.
EssayRoo: A professional writing service that can create your CV on your behalf from scratch.
Education & Interests
The final sections of your CV need to include your education and your personal hobbies. When it comes to education, employers will much prefer to hire someone based on their past experience but having a few qualifications that are related to photography won’t hurt your chances.
Regarding your hobbies and interests, this is up to you to design, but it’s worth catering these interests to the interests of the company that you’re applying for.
You might include any freelance work you’ve done on the side of your past job, any photography projects or competitions you’ve been involved in and other aspects of your life that are photography-related, perhaps running an Instagram page or blog.
This Expert Guest post is by Mary Walton
Mary Walton is an editor at Australian Help (australianhelp.com), an educational website for college students. Also, she blogs at SimpleGrad, resource on academic life. Mary helps business people improve writing skills and tutors at Academized, custom writing service.
If you are hoping to become a professional photographer or want to develop your career do look at our Focussed Professional Training