“So, talk me through your CV”

For all the innovation and technology that have revolutionised the job application process in recent years, one thing has never changed. As your interview begins, you can almost always expect to hear some variation of, “Can you talk through your CV?”

In a job interview, this first question is designed to encourage you to bring your CV to life. Answering this question will highlight which experiences in your own work history prove you’re suitable for the role. For those who answer badly, it may bring up the skeletons in your closet that will place you in the discard pile.  

If you’re a more experienced candidate with a more detailed CV, it can be hard to know where to start. Talking through a lengthy CV requires you to emphasise only valuable points in order to keep the interviewer’s attention. 

Preparation is key to ace this job interview first question. Follow my advice on how to expertly discuss your CV in an interview. Done well, you will highlight the skills, align your experience with the role, and get the interview off to the best start possible. 

Begin your story at the start 

At Hays, we advise candidates to talk through their CVs in chronological order, from back to front. Working from start to finish will help you to tell a coherent and positive story of professional development.  

Before the interview, check that your CV aligns with your online professional social media profiles, such as LinkedIn. The hiring manager will have researched both sources and may point out any inconsistencies between the two. 

As you talk through your CV, be sure to tell a brief story of your experience. Previous experience from a long time ago, or jobs with a short duration, don’t need as much of an explanation. Simply explain how each role led you to the next. Naturally, you will arrive at your current position and why you’re a great fit for the role you’re interviewing for. My examples below should demonstrate how to do this.

Decide which areas of your CV to focus on 

Certain parts of your work experience will be more relevant than others. Therefore, before the interview, I’d advise highlighting the areas that match the job description. Everything left unhighlighted doesn’t warrant as much attention. 

For instance, you may have spent three years studying Geography at university. Since then, you have had a position as a retail assistant for a year before working as a PA for two years. Now applying for an executive PA role, you need to devote more time to talking about your PA experience. That’s not to say you should avoid the other parts of your CV altogether. 

The parts of your CV to skim over 

The areas of your experience that aren’t as relevant to the job in question will still need a mention. Skipping over these parts could imply that you are trying to hide something. Briefly give a headline overview of your job title, and how you got to this position. For example: 

“After graduating with a 2.1 in Geography I was unsure of which career path to take. I chose a role which would help me to develop a broad range of experience and transferable skills. I knew I enjoyed contact with people, and an agency offered me a role as a retail assistant. That seemed like a useful starting point for me.” 

The parts of your CV you want to emphasise 

As you discuss the professional experience you do wish to highlight, give a brief overview of each role. Specify which responsibilities are most relevant to the job you are applying for. 

You won’t need to go into great detail about your skills and experience. There’ll be plenty of time for this throughout the rest of the interview, especially when asked competency-based questions. Highlight how you secured a given role, your key responsibilities relevant to the opportunity, and your reasons for moving on. For instance: 

“After one year of working as a retail assistant, I reflected upon the parts of my role that I enjoyed the most. This included multitasking and organisational tasks. Therefore, I decided to pursue a role which allowed me to do more of what I enjoyed on a daily basis. That’s when I joined my current employer as a PA. My responsibilities here include data managing and filing, taking meeting minutes and co-ordinating events and people’s diaries.  

After two years at this company, however, I have decided that I am now ready for the next challenge. I want to take on a role which offers a greater level of responsibility and accountability for one person’s affairs. For instance, managing a senior executive’s diary, co-ordinating their appointments and organising their correspondence. That’s why I am so excited to be interviewing for this role today.” 

Explain any gaps in your CV 

When preparing to talk through your CV, be ready to address any gaps. You don’t need to provide extensive detail, but you should explain how you spent any employment gap of three months or more. Career breaks are fine, as long as you can talk to the interviewer about how you stayed productive. For example, were you studying, managing family commitments, or travelling? For instance: 

“In between my roles at X and Y, I decided I wanted to go travelling to build up my cultural experience and increase my independence. Therefore, I went backpacking around Southeast Asia for three months.” 

Revise your own CV when preparing for an interview  

Discussing your CV may seem like the easiest job interview first question. Yet many candidates overlook this question when preparing for an interview. People assume they know their own story well. But, without planning, candidates risk a scattered, unclear delivery.  

Preparation is critical. Decide what to emphasise and how to present it. And remember to adapt your approach to the specific role and company at each interview. 

Hopefully, you will now feel more confident on how to effectively talk through your CV during an interview. If you present a concise and compelling overview of your background,  you set a strong tone for the rest of the interview. 

• “Why do you want this job?”
• “So tell me about yourself”
• “Tell me about a time you failed”