Additional Information on Your CV: A Guide

Types of Additional Information to Include on Your CV

There are various types of additional information you can add to your CV to give you the edge over other applicants and help convince hiring managers you’re right for the job. Take a look at the sections below to see what information you can use to prove your credentials:

Certifications, Training and Licences

Any type of certification, training or licence that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for can be useful to include in your CV. These can supplement the main qualifications in your education section and show you’ve gained a strong skill set, while possessing a proactive approach to learning and career development.

Consider adding any certifications and licences required for your job, or any that can help show you’re well-qualified for the position. If you have any certifications from accredited institutions such as the Project Management Institute or the Institute of Chartered Accountants, these can be particularly powerful. You might also consider adding short courses and online certifications, such as IT skills training, health and safety, customer service or any other relevant courses you’ve attended.

Achievements and Awards

If you’ve received any awards during your career, these can show employers you’ve reached a high level and been recognised by your peers or industry experts. Industry-based awards or awards from professional associations are particularly powerful, as these show you’ve reached a level of expertise and achievement in your chosen industry. You might also consider adding a section for your various career achievements and milestones, if you haven’t mentioned these elsewhere in your CV.

Relevant Hobbies and Interests

Hobbies and interests can be particularly useful for your CV if you lack work experience or you’re applying for an entry-level role. Think about any hobbies or interests you have that use the key skills required for the job, or that have helped you develop knowledge in your chosen industry. For example, pottery, drawing or photography can show you have a creative mindset, patience and an eye for detail, while playing for a local sports team can show teamwork, commitment and resilience.

Every section of your CV should be well-structured, with the content focused on showcasing exactly why you’re right for the role. The additional information section is no different.

Languages

Language skills can give an edge over other candidates in plenty of different industries. Regardless of whether this is listed as a requirement in the job description, speaking a foreign language can showcase various skills to set you apart from other candidates. Mention the languages you speak (not including your main language) and your level of proficiency. If you know the official CEFR level of your skills in speaking, reading and writing, it’s useful to mention these.

Volunteer work

Voluntary work is perfect for your CV if you don’t have much real-world work experience. These unpaid roles can help you showcase valuable skills and experience to employers that you might not have yet gained in the world of paid work. Even if you’re experienced in your field, there’s merit to listing volunteer positions because they can show your dedication and commitment to wider causes.

Best Practice for Including Additional Information

Follow the guide below to create a CV with additional information that really makes an impact with recruiters and hiring managers:

Creating a Clear and Concise Additional Information Section

Clarity is essential for your additional information section. This applies to both the presentation and content. Every section of your CV should be well-structured, with the content focused on showcasing exactly why you’re right for the role. The additional information section is no different.

Use bullet points in this section to ensure the information you present is clear and concise. Bullet points can help you focus each entry on a particular skill or achievement while keeping them as brief as possible.

Make sure everything you add to this part of your CV is relevant to the job description. If the information helps you prove a skill or experience that you haven’t been able to showcase in the main sections of your CV, it’s worth including. If, however, you’re repeating skills and experience in your additional information that you’ve already shown elsewhere, you can leave it out.

Finally, use a simple, descriptive heading for the section, such as ‘Additional Information’ or ‘Relevant Skills and Experience’. This not only makes your CV easier to read for hiring managers, it makes it more easily scannable by ATS software. CV templates that have clearly defined, well-structured and formatted sections make for the most readable documents for both humans and automated systems.

Showcasing Relevant Skills and Experience

Anything you include in your additional information section should be tailored to the role you’re applying for. You might wish to create a draft CV that includes all the information you may need for any given job application, and then create your CV from that base, tailoring and adapting the information to match the job description.

Think about anything you can add to your CV that’s not covered by your work experience, education and skills sections, but that adds value to your credentials and shows you have what it takes to do the job. Keep your additional information as brief as possible – the main sections of your CV should do most of the heavy lifting of proving you’re a suitable candidate. However, additional information can help to push your CV into the top bracket and past candidates with otherwise similar levels of experience.

Additional Information on Your Cover Letter

If you don’t have space on your CV for additional information that you feel is relevant to your application, you could consider adding it to your cover letter. The cover letter can be suitable for mentioning voluntary work, hobbies and interests, certifications or awards, depending on your level of experience and seniority. If you’re using an online CV and cover letter maker, choose cover letter templates that match your CV and help your applications stand out.

Examples of Effective Additional Information

These CV examples show two different approaches to the additional information section. Your approach to adding this information to your CV will differ depending on your experience levels. Take a look below at examples for experienced candidates and junior candidates with no experience:

Experienced Candidate

For a senior candidate, it’s important to draw attention to significant achievements and milestones that only someone with a wealth of industry experience could achieve. Include advanced qualifications, awards you or your company have won, publications, conferences or events you’ve spoken at, and any other high-level activities that can set you apart. For example:

Junior Candidate with No Experience

If you’re applying for entry-level or graduate roles, employers won’t necessarily expect you to prove all your skills through paid work experience. There are plenty of ways to still prove you have the necessary skills for the job. For example:

Key Takeaways for Including Additional Information to Your CV

Your additional information section can give your job applications the edge over other candidates. Tailor the information according to the role and your seniority, and make sure everything you add is relevant for the job. Jobseeker’s tools and CV articles can help your applications stand out in a competitive field. You can also find cover letter articles to help you make a strong impression with employers. Sign up today to get started.