Final CV

Overview

This lesson is the final step in the unit “Crafting Your Best CV”. Students will finish a polished CV ready for submission, including referees, clear final edits, and formatting checks.

Learning intentions

• WALT: Finalize and prepare your CV for submission.
• WALT: Apply final proofreading and formatting standards to improve clarity and readability.
• WALT: Prepare referees details and a professional “ready to send” version of your CV.

Success criteria

• I can include referees (or explain why referees aren’t available yet).
• I can complete final edits (spelling, grammar, tense, consistency).
• I can format my CV so it is easy to scan (headings, spacing, bullet points).
• I can submit a ready-to-send CV in the required format.

Curriculum links

• Students practise communication skills by presenting information clearly in a real-world format (Curriculum Refresh: Key Competency—thinking and communicating).
• Students apply decision-making and planning to improve a product for a purpose (Curriculum Refresh—managing self and participating and contributing).
• Learning supports NCEA preparation by producing evidence of meeting requirements and checking accuracy before submission (aligned to Commerce Learning outcomes).

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Starter check (purpose + WALT). Teacher displays the WALT and asks: “What must your CV include to be submission-ready?” Students quick-brainstorm answers on scrap paper, then share one idea each.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach: final CV checklist. Teacher models a “submission-ready” CV checklist on the board (referees, contact details, consistent dates, job-ready summary, readable formatting, proofread). Students highlight their own checklist items on a handout version of their draft.

3. 12–22 min · Work time 1: referees + required fields. Teacher circulates to help students add referees or set up a “Referees available on request” line, and ensure contact details are correct. Students update these sections and re-check for missing information.

4. 22–34 min · Work time 2: final editing sprint (dyslexia-friendly). Teacher runs a structured proofread routine:

• read once for meaning,
• read once for spelling,
• read once for formatting/spacing. Students complete a focused edit pass using a dyslexia-friendly approach: font/spacing settings, read-aloud support, and colour-coding for repeated errors (e.g., capital letters, full stops).

5. 34–42 min · Peer spot-check + teacher conferencing. Teacher sets up pairs (max support) and uses “Glow and Grow” comments: one strong point + one specific improvement. Students swap CVs for a quick check, then teacher holds brief one-on-one conferencing for the students who need formatting support most.

6. 42–45 min · Exit ticket: ready to submit. Students complete a short exit ticket: “My CV is submission-ready because…” and “One last edit I will do is…”. Teacher collects for formative assessment.

Resources

• Student printed CV draft (or Chromebook/device draft)
• Final CV checklist handout (referees, dates, contact details, headings, spacing, proofread passes)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: text-to-speech tool or teacher read-aloud script, large-font template
• Editing “error code” cards (e.g., grammar, tense, punctuation, spacing, missing info)
• Timer for editing sprint
• Peer review cards (“Glow and Grow”)
• Submission format instructions (paper or digital file naming)

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during the referees update and editing sprint (checks completion and accuracy).
• Formative: peer spot-check feedback captured on review cards.
• Summative-for-today: exit ticket confirming submission readiness and identifying one remaining edit.

Differentiation

• Provide one-on-one support for editing and formatting: teacher conference for students who need maximum help with spacing, headings, and readability.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly options: larger font template, increased line spacing, text-to-speech support for read-aloud proofreading, and colour-coding for repeated mistakes.
• Use sentence starters and templates for weaker writers (e.g., a ready-to-use referees line, “About me” summary structure, action verbs for experience bullets).
• Multilevel support:
• Supported group focuses on completing required fields and formatting.
• Core group completes final proofread and coherence checks.
• Advanced group improves impact (stronger verbs, clearer achievements, tighter summary and consistent tense).

Extension (optional)

• Create a digital version of the CV and explore platforms for online job applications: students convert their final CV into a digital format (using a document tool) and identify two application methods (e.g., online form vs upload) and what fields typically need to match (name, phone, email, work history order).