How to write an effective housing officer CV (with example)

Updated 19 September 2023

A housing officer works in the public sector and ensures that people living in social housing have secure accommodation. When applying for jobs in this field, housing officers produce a CV to show recruiters their knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the role. Learning how to write an effective CV assists you in communicating your qualities to an employer and gives you a better chance of getting an interview. In this article, we discuss how to write a housing officer CV and provide both a template and an example to help you draft yours.

How to write a housing officer CV in 8 steps

Here are eight steps to help you write a housing officer CV:

1. Choose a suitable format

Craft a CV that demonstrates your experience and focuses on your interpersonal and communication skills. Choosing a chronological format allows you to communicate your relevant attributes effectively to a recruiter. This format lists your most recent experience first and concisely shows your career growth and skills.

2. Add a professional header

Your header informs a hiring manager of your contact details. Include your name, professional title, phone number and email address. Mention your current position or the highest position you've held as a housing officer or in a similar role. If you don't have experience for the position, use a significant job title that you've held, but you can state the title of the role you're pursuing if you've got the necessary qualifications. Write your name and title in bold to make them more noticeable.

3. Include a professional summary

Hiring managers want to know more about you before reading your CV. Your professional summary provides a concise profile of your skills and experience. Mention some impressive achievements and career highlights. You can also include a summary of your career objectives and aspirations. Write about three sentences for this section.

4. State previous related roles

Housing officers manage a specific area of housing and services on behalf of other parties. They handle varied tasks in their work. Housing managers perform similar duties to housing officers, as does a housing assistant, which is an entry-level position for this profession. In this section, mention previous related roles that you've held.

5. Indicate past housing officer responsibilities

Under the housing officer roles you've stated, use bullet lists to describe your actions and responsibilities in each job. Remember to place your most recent role first, listing five experience items and three for subsequent positions. Provide notable achievements and include numerical data if possible. This shows an employer your competence to carry out the role.

Read the job advertisement to determine the duties of the position. Note the ones which resemble your experience, and list these at the top of the section to show recruiters you can perform the necessary duties. Tailoring your CV to the role shows the hirer that you're a competent individual and an ideal match for the position. Some duties for this role include:

communicating with tenants
setting and collecting rent
handling legal affairs involving tenants
conducting housing inspections
managing applications and interviewing tenants
arranging for housing improvements and repairs
liaising with maintenance staff
managing difficult situations involving tenants
maintaining records
writing reports

6. List your hard and soft skills

Housing officers work in a challenging environment due to the nature of their work. They deal with people of varying backgrounds in all kinds of circumstances. Housing officers develop key skills to handle difficult situations more easily. Strong crisis management and critical thinking help them fulfil their duties effectively. They use negotiation skills to defuse challenging tenant situations and employ time-management skills to meet deadlines. They also know housing legislation and property laws.

Housing officers work with tenants and communicate with professionals, such as estate agents and social workers. They use their excellent communication skills to perform their duties effectively. Officers also use their management skills to manage rent, tenant and housing issues. In addition, their leadership skills allow officers to manage people from different backgrounds and cultures. They form good relationships with tenants to ensure living standards are of high quality. Other skills housing officers possess include good organisation, teamwork and presentation skills. Use this section of your CV to showcase your own skills.

7. Detail your educational background

List your academic qualifications, including degrees, certifications and licences relevant to a housing officer. Start with your most recent qualification. Put your certification details in a subsection and state the name, organisation and completion year. For your licences, show the year of completion or expiration. Housing officers can have university degrees or college certifications. A bachelor's degree in urban planning or property management is a standard qualification. Other relevant subjects include housing studies, building surveying, social policy and law. Housing officers can also obtain qualifications through apprenticeships, including a housing property assistant apprenticeship at the intermediate or advanced level.

8. Proofread your CV

Read your CV from a recruiter's perspective to ensure your language is clear. Ensure you use an easy-to-read font, such as Calibri or Helvetica, and check that this is consistent throughout your document. Double-check your contact details to ensure you're easily reachable. Reread each section, focusing on details such as headings and dates. Correct any spelling or grammatical mistakes.

CV template for a housing officer

Below is a template to provide a structure for your CV:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City]

Professional Summary

[Two to three sentences that highlight your years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional].

Experience

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Skills

Education

[Degree and subject], [Name of school or university]
[Certification name], [Host organisation]-[Year completed or expiration date]

CV example for a housing officer

Here's an example of how to write a housing manager CV:

Stacy Duffy, Housing Officer
+44 7550 829427 | stacyduffy@email.com | London

Professional Summary

Organised and detail-oriented housing officer with over four years of experience. Skilled in people relations and management with an ability to take on diverse responsibilities simultaneously. Self-motivated and possessing strong problem-solving skills, with a record of solving challenging situations within deadlines.

Experience

Housing Officer | July 2020–current
Realtor Guru Ltd. | London

maintain contact with key service providers, such as water suppliers, electricity companies, rubbish collectors and sewage removers
conduct meetings with people seeking accommodation and assist them in finding desirable units
liaise with maintenance staff to conduct repairs on damaged housing equipment and structures, such as ceilings, windows, gutters and door locks
arrange for electricians to repair the local electricity grid, solving electrical faults in 21 units
keep records of rent payments, tenant complaints, repairs, completed tasks and vacant units

Housing Officer | July 2019–June 2020
Property Focus Ltd. | Luton

organised rebuilding of 40 housing units after storm damage
supervised the development of assembly points and water stations for emergencies
improved the security team by hiring new staff from a security company and providing them with equipment

Housing Officer | February 2018–July 2019
Meta Properties Ltd. | Luton

organised project of reworking the positioning of water tanks and pipes to housing units to ensure constant water supply
worked closely with plumbers to conduct repairs to water and drainage systems
acquired and installed CCTV cameras to enhance security at entrances and exits