Your life on two sides of A4!

• Before you start writing your CV, visit the online application forms of key employers to see what questions they ask;
  • don’t just list achievements - point out the skills, knowledge and understanding you have gained from them;
  • don’t try too hard to be noticed. No one is impressed by multi coloured paper!
• Begin with a single paragraph summarising yourself. Try to keep the whole CV to two sides of A4. Avoid spelling mistakes;
  • don’t tell lies: they will catch you out;
  • consider the qualities employers struggle to find: drive, leadership, enterprise and commercial awareness;
  • don’t pepper it with too many minor achievements - you’ll seem a dabbler;
  • include skills that might seem obvious to you but that will be useful at work, such as PowerPoint, Word and Excel;
  • mention school achievements briefly;
• Show your CV to somebody who knows you well and ask them for an honest assessment. Have you undersold yourself?

Think of your CV as your shop window - it must effectively display your experience, skills and qualities in a very short period of time. The following tips will help you produce a CV that does just that.

It’s about them, not you!

Many people writing a CV for the first time think that a CV is about them. But the person doing the hiring is not at all interested in you – they’re interested in their business and what you can do for them. Advertising copywriters know this - they quickly let the reader know that they can improve their wealth, their lifestyle, their health, etc.

Think the same way when writing your CV. Instead of writing about yourself, sell what you can do if you are hired. Can you help sell more, give better service, cut costs, or something else that will make your employer more successful?

Keep it short and clear!

Before you start, choose the right structure for your CV. The most important information, such as your key skills and recent experience, needs to be near the top, where it can be seen straightaway. Sections you usually need to include are your Profile, Achievements, Experience, Special Skills (languages / computers), Education, Training, and (if you wish) Interests. Your CV should be no more than two pages in length. If you haven't caught the recruiter's interest by page two then they probably won't read any further pages anyway.

Make it look good!

Clear, attractive presentation is also important if your CV is to stand out. Ensure that it's uncluttered, with key points easy to spot.

• Use bullet points and keep the sentences relatively short. Plenty of 'white space' around the borders and between each section keeps the document easier on the eye.
• Write in a slightly formal manner and don’t use the word "I" - e.g. "Supervised the team" rather than "I supervised the team".
• Use the past tense for previous jobs and the present tense for your current job.
• Try to avoid sending photocopies – send an original.

If you’ve ever had to review a pile of CVs, you know that almost everyone makes claims such as “hardworking and efficient” or “dedicated and loyal.” On their own, these phrases are empty.

• You must back up each claim to prove to your reader that what you are saying is true.
• Don’t say you are a “high achiever” , describe your best results to show why!

Most recent first

Put your employment history in date order, starting with your current (or last) job – it’s likely to be of the most interest to the recruiter. Don’t leave gaps, so if you've had time out for some reason, mention it. Don't go into detail about positions you held over 10 years ago.

The dreaded lists

Include specific skills, such as languages, administrative or computing skills, in a separate section in your CV. Don't relist them for every job you've used them in, particularly for IT work - lists of tools and packages make dull reading and won't make you stand out from other people with the same abilities.

Be accurate

Always check for errors. Run a spelling and grammar check and ask someone else to read it for you. The recruiter won’t believe your claim to be a good communicator if your CV is full of mistakes.

One size doesn’t fit all

Don't use the same CV every time. You can have two or three versions, each for a different kind of job. Or you can tailor your CV to suit the job you're applying for. It isn't a case of one size fits all.

Send a covering letter

Unless the advert tells you not to, always send a covering letter. Highlight the two or three areas of experience from your CV that are most relevant to the advertised job. Don’t just send your CV, the opportunity advertised deserves to be identified as does the recruiter, after all this is the job you really want you are applying for here? Your covering letter will demonstrate your interest in this particular job.

Be truthful

Although you obviously want to present yourself well, don't go too far and embellish the truth. It can easily backfire on you.

How to improve your interview chances

Describe your achievements, rather than your skills.

• A candidate with proven achievements on their CV will have the edge over equally skilled candidates when it comes to short-listing for interview.

An achievement is a result that you personally bring about while doing the job.

• It is not the same as your job responsibilities, as these are the same for everyone doing that job. An achievement is unique to you and is evidence of your own abilities.

Don’t go overboard – include around half a dozen achievements.

• Present them clearly, simply and emphasise their significance to the recruiter.
• Prioritise the points within your achievements section, ensuring that it's always clear to which job each achievement relates.
• Use bullet points and keep sentences as short and punchy as possible. You'll sound more dynamic if you do.

If you have trouble coming up with a list, asking yourself:

• When have I known that I'm really good in my job?
• When did I feel proudest of my work? Which of my actions has received the most praise?
• What do other people think that I am good at? (If you're not sure, ask them.)

If you’re still struggling, consider your non-work achievements – organising a successful charity campaign can also be included. But exercise judgement - don't include non-work achievements at the exclusion of ones that are directly job-related.

Think about how you made a difference in a particular job. It's a good idea to start with results that can be measured in numbers, eg "exceeded sales budget by £x." Savings can also be quantified: "developed systems that reduced expenditure by £x". Financial figures carry particular weight: improving profit margins is attractive, and all organisations are interested in reducing expenditure and increasing efficiency.
Not all achievements can or need to be expressed in financial terms:

• A report you produced that changed what the employer did, could be used. If you gained a work-related award, or have climbed the career ladder unusually quickly, say so.

After compiling your list, you might be surprised. Most people aren’t skilled at selling themselves. Yet with a strong achievements section on your CV, all that will change, and you can expect a more interview invitations as a result.