In order for your CV to be noticed above everybody else's, it must by eye-catching yet clear and full of essential information only. The whole point of a CV is to sell yourself. You can seek as much advice as you wish, but at the end of the day, no one knows the product better than you! There are no set rules to writing a CV, so use your imagination!
Remember to include a cover letter (see cover letter for further help).
The shorter the CV the better - it should be no more than two pages. Recruiters will get bored searching through pages and pages just to look for the few sentences they are looking for. They will simply not bother!
Focus on your key skills, qualifications and accomplishments which will make you stand out uniquely from other candidates.
When writing your work history, be sure to write your present/most recent position first.
Avoid including unnecessary information that will not be of interest to a future employer - do not be vague, do not generalise.
Positive thinking produces positive results. If you think negative, you will write negative and this will show. If you think you are too old and try to prove otherwise, this will be recognised. If you think you are too shy and do not praise yourself in your CV, this will be noticed. Think POSITIVE!
Show emotion and personality by using words to emphasise your commitment, enthusiasm, energy and desire to reach goals. Make use of the English language - words are power!
Your CV is a positive document. It must tell the truth, but it does not have to describe the whole truth and nothing but the truth! If you know that a particular subject sounds negative, do not include it unless it is specifically asked for by the recruiter.
Define your target audience: Are you contacting a small local business or a large national company etc.? Your CV needs to fit the expectations of the predicted target audience.
Although the word "I" should rarely be seen in a CV (unless you want to purposely make it more personal), it should not be made known if you have received help from another person. This would give the appearance that someone else wrote your CV rather than you.
You should not mention salary expectations of the position you are applying for, nor the amount you have been on in previous positions. This implies that you would only take a job if a higher salary was offered. If an employer wants to know this, he/she will ask.
It is essential that your CV is typed on a computer in order to show professionalism and clearness, and that it contains no spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. Be sure to spell check your work, but watch out for the American spelling e.g. Realize/realise. Saving your CV on computer also holds the advantage of being able to maintain and update your document without having to start from the beginning. This way, you can adapt your CV according to the company you are sending it to.
When including your references, make sure that the people you use can back-up what is written in your CV. References should be as recent as possible i.e. Your last two jobs. Recruiters will not want to see a reference from an employer you had 3 years ago: They will wonder why you have not given them your recent one(s). As for character references in the first instance, you should ask someone of a professional body e.g. Doctor, Solicitor: Try to avoid using a relative.
Finally, ask a friend, relative or anyone with a valued opinion to check your cover letter and CV, whether you created them yourself or with the help of others. Also, ask yourself this question: "Would I hire myself based on the content and overall look of my CV?" This feedback/criticism will enable you to make any final adjustments and will ensure that you have produced a CV of high quality and professionalism.
Remember... "An organised CV shows an organised person"
