The cornerstone of any job application is your CV. It’s what gets you past the first screening process.

It goes without saying that your CV must be typed, but you should also think carefully about presentation.

Use clear headings so the pages are broken down into clear and manageable sections.

Don’t write too much. Most employers just want a snapshot to determine whether they should consider you for interview. Two or three pages are sufficient. Bullet points work well – keeping your job descriptions concise and informative.

Detail your career history in reverse order. Employers are more interested in your current role(s) than those you had many years ago.

Sell yourself but be honest. If you exaggerate your abilities it’ll back fire on you in the end.

Think about what the employer is looking for and put yourself in their shoes. What qualities will they be looking for?

Once you have written your CV, challenge yourself to cut it down in length by a third. This will force you to strip out all the waffle and unnecessary details.

As well as job related skills don’t forget other abilities such as being a team player or self-starter etc. If you can, provide very brief examples of these qualities.

Be yourself and don’t be over formal in your style. Your CV is an opportunity to express your personality through the written page.

Remember - at your interview make sure you can provide strong answers to questions related to your CV. What you’ve said about yourself will be scrutinised and you must be able to add to what you’ve written, not repeat it.

Next:Interview Techniques				Previous:Candidate Centre
Section 1:	Preparing your CV	Section 2:	Interview Techniques	Section 3:	Staying Employable	Section 4:	Downshifting