Ideas and suggestions to help maximise the impact of your CV including layout, content, length and covering letters.

CV tips  CV tips The aim of your CV is to sell yourself to a prospective employer. You therefore have to create an effective CV outlining your abilities and achievements. You only have one chance to impress the potential employer so make sure you capture their attention, show that you have the ability to do the job you are applying for and the potential you have to offer the company in the future. It is possible to create a strong generic CV that can be tweaked for the individual company needs, but you have to get it right. So what is the key to getting it right? Keep it simple and stick to the facts. An overcrowded CV will detract from your unique selling points. It will not impress, just make the reader bored and uninterested. Communicate your strengths, achievements and your individual personality. This is your CV so make sure it portrays you in the best possible light. Be honest. It's all too easy to be caught out. Lying will get you nowhere. An experienced interviewer will be able to tell. Use strong positive language. Spelling and Grammar. Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors are the biggest sin in writing your CV. If you can't take the time and effort to produce a correct CV then the impression will be that you will be incapable of writing a professional document. References. Make sure to contact your referees for their permission before you put them on your CV. Think before you write. Take time to plan out your CV and write a few draft copies. Get a second opinion. These tips will apply to any country in the world. There are many schools of thought on how to tailor your CV to different nationalities, but at the end of the day they are all looking for the same thing; the right person with a strong CV.

What needs to be included?  What needs to be included? Personal profile You don't have to include a personal profile, but if done well they can be of benefit. They should add to the CV not repeat elements of it. Education Start with your most recent qualification and work your way back. Include, name and address of school / university, dates attended, subjects taken and grades achieved. Skills List all relevant skills i.e. computer courses and languages. Work Experience Paint a picture of your professional career. Start with your current or most recent position including name of company, start and end dates. Work backwards briefly summarising your roles, highlighting areas of responsibility, achievements and successes. A strong CV will include areas of responsibility, blue chip clients or projects and a structured career path. If you have these then make the most of them. Concentrate on areas of relevance to your targeted employer. Activities Include professional, personal or community awards, organisation memberships, hobbies and interests. References Either list your referees at the bottom of your CV or write "available on request" and make sure they are. Finally, think carefully about the layout and headings for your CV.

Covering Letters  Covering Letters Now that your CV has been completed, the next step is to make sure a potential employer reads it! A covering letter/email can be as important as the CV as this is the first thing an employer will see. A good covering letter/email will go a long way to ensuring your CV is read and improve your chances of an interview. A bad covering letter/email will have the opposite effect. Always make sure that your covering letter/email targets the right person. If you don't know who they are then make a phone call and find out. It will make a difference. Keep the letter short and concise. Give them a reason to want to see you. Make the letter specific to the job you are applying for. Use some of the key terms and requirements to highlight your skills and show a close match between you and the job. Don't repeat your CV. If you have done a good job on the letter they will read it anyway.