Your CV is a valuable device for one purpose only: to secure an interview. It will get you a foot in the door but remember, not the job itself.

Employers often select a shortlist for interviews by rejecting rather than accepting CVs. Many candidates will have similar skill sets to you so the presentation and quality of your CV may be the only differentiating factors for you to sell yourself.

There is no single correct way to write your CV, but as recruitment specialists, we’ve seen enough in our time to produce the following guidelines that we hope might help you avoid the discard pile:

Style:
 
Employers tend to only scan a CV, so keep yours clear, concise, punchy and relevant, with a professional and positive tone. Try to just present the facts, no subjective opinions or personal mission statements and don’t write in the first or third person.

Format:
 
Try to keep your CV to two sides of A4, but if this isn’t possible, don’t over-edit or pad anything out to get there. As an aid, avoid using a lot of space for your name and address.

List your education and work experience in reverse chronological order, putting education first if you are a recent graduate or if your qualification is the most relevant aspect of your CV. This format demonstrates a logical progression and implies your career has been leading up to this next intended move. Always avoid fancy graphics or fonts.

Content:
 
Tailor your CV to each job for relevancy, focussing on the employers’ needs rather than your own. Employers look for proof of communication skills and teamwork among other things so try to show evidence of where you demonstrated these skills.

Consider a career summary, outlining relevant skills and experience. A sentence at the top of the CV aims to give a good, concise first impression to the reader and encourage them to read on. Then split the information into sections: Personal Information, Employment History, Qualifications and Interests. Don’t feel obliged to provide references, but stress that they are available on request – have at least two ready.

In your employment history list your duties, responsibilities and achievements keeping only what’s relevant to the new position/field. If you are moving sector, emphasise your skills and experience to make your CV more functional.
 
In Qualifications, IT skills, online database use, professional skills, and languages help you stand out from the crowd. Provide evidence of where you have used them.

In Interests, mention if you a member of an organisation, whether it be professional or extra curricular, as it shows that you are committed.

When you’re finished, if possible, get someone else to proof your CV for you or give you an objective opinion on it. Then send it with a well-written, polite covering letter or by e-mail if requested.