The perfect CV

Content is king!

One of the great advantages of a CV is that you choose what to put in. Use it to show yourself off to best advantage.

• Keep it short and to the point
• Look critically at every item you include. If you can't immediately see why it's there, take it out
• Don't include things that happened more than ten years ago unless they still have relevance to this application

Essential items

• Name and full contact details
• A short career objective or career profile
• Education and qualifications
• Relevant work experience
• Interests, activities and achievements that clearly show desirable skills for this application
• Details of referees if they have been specifically asked for - otherwise write 'References on request'

Don't include the following unless they're requested

• Marital status
• Details of children
• Your photograph
• Health details
• Nationality

Presentation tips

How your CV looks is important, as this is what creates the first impression a potential employer will have of you. Go for clean, crisp and clear by doing the following:

• Type or word processing your CV as black text on a white background
• Print each page on a separate sheet
• Keep it plain. Fancy fonts are more of a distraction than a help
• Make it easy to follow by being consistent with headings, fonts and use of emboldening
• Leave lots of white space so it doesn't look cluttered

Once you've finished, get someone else to look it over and comment on it. If they know something about the occupation you're targeting that's a real bonus.

Now give your finished CV a boost with these tips