If your CV isn’t up to scratch your chances of securing an interview are practically zero and that ‘dream job’ will simply remain a dream.

The most cited reason for dismissing a CV is down to layout; if your key skills and achievements are not readily apparent to the reader it’s game over.

The person who reads your CV is going to spend less than a minute actually reading before they start scanning it for key information; if this isn’t instantly apparent then they will move on to the next candidate’s CV.

There are conflicting views as to the best length of a CV; if you can put all your relevant details on a single page that’s fine; however if you require three or more pages to clearly and concisely detail your key skills, qualifications and work experiences that’s fine too.

Always check your grammar and spelling, it’s worthwhile asking someone to ‘proof read’ your CV for you; always use a clear white background and clean fonts and avoid using tables etc. this assists the recipient in downloading or scanning your CV.

The information the prospective employer wishes to see is; your personal and contact details, your qualifications and key skills and a concise career history set out in reverse chronological order (last job first). Detailed breakdowns of your degree modules or your prowess on the sporting field / debating society are unimportant at this stage so keep these sections succinct.

A Suggested CV Layout:

Name:

Contact Details: (home address, home / mobile telephone number, email address)

Education: (secondary / college / university / languages & proficiency)

Qualifications: (educational / professional)

Personal Profile: Three or four lines covering background and ambition – no waffle

Career History: - Start & End Dates – Company Name
Paragraph 1) Summary of company – size – type of industry – etc
Paragraph 2) Position held and brief description of responsibilities
Paragraph 3) Brief details of personal achievements and skills used

Key Skills Summary: Comprehensive list of all skills used – years/months of
experience – level of knowledge