Make your first impression count
Your CV needs to make your relevant abilities and potential stand out immediately. The skills you have that make you perfect for the job need to be visible at first glance. Try to use language that is active and animated. Describe your relevant work experience in words that show how enthusiastic you are about the job.
Keep it short
A good CV will never be more than a couple of pages of A4. If you write your CV well you can get that knowledge across in a really crisp, snappy way without missing anything out.
Check for mistakes
Check, check and recheck every single word and every punctuation mark, then give your CV to somebody else to read. If there are errors in your job application, how are potential employers going to know you won't make mistakes if they give you the job?
Modify your CV for every job application
When looking through a pile of CVs, an employer is looking for those where the applicant has not only prioritised the information specific to the vacancy, but has also put in that extra bit of effort.
Present your qualifications carefully
Arrange your qualifications to illustrate ongoing career development. Think about what qualifications the employer will be looking for as essentials and highlight them accordingly.
Remember that a CV isn't an official form. You can put in (or leave out) whatever you like in, in whatever order. If you're applying for a chef's job, then it doesn't really matter if you got a C in GCSE geography.
Showcase work experience
As with the qualifications, each rung on your career ladder should be laid out so that it clearly shows the most recent and most relevant parts first. Make the descriptions of your experience full of your achievements.
For instance, instead of just saying: "I was in charge of a team of 12 people", highlight what you helped those people achieve, for example: "I ran a team of 12 people and all of them obtained their NVQs in hygiene under my supervision."
Employers like to see quantitative as well as qualitative achievements. If you raised turnover by 50 per cent, then say so.
Edit personal information tightly
Most employers are looking for experience rather than personal details, so don't feel you have to put these first on your CV. If your hobbies have no relevance to the job vacancy, don't feel obliged to include them.
Before you send
Once you've written your CV, leave it for ten minutes and then go back and reread it. Always do several drafts, edit it down, keep rearranging it and rewriting until you're happy with it. Show it to a couple of friends and listen to what they say. If you know anybody in recruitment, ask them for their advice.
Above all, spend time on it. It may be only two pages, but when it comes to the job of you dreams, it could make all the difference...
Prepared by caterer.com in association with Blue Arrow Personnel Services and Mayday Group