How to write a super CV

First impressions are crucial and your CV is your first opportunity to make an impact. Here are our top tips on how to make your CV stand out from the crowd:

• Begin with a personal profile that sums up your character, skills and experience. Try not to use clichés and steer clear of overused phrases.
• Put your most recent work experience at the start and work backwards.
• Keep it simple and to the point. The longer your CV is, the less likely people are to read it, so try and keep it to two pages if you can.
• Make sure it's legible and that the information is clearly set out and easy to find. Use a plain font, such as Arial, and a font size of 12, to ensure maximum readability.
• Use a professional word-processing package, such as Microsoft Word, and print your CV out on good quality A4 paper. Keep an electronic version handy too, in case your CV is requested by email.
• Write in the first person.
• Don't oversell yourself and NEVER LIE! Have confidence in your strengths and make sure you highlight them throughout.
• Check your CV thoroughly for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Sending out an error-strewn CV is one of the biggest blunders you can make, so always ask a friend to proofread it for you before popping it in the post.
• Finally, be selective about where you send your CV. Don’t send your CV out en masse and make sure you’re suitable for the role you’re applying for.