How to create a great CV or Resume

Here are some tips on how to create a great CV (or Resume) that will stand out, look professional and put your best experience across.

What you should bear in mind, however, is that these are just tips and there is no perfect template for a CV.

As you create a CV you'll begin to figure what works best for the information that you want to include. It's also worth noting that the overall look to your CV will vary depending on what industry you are applying for.

Having said that, by following these tips you will be well on your way to putting together that winning CV.

Having gone through hundreds of CV's and Resume's I can tell you that these tips come from other people's mistakes. They may sound straight forward but you'd be surprised what some applicants don't notice or think about.

1. Tell them who you are

I alway say to people that the first thing you need to do is tell a potential employer who you are. And you do that with your name as a nice big heading across the top. Don't make it size 72 font when the rest of your CV is 12. That's just silly. But don't be afraid to make your name stand out. I'd happily use a size 20 bold font to make my name stand out. There's no second place in the job market so why not stand out from the crowd?

2. About Me: Do you really need it?

I've NEVER put one of those 'About Me' paragraphs on a CV. Ask yourself why you're putting it on there and if it adds anything to your CV. Most of the time it won't. Employers don't want to know that you're a great person ... because everything thinks they are a great person. Your experience should tell the employer all they need to know in order to offer you an interview. If it doesn't then go over those sections and make them better.

If you absolutely must have a little 'about me' spiel then save it for your covering letter.

3. Keep it Chronological

No - I do not want to see your favourite job first, unless it's your most recent. Yes - I want your education to be listed in order with your most recent qualification first. No - I don't think you have a good chance if it's not in chronological order.

Put EVERYTHING in chronological order, with your most recent first. Enough said.

4. Simple and Clear

Employers want to be able to look at a CV and know, with in seconds, what your education level is; what jobs you've done and other important tid-bits of information - like your work status.

Make it easy for them and I guarantee it will help your chances of selection.

I can't count how many times I've stopped reading an application based on the fact that the persons CV was harder to follow than foreign instructions.

Make sure you have clear sections i.e. Employment, Education, Contact Details etc. They should be clearly marked, in chronological order and the key points (i.e. Job title, Dates, Company name) should stand out.

When you list several jobs, keep the same structure. So, for example, you could list: dates, job title, company, and then experience/responsibilities.

5. Two Pages Please

When I was 15, our high school careers advisor told us that our CV's or Resume's should be no longer than 2 pages. Back then I had trouble filling the 2 pages (so no problem there) but over time I've stuck to that rule and it's never gone against me even though I could fill 4 or 5 pages. (I've moved around quite a bit!)

If you've had a life time of experience then keeping it to two pages is going to be hard to do but it's well the effort. Sometimes you might need to trim some jobs or some qualifications. There is no point putting in your high school results if you've gone on to complete a PhD - I don't think anyone will mind. And there is no need to mention the fact that you worked at McDonald's when you've been working in several other jobs since then.

Be specific. Target the job and trim your CV down to 2 pages. Your covering letter can always mention the fact that you are willing to provide more information if required - a point employers will pick up on if they're interested in you.

Use key words, rather than sentences to get your point across. For example, it would be better to say:

• analyse official statistics in programmes SPSS and SAS

... rather than:

• I analysed and collated official statistics for various clients using the computer programmes SPSS and SAS as part of my research position

Employers tend to be very cut and dry when it comes to applications. Have you done it? Yes - great. No - thanks anyway. As far as they're concerned, as long as you tick the box then they'll be happy, and your CV will have done it's job. So save space, be specific and get straight to the point but always remember to keep your CV size down. Just 2 pages please.

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There is no doubt that putting together a professional and complimentary CV takes time. I think I've written my CV hundreds of times and I still tweak it a little. But over time, you develop a knack for knowing what works for you and your experience.

Goodluck and stay tuned for more CV and application form tips - coming soon.