Your CV is your solitary tool to showcase your abilities and convince employers you’re worth a face-to-face meeting. A good CV is the first point in the candidate’s journey to potentially becoming a new employee, so first impressions are as vital as they are when attending an interview. 

 

A ‘perfect CV’ should be a concise, well-written, informative and a factual document that presents who you are and why that desk by the window should be yours. Easy? Not always. It can be difficult to write about yourself. So here are some tips and advice to get you started… 

 

Nothing is perfect but there are guidelines to follow when creating your CV. 

 

Keep it between 2 and 3 pages. Any more thank this and it looks like you’re rambling – any less and it looks like you don’t care. You’re not channelling Oscar Wilde but entice the employer to hire you, not make them think they’re watching paint dry. 

 

Remember, this is the document that could provide the pay packet that sees beans on toast upgraded to steak and chips. 

 

What to include 

 

It’s startling how often we see a CV without contact information. This is a good starting point – include your name and methods of contact. If you want the job, every form of contact should be available – you can stop short of flashing the runway lights. 

 

A short profile about yourself won’t hurt. Don’t turn it into an acceptance speech for receiving the Best Actor or Best Actress Oscar award but stand out by listing things such as key achievements, if relevant. 

 

If it is your first job, include subjects studied at school and results. Otherwise, keep it concise, only detail your school and subjects, and focus on your further educational merits. 

 

Employers spend an average of just 8 seconds looking at any one CV. So the key is to keep it brief and include only relevant information. 

 

‘Creative differences’ 

 

With the odd exception to applying for a role in marketing or advertising, stem your creative juices and keep your CV straightforward. Make it clear and easy to read – why should an employer take more time to read your CV when they can just move on to the next? 

 

You wouldn’t read a newspaper from Monday on a Sunday, would you? Start your content layout from the current moment and work your way back. 

 

‘Pobody’s nerfect’ but there’s not a single reason your CV should have grammar or spelling mistakes. Your computer has a spellchecker and you have the internet – there’s no excuse. 

 

‘Sizing you up’ 

 

Creating a template CV is commonplace but you should always be prepared to change it accordingly. Failure to do so makes you look lazy and shows you haven’t really invested any time in researching the role. Make this job your own, from start to finish. 

 

Covering Letter 

 

Unless you’ve been asked for one, you don’t actually have to include it. If a cover letter isn’t required, why not consider attaching a brief letter to introduce yourself? Who knows, you might have one foot in front of the competition already. 

 

In summary 

 

Above all else, tell the truth. Telling porkie pies will get you nowhere. Start as you mean to go on – honest, open and transparent. 

 

These are a few of the first steps to consider when creating your CV and ensure you’ll be noticed among the hoards. 

 

If you’re still not sure about your own CV, create an account with x1jobs and take a look at our free CV review service. 

 

This includes a free review of your CV as well as advice, hints and tips as to what your CV should look like before sending it to employers.