Top 5 CV tips

Include a covering letter

A covering letter is essential if you expect a call back from the employer. It is a great opportunity to sell yourself and personalise your application to that individual organisation. It is an introduction to your CV so make sure you list the achievements you are most proud of and always address it to someone specific and not just "Managing Director."

Keep it short

There is a tendency to try to make a CV look as long as possible, especially if you do have many things you want to include. However, many employers don’t have the time or attention span to read through a long CV and want a short, concise, straight-to-the-point summary that they can read in a couple of minutes. Remember, they may have hundreds to look through so if they start to get impatient, yours will go straight into the bin. Aim to keep it to two A4 pages: Any longer and you could be throwing away your chances.

Don’t lie

Surprisingly, many people do lie on their CV, hoping they won’t get caught out. This is a very bad idea and could lead to an extremely embarrassing interview if your potential employer is interested in your golf handicap when, in fact, you have never been on a golf course in your life. Keep to the truth so you can walk in there with the confidence that they cannot catch you out.

Don’t list references

Many people make the mistake of listing lots of references at the bottom of their CV, taking up valuable space that could be used for something more useful. Employers do not need references unless you are very close to being hired and don’t need all that information right at the beginning of the process. A simple "References upon request" is all the information they need at first.

Check for mistakes

Your CV is your only advertising tool to sell yourself and show how capable you are at doing the job. If a potential employer sees a mistake, however small, you will probably lose your chance immediately. Bad spelling or grammar is a pet hate among many employers and if you cannot get it right on your CV, there is not much hope that you will anywhere else. Check your CV and covering letter over and over again and ask two other people to check for mistakes as well, just to be sure.

More on CVs and job hunting

Why using a headhunter will help you find the right job
Become an expert at answering the weirdest interview questions
How to change your career