Written by Jenny Hammond, Employability Adviser

1. Always tailor the CV for each job and organisation you apply to! If you have a person specification, make sure you address the points in this using examples and evidence.
2. Use key words from the job advert and the employer’s website to customise your CV to show the employer that you speak ‘their language’ and would fit in well at the company.
3. Structure the CV to make the most of your relevant skills and experience. If you have previously carried out a similar role or worked on a project using applicable skills, list these on the front page.
4. Highlight and quantify both professional and personal achievements where you can.
5. Make sure the CV is no longer than two sides of A4 and use a clear, concise writing style. Put your name at the top of the document (never use the title ‘CV’ as this is self evident!).
6. Add a link to your LinkedIn page, blog, online portfolio and perhaps your Twitter handle if you tweet about your industry.
7. Consider using bold font, sub-headings and bullet points to break up information.
8. Always check through your CV for spelling and grammatical mistakes or get someone to check through it for you – employers often discard applications containing spelling and grammatical errors.