A CV gives you the opportunity to sell yourself - -so only include necessary, relevant and impressive information that you are happy to discuss in an interview. No CV will cover every job, so make several different copies to cater for different jobs.

The Aim of your CV is to secure you an interview, to do this your CV should:

1. Present your personal academic qualifications, achievements and qualities in a concise and an easily accessible manner.
2. Exhibit the relevance of your personal information towards the requirements of your chosen job, indicating your particular strengths in relation to it.
3. Create a well rounded, up to date and accurate picture of yourself which will hopefully secure an interview and which will provide a framework from which you can build on when questioned about your achievements.
4. Outline your aspirations for the future and indicate where your ambitions lie.

Where to start? First of all it is necessary to compile all the information you need. Make sure you have a detailed picture of your chosen job and what it entails. The more you know about the job, the more you can taiIor your CV to enhance your suitability to the job.. Ascertain the dates you took your examinations for GCSE, A/S Level and A Level, as well as all University examinations.You will also need to Include the subjects you studied and their respective grades.Select your most relevant previous work experiences to the job you are applying for. Think of your interests and past achievements that would be useful to discuss in an interview.

1. Avoid using first person pronouns, "I", "we" etc
2. Keep to a regular font like Arial or Times New Roman. Not below font size 10
3. Make sure you are consistent with your use of capital letters.
4. If you are applying to a banking or consulting firm, try to keep it to a single page in length.
5. If sending by e mail, make sure you name it after yourself, not "cv.doc".
6. Don't supply photos unless asked
7. Check for spelling mistakes
8. Utilise bullet points to avoid writing long sentences or paragraphs.

The Structure:

Your CV must be logical in order to be assessed properly.

You should start with your personal details and move through to your academic profile, expanding to your work experience, achievements, extra-curricular activities and key skills and interests. Alternatively if you believe your best assets are displayed by your experience in the workplace you could place your work experience before your academic profile.

Full name
Date of birth
Address
Nationality.

You could insert here a Career Objective or Personal Profile outlining your current aims for employment and give a brief yet personal outline of your own strengths as a prospective employee. For example:

"A highly motivated student who has consistently achieved academic results of a high standard, showing enthusiasm and flair for his/her subject. Reliable and conscientious worker who has excelled in previous employment. A vibrant personality who will motivate and aid others around them ".

Academic Profile: Breakdown aspects of your course, stating the options you selected and your performance in the exams. In addition to your qualifications, remember to include details of any projects, placements and practical assessments you have completed that are relevant to the job This may provide a valuable springboard into conversation in an interview. Try to accentuate your suitability for the job through your results by clustering your grades of relevant subjects together. Make sure you include any technical qualifications and mention what computer programmes you have worked with.

1. Ability to process significant quantities of information, summarise, interpret and handle data in spreadsheets and statistics.
2. You could list your key academic skills that are relevant to the job. For example, a sales position demands strong communication skills.
3. Ability to display your ideas in a cogent manner, with correct spelling, punctuation and grammar.
4. Ability to think independently and form coherent and structured arguments.
5. Here some examples of academic skills you may wish to use: ability to analyse significant quantities of information, problem solving, good communicator, able to think independently and construct coherent and well structured arguments, time management, quick to grasp new subject areas
6. If you choose to list your key academic skills on your CV, make sure you can give at least one example of something you have done that illustrates the said skill. These are often asked for in interview.
7. Language skills and to what level they have been developed, could also be stated here i.e. Intermediate French and Advanced Italian.

Work Experience: Remember to make the most of your past experiences in the work place, including all your relevant jobs and the responsibilities you took on in that position. Be selective, do not just list all the jobs you have done - use the most relevant and recent employment experiences which will display your best qualities, i.e good communication skills, ability to manage time efficiently, teamwork, leadership, creativity, self motivation. Any voluntary/unpaid/vocational work is also a good way of displaying your motivation and drive as an employee. Mentioning the type of tasks you performed and what level of competency you reached is also a good indicator of your capability in the workplace. This should be done using 'action words', and quantifying achievements where possible - sales targets, number of children you taught etc. Whatever skills you chose to stress, whether they are financial, personal, or technical, make sure that you have at least two examples to mind in order to back them up in interview.

"
Telesales Executive for 'Wendy's Windows', Worksop.

1. Confidently communicated via the telephone and e mail various details about products to a range of customers. Determined customer need?
2. Liaised between producers, suppliers and customers to ensure successful transactions and delivery.
3. Reached the company target of X for that sales period with ease.

Instructor at The Worksop Outward Bound Centre, Worksop Heights.

1. Organised a wide range of activities for a group of 10 children aged between 13 and18, co-ordinating social events with educational and activity programmes.
2. Motivated and showed effective leadership skills when on outward bound treks and sailing days.
3. Achieved a distinction when taking the Centre's leadership qualification before starting the job.

Achievements / Positions of Responsibility: It may be best to keep these relevantly recent and focussed on the qualities you wish to put forward about yourself which will make you stand out from the crowd. Mentioning recent achievements displays your current success and activity as opposed to your track record at school.

Interests/Extra-Curricular Activities: This information ideally should aim to display your team-player ability, social activeness, personal drive and motivation, creating a better rounded picture of yourself. It is useful to talk about any sports teams you play in, or societies and clubs you are involved with. For example: Keen member of local sports team, representing the local area in X. Member of a creative writing society, publishing articles for student publications. Travelling, reading, painting, skiing, squash.etc.

These may or may not be required, so check beforehand, or offer to send them on request. Referees are generally expected to be ex-employers, and more commonly for graduates their supervisors or dons. Make sure your referee knows that you are applying for jobs and fully agrees to act as your referee.