Make a great first impression with your CV
Your CV is the first impression that any prospective employer has of you – so it’s important to get it right. The information you provide must be accurate, realistic and positive, and be tailored to suit the particular role you are applying for. The following format provides a guide to information you should include.

Layout
Make sure your CV is clearly laid out and presented using a consistent typeface throughout. And don’t be tempted to employ a fancy looking font – you won’t win any brownie points with employers if they can’t read your CV. Keep the CV to a maximum of two pages. Many employers don’t have the time or the inclination to dredge through pages and pages.

Personal Details
Always have your contact details at the top of the front page. This makes life a lot easier for your prospective employer when flicking through a pile of CVs.

Interests
These will give employers a 'fuller' picture of you. Brief titles will suffice e.g. 'hill walking', 'sailing' . These should be realistic and current as there is little to be gained from adding an interest that was a school or past activity.

Education Details
Should include secondary, higher and further education, including dates attended and qualifications gained. Include the number of GCSE / Standard Grade passes you achieved and detail the subjects and grades of A/AS Levels or Highers. University Degree(s) and diplomas should also be noted, including your class of degree attained and Honours subjects studied (if relevant).

Current Employment
Details including the name, location and dates employed with the company are important. If you have been promoted, changed roles or gained any particularly notable experience, make sure that this is highlighted at the beginning of the text. As much relevant detail as possible is important with regard to experience. Information regarding supervision, teamwork, training and development should also be outlined.

Past Employment
Brief details of any previous employment will again provide a fuller picture. Less detail is needed - company / dates, job title and a brief job description will suffice. List your previous employment / experience in reverse chronological order (beginning with the most recent post)

Experience
Always provide evidence of any claims you make. You don’t necessarily have to draw on work experience; examples from any sphere of your life could work. For example – You are good at managing a budget as you have run your own home for 5 years.

Find Out More
NB - If there are any gaps i.e. time travelling, a year out etc, these too should be noted to ensure that no details are left uncovered. Make sure you also include your personal interests as this helps employers build up a broader picture of you as a person.

References
You don’t need to include referees’ contact details but where possible make sure you say ‘references available on request’.

Seek professional help!
Pass your CV to a recruitment professional if you can, or at the very least to a friend who knows you, to make sure you are promoting yourself as well as you can.

Finally
Check, double check and check again for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. If you can, get a friend to check this as well.