Rule 1: Keep it simple

A CV is nothing more than a shorthand sketch of your academic and professional history. Use it to draw attention to your strengths without cramming in too much irrelevance. You can always explain to an employer the intricacies once they invite you for an interview.


Rule 2: Work reverse chronologically

Start with your current employment and work backwards, remembering to include the name and country of your employer, start and end dates, your job title and a brief description, plus your accomplishments. If you are looking for your first job, list any RELEVANT work experience first, paid or unpaid.


Rule 3: Tailor your resume to the individual company

Employers can spot a mass mailing a mile off. So if you are applying for a job in Information Technology make sure that aspect of all your jobs is emphasised.


Rule 4: Be honest

Lying on your CV is a waste of your time and that of your prospective employer. Adding six months to your time in a job can seem like a good idea, but if you are caught out you will have lost the job. Don't sell yourself short. If you think the three summers you spent working for a charity in France show your knowledge of the country and its culture - then say so.


Rule 5: Check with referees before you use their names

Check with referees before you use their names. There's nothing worse than using someone who has either moved on or holds a grudge against you. The best people to use for references are your current employer or a professor or teacher at your college/university - someone who knows how you react in a working environment.


Rule 6: Never try and finish your CV in one sitting!