How to: write a CV

Your CV will usually be your first contact with a prospective employer, so it is important that it presents you in a good light.

How to write a CV? There is no single correct format - even recruitment consultancies each do them differently - but here are some guidelines.

• Make it neat and tidy, easy to follow. If that is not one of your strengths, ask a friend to help you. Use good quality white paper (minimum 80gsm) and make sure it's not creased or smudged

• Choose a simple, clear typeface, not a fancy one. It needs to be easy to read. Use upper and lower case letters - not all capitals

• Start with your full name and contact details

• Your employment history should begin with your current or most recent job - that is more relevant than what you were doing years ago. School-leavers should start with their exam results, followed by holiday/weekend jobs

• Work all the way back to your first job, and make sure the dates match up. Don't leave gaps - people will speculate about what you were doing for those periods and why you don't want to talk about them

• Sell yourself - don't be modest. If you had great success with something, let people know

• Be detailed but concise - no more than two pages. Remember that employers may receive dozens or even hundreds of CVs. If yours rambles on, they may give up before they finish reading it

• Tell the truth. Putting false information on your CV could get you into legal trouble later

• Include sections for your professional and academic qualifications

• Mention three or four hobbies or pastimes (call that section "Interests"), and go into a little bit of detail - not just "volleyball" but which club you play for and what position. It all helps to make you seem like a real, rounded person rather than just a name on a CV

• Finish with a summary, unless you started with it. If it is more than a couple of paragraphs, you could include it in your covering letter instead (see below)

Covering Letter

If you print out your CV and post it or deliver it by hand, make sure the covering letter is on top. If you email it, you can include it as part of the email text. Either way, state clearly the job you're applying for and outline (fairly briefly) why you believe you would be well suited to the role.

You can summarise in a line or two ("As you will see from my CV . . . ") what takes several paragraphs in the CV itself, so that when the reader comes to the relevant parts, they think "Oh yes, he/she mentioned this," and your message is reinforced.

Be pleasant and positive - this is your first chance to make an impression, and the aim of the CV and letter is to get you an interview. Then you can use your charm and personality in person - but first you have to get the interview.

The covering letter is also the place to put any incidental information that doesn't look right on the CV - explanations of circumstances, for instance. It is a chance to put a positive angle on a situation or clear up a potentially confusing issue.

N.B. If you do print the CV and letter, make sure the print is clear and do it on decent paper - at least 80gsm - and white. It is smarter, easier to read and looks more professional.