Your CV is your passport to your next job. It’s a record of all personal and professional achievements, a record of your experience, duties and a brief profile of your character.

It should be engaging, interesting, factual and should inspire the reader to want to meet you.

Make sure that you write your CV in brief.  Keep it short, to the point and, above all else, interesting.

Basic Elements of your CV:

-Your details – Include your name, address, phone numbers and email address so any interested employers can contact you easily.

-Personal profile – Write one paragraph that immediately captures the attention of your reader and entices them to find out more about you.

-Employment history – List your most recent position first, continuing in reverse chronological order including the name, location, job title and dates of your employment for each company you’ve worked for. Aim to use bullet points wherever possible to highlight your responsibilities and achievements in each role.

-Education – Again, in reverse chronological order, give brief details of your academic and professional qualifications along with the grades you achieved.

-Skills – Whether you realise it or not, you will have picked up many skills over the years. Include every IT package or programme you’ve used as well as any foreign-language skills you’ve gained, and state whether you’re at a basic, intermediate or advanced level.

-Hobbies & interests – Including these is optional, but it’s worth mentioning any extracurricular activities, clubs or teams that you’re a member of, and any awards that you might have won.

-A clear and simple layout – It should be clear to anyone reading your CV where to find the information they’re looking for.

-Check for spelling or typographical errors – Any errors are your responsibility and are one of the first things employers use to weed out the weaker candidates.

If you follow the structure outlined above, you’re on the right track to presenting the information in a clear, concise and persuasive way.