Tips on writing a cracking C.V.

Personnel agencies and potential employers need to get to the vital information on your CV quickly, however while some CV`s are well constructed, others are riddled with inconsistencies and ambiguities. Many are too detailed or contain unnecessary facts.

Your CV is your initial sales platform, it tells a potential employer why he or she should interview you. It must be professional, to the point and written in plain English. Don`t assume that people understand abbreviations and buzz words and don`t go into great technical details about specific projects.

Many CV`s that we receive are riddled with spelling mistakes and a hand written CV is definitely bin material. Don`t elevate yourself above your station or over estimate your achievements. Irritations are tinted paper, gimmicky type styles, photo`s and `funny` comments. Personal interests like `going to the pub` or `meeting people` are irrelevant.

Remember this, an employer with several CV`s, particularly for one job is looking for a reason to reject most of them!

• No more than 2 single sided A4 sheets
• Use an easy-to-read typeface
• Don`t mix more than 2 typefaces
• Make the layout clear, simple and uncluttered
• Don`t try to be `clever` or humorous
• State your job title and engineering discipline in a brief summary, giving your core skills and work profile
• If you post your CV make sure it is clearly printed on, preferably, 100gsm white paper. Try and avoid sending a photocopy
• Don`t use borders, fancy edging, coloured paper or grey blocks, (consider how it will fax)
• Don`t state the obvious
• Don`t mix upperlower case type in a disorganised way. Headings are unnecessary i.e. `Name` or `Age`, also don`t underline words
• Put your most recent job first
• State your date of birth or age, not both
• There is no need to say why you left your last job and don`t mention `personality clashes`!
• Don`t leave gaps in dates between jobs
• Don`t give details of primary education
• If you wish to state hobbies and interests, keep them brief, most employers are not really interested in your golf handicap
• While you are proud of your wife and children their names and ages are not relevant to your CV
• Don`t use etc. etc.
• Try and avoid abbreviations and buzz words even though they seem obvious to you
• Agencies today prefer CV`s to be emailed to them
• Enclose an enthusiastic letter