* On a general note, make sure that everything you write is concise, relevant to your field and showing the best of you at all times to any prospective employer.

* Remember that your target audience does not necessarily have the time to read every    single word you write. A successful CV is therefore one that gives an immediate    indication of your strengths and area of expertise at a glance.

* On that note, sharp punchy sentences are good. Lengthy, exhaustive paragraphs are    not.

* You should aim to make your CV no more than 3 pages long. If you have worked in    the industry for a long time, your earlier jobs need to be restricted to company name,    dates of employment, industry sector and title of position, particularly if your first job in    IT is a far cry from your most recent.

* Even though every job counts in the assessment of your suitability to a role, most    employers are looking for recent use and exposure to the relevant technologies as    opposed to experience dating back to over ten years ago. Your CV should therefore list    your most recent job first, working backwards towards the start of your career.

* Choose one typeface and use the same one throughout your CV.

* Should you need to draw attention to any areas on your CV, use bold or enlarge the    font size but we recommend you don’t change the typeface.

* Adding colour and logos can very often detract from the point of your CV and over    complicate matters. Simplicity is key. A document with additional artwork can also take    too long to open which could discount you from the running before your details are    even read.

* If you are looking to move up the ladder on your next position, make sure you    highlight any relevant experience that will help you get there, i.e. you are a senior    analyst programmer but want to move towards management, include any experience of    leading teams and projects that reflect your ability to handle management.

* Submit examples of work where possible, i.e. if you are a web designer, give URL’s of    sites that you have worked on.

* Make sure that your CV reflects the truth. Most employers will want to take out    references on the successful applicant and have the right to retract an offer of    employment if they find out that you are not all you say you are.

* Spell-check the finished article. Remember that your CV is a representation of YOU and    that first impressions count for EVERYTHING at this crucial stage.

* Example CV here