DO
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Ensure your CV is presentable and easy to read with clearly defined sections
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Use bullet points
- Check spelling and grammar, and have your CV proofread if possible
- Ensure that your CV is legible and well balanced
- Make sure that your CV content is relevant - employers are not interested in irrelevant content.
- Target your CV towards the job in question rather than making it generic
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Write your CV from the employer’s position not just yours
- Sell your skills - if you don't your competitors will!
- Be flexible if need be - and don't write to rigid and outdated CV writing myths
- Be honest, keep real and avoid over-exaggerating
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Be honest with yourself too: you should be able to gauge how good your CV is and have an idea how it will fare against the competition. If you think that your CV could be better, then it is a good idea to seek professional help
DON'T
- Fall into the trap of overdoing things with the design of your CV. The more you stray from a presentable/professional design, the more of a risk you take. Employers have different tastes in design and it is often better to play safe rather than go over the top with bright fonts and colours, etc
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Pretend you are someone you are not
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Adopt artificial ‘CV rules: a lot of so-called CV rules are actually myths anyway
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Include humour
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Include long winded paragraphs as these just clutter up your CV
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Undersell yourself
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Assume you know best. There is nothing wrong with asking for a second opinion. If you can get a professional opinion rather than just the opinion of a layman, all the better
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Send out your CV until you are fully satisfied it is as good as it could be: you only get one shot at good jobs
This article has been taken from excerpts from a book by Paul Hichens, senior consultant at www.CVconsultants.co.uk.
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