Preparing a good CV is the first step in securing the job you want. It should clearly lay out your experience, skills and abilities in a way that a quick read through it will demonstrate your suitability for the position you are applying for.

Take time to create a good master CV. Update it regularly and use it as a template when tailoring applications for individual jobs. This will be your working document for all future job applications, so make sure you allocate it the time that both it and your career deserve.

Sales pitch

A CV or application form is a sales document. It needs to be positive, true and as succinct as possible, without selling yourself short. Also avoid making your CV too lengthy or complicated as if a prospective employer cannot find the information they are after quickly, it will go in the rubbish bin.

How long?

Two to three pages should be enough to outline your suitability for the role. Any longer and you risk burying important information in trivia.

Layout

Personal details can be in bold and in slightly larger type. No need to write 'Curriculum Vitae', or 'Personal Details' at the top, as this is obvious. For employment and education sections put start and end dates to the left of the page. Use a clear font in 12 pt size, such as Helvetica or Ariel. Leave wide margins for recruiters' notes. Use white paper as it prints and photocopies well.

Order

Begin your CV with personal details. Follow this with employment and skills, progressing to education and interests.

Personal details

Name, address, contact details and date of birth. Whether you include marital status and children is up to you

Employment

Starting with your current role, outline what you have achieved and the skills and experience it has given you. Employers want to see the difference you have made by being there, including your contribution to team projects. Use active verbs such as increased, achieved, prevented, saved and recruited, and back up your claims with results such as "I increased burglary sanction detection rates by 15 per cent on the previous year".

Now apply this process to every position you have had, including start and end dates for all posts. Clarify any gaps in your employment of more than two months.

Education

Begin with your most recent professional qualifications, list courses taken, dates and grades achieved. Highlight top grades and distinctions.

Skills and interests

Skills tend to have credentials, interests do not. A Microsoft Office specialist certificate is a skill, proficiency at X-Box is an interest.

The interest section tells the reader a bit more about you as a person, so steer clear of vague statements. For example, 'wildlife photography' is better than 'photography', '20th century crime fiction' is better than 'reading' and 'Rhone wine' is better than 'boozing'.

The covering letter

A good covering letter is vitally important to show how the information in your CV relates to the job you are applying for. It gives you the opportunity to highlight your suitability for the role. Drawing on the job advert, job description and role profile and show how your experience and qualifications meet the employer's needs.

Get an edge - tailor your CV

Once you have reviewed the job description and the required abilities and skills, go through the master copy of your CV and identify the elements that back up your covering letter. Paste the information from your master copy into a fresh CV, including all the relevant information but focusing on these key areas and you can quickly create a targeted, tailored application for each job you want to apply for.

Compiled by Susan Gray