Top Tips on CV Design

CV top tips
Use good quality A4 paper - 2 sides are ideal
Go for space (the white space on the CV can be used very effectively) clear typeface, font size and use descriptive headings
Avoid long paragraphs. Use short sentences and bullet points to keep it simple and concise
Allocate space according to the importance of the information. Your degree should receive more coverage than your A levels. GCSEs should be summarised
Start with your recent careers experience (usually most relevant) and work backwards. Focus on the most important and relevant aspects and emphasise them. Make sure that particularly relevant information is not hidden in the middle of a paragraph or consigned to page two
Keep all relevant information together on one page eg. all education on page one / all work experience page two depending on their importance to the application
Use active verbs to describe your experience, ie. "this project involved coordinating the work of four people"; "this job involved liasing with customers" or "this position involved leading a small team of volunteers"
Always check spelling and punctuation. Don't rely on your spell-checker - ask a friend to proof read your CV for you
Try to refer to what you achieved, not simply your responsibilities; this tells the reader about your competence
Remember - whatever you do this is your chance to talk about you. It is not called 'your personal sales document' for nothing!
Use with a covering letter - this should give a context to your CV