Our consultants write many CVs a day. Here are some CV dos and don'ts that they have compiled to ensure that your CV is working for you.

5 CV Do’s

1. Create a unique profile - Start with a hard-hitting personal profile that avoids clichés such as ‘hard-working, team player with excellent communication skills’. The profile should be a synopsis of your CV highlighting your background and skill sets and showing what you want to do. It has to make you sound interesting and as though you'll fit into the company and can make a quick and substantial difference.
2. Tailor your CV to a role - Tailor your CV to the job description so your CV highlights the aspects of your experience relevant to the job which you are applying for. CVs formulated with a specific role in mind are almost always more successful than those written for any generic position.
3. Mention dates - Cite dates consistently when referring to qualifications and experience. List your most recent job/qualifications first. Make sure that all dates follow on with no suspicious gaps. If you were unemployed or travelling for a period of time then include it as a stage in your history.
4. CV length - If you are just starting your career, your CV should not be longer than 1-2 pages. If you are mid-management then 2 pages are sufficient. For senior management positions 2-3 pages should cover everything. Remember less is more!
5. Sell yourself properly - Concentrate on your achievements not your responsibilities. This means listing things you have done e.g. products launched, sales increased, awards won and not rewriting your job description. Quote figures whenever possible e.g. a project budget or a percentage result.

5 CV Don’ts

1. Don’t paste your photograph - Do not put your photograph on your CV. No matter how attractive you make yourself look, it will not improve your chances. This may be popular in other European countries but isn’t favoured by UK businesses. Don’t use slang, abbreviations or make typos. 
   
2. Do not use slangs or abbreviations in your CV - Your CV will most probably be read by a recruiter who may not be familiar with abbreviations and technical jargon. Spelling mistakes can make you look careless and unfocused. You've got a spell checker. Use it!
3. Don’t quote irrelevant facts - Don’t include irrelevant facts in your CV which have no connection with your career achievements. A potential employer will not be interested in how many children you have or in all the one-day training courses you have ever been on.
4. Don’t lie - Obviously, you have to describe yourself in the best possible light. But avoid the temptation to go too far. Recruiters are not stupid. They can spot information that doesn't stack up. They’re always on the look out for inflated qualifications, salaries, job titles and achievements.
5. A long waffly CV - If your CV is too long it suggests that you've been either job hopping or you can't write concisely. If you have had 25 years of experience focus on your recent experience and achievements.