A cv is a record of your qualifications education and on the job training , work experience and skills. Bullet points, short sentences and small paragraphs not in essay style with long sections of prose. Writing a good cv is tricky: the message must be right but so must its appearance. Your cv should persuade employers that you are the right person for the job and that they should offer you an interview. People often forget them! do not include your age or a photograph unless specifically asked to do so. When you write your employment history and education details put your most recent achievements first. Make the length of your cv relative to your work experience: if you have many years experience in a wide range of roles, you can justify a long cv.

Academic cvs are usually at least 4 5 pages long, whereas cvs tailored to the private sector should be only 2. Remember that the person looking at your cv might not be an expert in your field. Try to write your cv using as few words as possible this way you'll keep to the point and avoid waffle. You can say more in your cover letter and application form, there rsquo s no need to go into depth in a cv.

Use lsquo doing rsquo words on your cv such as lsquo developed rsquo or lsquo organised rsquo. Don rsquo t talk about your social life unless your activities display an important skill such as leadership or teamwork. Give the addresses of two referees one should preferably be your current employer. There should be no spelling, punctuation or grammar errors: unprofessional cvs are rejected. Once you have finished it, show it to as many people as possible: your supervisor/mentor, colleagues, even your family and friends. When it comes to applying for a new job, your cv could be just the ticket to get you that initial foot in the door and secure an interview – but how do you ensure your cv is added to the interview pile rather than thrown straight in the bin? putting together a successful cv is easy once you know how.

It's a case of taking all your skills and experience and tailoring them to the job you're applying for. But what if you don't meet the right criteria? well, i've put together the following tips to help you get started in creating a successful cv and securing your first or next arts job. There is no right or wrong way to write a cv but there are some common sections you should cover.

These include: personal and contact information education and qualifications work history and/or experience relevant skills to the job in question own interests, achievements or hobbies and some references. A successful cv is always carefully and clearly presented, and printed on clean, crisp white paper. The layout should always be clean and well structured and cvs should never be crumpled or folded, so use an a4 envelope to post your applications. Always remember the cv hotspot – the upper middle area of the first page is where the recruiter's eye will naturally fall, so make sure you include your most important information there. You don't need pages and pages of paper – you just keep things short and sweet.

A cv is a reassurance to a potential employer, it's a chance to tick the right boxes. Also, employers receive dozens of cvs all the time so it's unlikely they'll read each one cover to cover. Most will make a judgment about a cv within sections, so stick to a maximum of two pages of a4 paper. Take notes and create bullet points, highlighting everything you can satisfy and all the bits you can't. With the areas where you're lacking, fill in the blanks by adapting the skills you do have.

For example, if the job in question requires someone with sales experience, there's nothing stopping you from using any retail work you've undertaken – even if it was something to help pay the bills through university. When you've established what the job entails and how you can match each requirement, create a cv specifically for that role. Every cv you send to a potential employee should be tailored to that role so don't be lazy and hope that a general cv will work because it won't. You don't have to re write the whole thing, just adapt the details so they're relevant. Under the skills section of your cv don't forget to mention key skills that can help you to stand out from the crowd. These could include: communication skills computer skills team working problem solving or even speaking a foreign language. Skills can come out of the most unlikely places, so really think about what you've done to grow your own skills, even if you take examples from being in a local sports team or joining a voluntary group – it's all relevant.

Under interests, highlight the things that show off skills you've gained and employers look for. Describe any examples of positions of responsibility, working in a team or anything that shows you can use your own initiative. For example, if you ran your university's newspaper or if you started a weekend league football team that became a success. Don't include passive interests like watching tv, solitary hobbies that can be perceived as you lacking in people skills. Use assertive and positive language under the work history and experience sections, such as developed , organised or achieved. For example: the work experience involved working in a team, or this position involved planning, organisation and leadership as i was responsible for a team of people.

Really get to grips with the valuable skills and experience you have gained from past work positions, even if it was just working in a restaurant – every little helps. References should be from someone who has employed you in the past and can vouch for your skills and experience. It's crucial to review your cv on a regular basis and add any new skills or experience that's missing. For example, if you've just done some volunteering or worked on a new project, make sure they're on there – potential employers are always impressed with candidates who go the extra mile to boost their own skills and experience. this content was originally published by creative boom katy cowan runs the creative boom website voluntarily – she is a trained journalist, writer and pr professional. Follow her and creative boom on twitter @creative_boom this content is brought to you by guardian professional .

To get more articles like this direct to your inbox, sign up free to become a member of the culture professionals network . your cv and covering letter is your chance to show an employer the best of what you've got. It's about selling your skills and experience, and showing them you're the right person for the job. How you write your cv and covering letter is up to you, but there are some basic rules to follow if you want to create the best impression. And don't be worried if this is your first cv with our help you'll soon have a professional cv and covering letter that are ready to be sent out and get you interviews. Our cv builder uses a step by step approach to gather all the information you need to create your first cv.

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