There is no getting away from it; your CV is the most important document you will need to if you want your career to flourish.
It’s your foot in the door; your advertisement to the world, justifying why a hiring manager should give up an hour of their time to meet you.

The problem facing many candidates in this brave new world of online recruitment, job boards and social networks is how to stand out from the crowd.

For years we have been told that our CVs have to be 2 pages long, with a couple of bullet points for each role. Government organisations, recruitment agencies, the media and so-called experts have encouraged us to produce sanitised, uniformed CVs with little room to express who we really are.

So what can you do to create the perfect CV and ensure you get an interview?

Your audience
In a competitive jobs market the idea of firing your CV off in all directions with no consideration for the vacancy or the reader is unsustainable. Consider tailoring every CV you send to the position you apply for. This could be something as simple as changing personal statement through to a fundamental re-write if you are considering a career change or you have worked in several different industries or sectors.

Formatting
There is not magic formula here, but create a CV that reflects your personality type and style. If you are a graphic designer make sure your CV includes some examples of your work and is well designed and presented. If you are an accountant and your qualifications are essential to the role you are applying for, make sure they are displayed prominently on the CV.

Layout
2 pages or 3? Education first or last? Should I include my hobbies?In truth, no one really cares how your CV is presented as long as they can get all the information required to decide if you are suitable for the position. If the reader is unable to find this information or it isn’t obvious then don’t expect to be called in for an interview.

Personal Statement
Always include a 4-5 sentence paragraph at the top of your CV explaining who you are and why you (out of the 100’s of other applicants) should be selected for an interview. This is your chance to explain your career choices to-date and personalise what can be quite a boring document.

Covering Letters
Despite the recent trends to exclude a covering letters in this new world of online recruitment and application forms they are now more important than every. A covering letter is your chance to articulate your strengths and suitability for the role.

About the author: Tom Leavesley is a blogger for SayNoToUnemployment.co.uk and a director at easyvacancy.co.uk | He is also an experienced recruitment guru and dog owner.