- Include all qualifications, experience, and studies. Make it interesting, show some actual achievements.
- Drop names of employers, if you can. It's a character reference, and it assures prospective employers that they can check your references.
- Include anything unique. Any information that shows value and real ability is priceless, and it's what gets you your job interviews.
- Put real effort into designing your text, presentation, and the layout of your CV. Get help if you need it, but make sure all the content is working for you.
- Make sure that you include a statement that you have references. It is essential, and looks bad if you don't because it's a basic part.
Don't:
- Make any false or possibly misleading claims on your CV. It's a great way to definitely lose a job (This used to be considered 'clever,' for about five seconds, until the world figured it out. Any information you provide which can be shown to be incorrect will be used against you).
- Include personal information that could be used for identity theft. Keep your personal security extremely tight. Stick to a single point of contact, preferably through the job site itself.
- Include names or contacts of references without their permission. It's not only bad etiquette; it's potentially risky for them.
- Use filler, or drab, uninteresting material. Stick to bare bones, if necessary, but avoid things like 'shop assistant' or 'administration duties' and other uninformative interest killers. Describe skills used rather than job titles, because that's what the employer needs to see.
- Use ancient information. Anything older than 5 years can be relegated to the archives, for use only when relevant to a job.
There's a good way of doing quality control on your CV. Just ask yourself:
- 'Is this something an employer really needs to see?'
- 'Does this really look like it will get me a job, or is it just filler?'
- 'Is this relevant to the jobs I want?'
If it isn't good enough, or isn't obviously useful, get rid of it. You need the space on your CV for the important stuff, and any excess material is really wasting that space.
Online CVs are used by a lot of people to get work, in many different professions. Give yourself a real chance with your own. Remember, the only information an employer has to work with is what you present to them.
