• A well-presented, selling document
• A source of interesting, relevant information
• A script for talking about yourself

The purpose of your CV is not to get you the job. Its purpose is to get you an interview, and after your meeting to remind the person you met with about you.

Remember you are not writing a CV for yourself, you are writing it for the employer / recruiter. So put yourself in the shoes of the reader when you prepare your CV.

When you submit a printed CV to a potential employer, it is likely to be the first thing they get to see or read of yours. Therefore, you need to present your CV well and make it user friendly. For example:

• In most cases, be conservative and print your CV in black ink on white paper if you are submitting applications by post. Covering letters should use identical stationery.  However most applications these days are via email - avoid lurid colours or fancy designs (unless you are applying for a graphic design job) - keep it straightforward.
• Lay your CV out neatly.
• Don't make the margins too deep or too narrow.
• Resist writing lengthy paragraphs - be concise.
• Careful use of bold type can be effective.
• Typefaces such as Times New Roman or Arial are fairly standard.
• Do not use a type size less than 11pt.
• Check for spelling or typographical errors - don't rely on a spell checker. If you're not sure about a word, resort to a dictionary. Sloppiness and lack of care could be heavily penalised.

Consider this:

• It must meet the needs of the target organisation where possible - make it obvious early on that you fit the requirements (This means a single generalist CV is unlikely to be sufficient).
• It must highlight your achievements and how they relate to the job you are applying for. It must give the reader a clear indication of why you should be considered for this role.

• Generally, the document should contain no more than 2 or 3 pages.
• Your CV should be honest and factual.
• The first page should contain enough personal details for a recruitment consultant or potential employer to contact you easily.
• Choose a presentation format that allows you to headline key skills, key achievements or key attributes.
• Your employment history should commence with your current or most recent job and work backwards.
• Achievements should be short, bullet-pointed statements and include your role, the action you took and a comment on the result of your action.
• Where information clearly demonstrates your suitability for the vacancy you're applying for, and enhances your chances of being short-listed, include this information near the beginning of the CV.
• Leave out information that is irrelevant.
• Include details of recent training or skills development events you have attended which could be relevant.
• List all your professional memberships and relevant qualifications.

• Personal Details
• Skills and Career Summary
• Key Achievements
• Qualifications
• Career History

This is all sound advice - and if you are serious about your job search you should already have spent time preparing a well presented CV to support your application.  However as good as it is a Word CV on its own is unlikely to stand out from the crowd to someone who looks at thousands of CV's a month!

The good news is that there is now another way to get noticed -  Multimedia CV's offer an alternative to the standard Word CV, using leading edge technology to combine media to produce a really dynamic presentation  - it means you get to play the lead role in presenting yourself to clients.  It moves your career history from black and white stills into multicolour movies.  The really good news is that you can create your own INNOVATE CV right here - for free! Click here for more information