Top CV Tips from our partners CV Writers

"I came 9th out of 10 in our class":
Think achievements, facts and figures

Well okay, there may be some things best left out. But in general your CV should include any facts, figures or achievements that demonstrate the skills you market about yourself.

Think of your CV as a personal sales brochure. You only have the briefest opportunity to attract a buyer. So when the eyes of the recruiter focus on your CV it needs to have real impact - and quickly. You must really sell yourself. And, importantly, back up what you say. This may be one the trickiest aspects of writing your own CV. It doesn't feel natural for many people to 'sell' themselves. May be it's something to do with the reserved English nature. Our cousins across the Atlantic Ocean certainly don't seem to have much difficulty with the idea.

Some people write great things in their Professional Profile then leave the reader wondering how this person ever came to that conclusion. There's no demonstration of these skills in the rest of the CV. Too many people simply don't write great things about themselves period. They resort to tired recruitment cliches such as 'dynamic' or 'forward thinking' that could apply to almost anyone. Find original words (use a thesaurus) that describe your particular strengths. But most importantly back this up with demonstrable evidence.

Recruiters love facts and figures. They're indisputable. They place a real value on what you've achieved. It's fine to write about team achievements too. If your team smashed their sales target in the last quarter by 75% then say so. If your store scored 98% for customer service from a mystery shop then shout about it in your CV.

In your 'work history' it's easy to get carried away reeling off your responsibilities. Don't. Write a short summary of your key responsibilities then write extensively about your achievements. The results you've attained (or helped attain). Numbers, percentages, fractions, timescales and even quotes from satisfied customers.

Your CV is the first and last attempt to get you an interview. So give it everything you can.

This article is written by CV Writers who offer a professional writing service and can be contacted at www.cv-writers.org.uk