Advice for CV writing

1) State your name in large characters at the top of the CV, preferably in bold although not in a font size disproportionately big! No need to scare potential employers!

2) Provide your current address (if, like me, you have two or more different addresses, then state them all and the dates which you will be present at each address) and up to date contact details including both telephone and email! If you are using an email address which may be deemed inappropriate (for example, im-so-wasted@hotmail.com), it will be necessary to create a more professional account!

3) Your education should always be stated, although whether you provide both GCSE and A-level results is personal choice. I always provide both because you never know what the employer will be looking for. As a general rule, all information throughout the CV should be laid out as 'newest first' so put your most recent education at the top.

4) Your work experience should fall into three different categories: paid employment, voluntary work, and experience which is relevant to your professional field. Obviously if you do not have any experience fitting into one of these categories then omit it, although it may highlight a gap in your skills. Remember, never lie about what you've done but ensure that you do show off all skills that you learnt during different roles, without babbling!

5) Other interests may be used to fill out a CV, although if you're already on 2 sides of A4 then you might want to miss this part out. Interests can include hobbies you have which relate to your chosen professional field (e.g. regularly reading a particular newspaper or being part of a debate team) or those which are unrelated but show your character (e.g. sports or travelling). Try to avoid hobbies which won't show you in the best light or which are entirely irrelevant, like clubbing! Always note any musical instruments that you play and any grades you may have achieved in them, as this shows dedication and commitment.

6) References do not need to be provided, although if you wish to, the ideal number is 2. I personally choose to state that references are available on request, but note who they are available from. E.g. 'References are available on request from Joe Bloggs, Senior Lecturer at X University.'

Other general information - as with education, all work experience should be listed from the most recent to the oldest; font size of 11 or 12 is best and a font style such as Arial or Times New Roman; never lie about anything from grades to job roles as these may be discovered by reference checks or become obvious in interview. It may be worth attaching a covering letter to some applications where a CV is not enough, so ensure that both CV and cover letter are tailored to the employor that you're hoping to empress!