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In short, your curriculum vitae, or, as most people refer to it, “CV”, or resume is a summarised expression of you. Translating from “course of life” in Latin, the CV shows your professional and, at times, personal achievements; as a result, when a potential employer looks at your CV, he or she should be able to get a definite idea of your qualifications and experiences before they meet you.

CV’s have a range of legitimate purposes, but they are predominately used to gain employment. Thus, when a job posting is displayed, potential employees submit their CV’s to be examined by the employer. Naturally, the employer receiving this influx of informative documents must be able to sift through them quickly and efficiently. This makes having a well written, structured and easy to read CV of vital importance.

There is no definitive way that a CV must be put together, however there are some main items that your CV must contain: contact details, personal information, academic and professional history, the skills you have that are related to the job, interests and references. When submitting a CV it is crucial that you also send a covering letter; this complements the CV. A cover letter gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself to the employer you wish to work for, give details of your background and degree of expertise and highlight your strengths which you can bring to the job. Ensure that your letter elaborates on your CV including your key strengths.

Notgoingtouni’s Do’s and Dont’s when writing your CV:

DO keep it short and specific – The most crucial information, such as your main skills and the most recent experience you’ve had, needs to be close to the top where it can be seen instantly. Your CV should in most cases be two pages long; if you haven’t managed to engage the recruiter by the second page, then it is likely they won’t read the rest of your it.

DO make sure it looks good- Clear, attractive presentation is also important if your CV is to stand out. Ensure that it’s uncluttered, with key points easy to spot by using bullet points and short sentences.

DO use chronological order- Put your employment history in date order, starting with the most recent first. Avoid leaving any gaps, so if you’ve had time out for some reason, do mention this and remember to put your qualifications in reverse order starting with the most recent.

DO include facts- List your job duties beneath each position. List your achievements, responsibilities and results. Talk about results – what difference did your presence make?

DO include a covering letter – Unless the advert shows that there is no need for a covering letter, always include one. This should show the two or three most relevant experiences from your CV that are related to the nature of the job being applied for. You should never send out a CV on its own.

DON’T lie – If you overstate information about the extent of your experience, or the abilities that you have and your employer finds out, it could result in you being sacked.

DON’T list lots of facts about what you enjoy doing, unless they’re relevant to the job or show a characteristic, such as the ability to solve problems.

DON’T forget to put your correct contact details in a place which is clearly noticeable. You wouldn’t want to let an opportunity pass you by due to the fact that an employer wasn’t able to contact you.

Notgoingtouni.co.uk guides young adults with their future by showing jobs and training that exist outside of university. There are a number of student CV tips and apprenticeships available in addition to free career guides and over 300 videos on distance learning, foundation degrees, gap years, voluntary work and advice on getting a sponsored degree.