In today’s job market there is a lot of competition out there. The first “round” of competition is your Curriculum Vitae (also known as a job resume). Your CV is the very first, and often the most important, step in getting a job.

Employers often have an overwhelming number of applicants for a single job and they can’t interview everyone. The process of elimination begins with a review of each candidate’s CV.

Studies show that roughly half of all employers will either accept or reject an application for employment based on the professional experience reflected in the CV. And one-third of employers make such decisions based on the design and layout of the document.

1. Make Sure Your CV Stands Out

When you are creating your CV, you will want to ensure that it is visually attractive, so the people evaluating it will find it easy to read. And make sure your CV contains all relevant work experience for the position that you are seeking.

2. Don’t Waste The Employer’s Time

A CV that is too long, with information that is irrelevant to the employer, will likely end up in the “circular file”. Employers are busy, and their time is limited. A CV that wastes their time with lengthy and irrelevant information shows disrespect for someone that you are trying to convince to hire you.

3. Customize Your Content

Your professional experience may not all be relevant to the that job you are seeking. Many people create several different copies of their CV, customized to different areas of specialization. If you use the same CV to apply for different types of jobs, you may create the impression that your career has been unfocused and adrift. You want the employer to see your career path as being well fitted to their needs.

4. Advertise Your Accomplishments

Don’t go over the top with hype and empty fluff, but do make sure your CV reflects the concrete accomplishments of your career and education. Honors, awards and especially specific goals that you have met and value you have added to previous jobs are all worthy of mention in your CV.

5. Polish Your Presentation

Employers see lots and lots of CVs and they can spot a slapdash effort in an instant. And if they know that you did not make a strong effort to promote your own interests, why would they think that you would make any more of an effort in your work for them? Some people spend days or even weeks polishing their CV and may even pay a professional service to help them prepare it.

John Glover has been helping people to find jobs for many years. On his website http://blog.freejobhuntingtips.com, he is offering tips on how to find and keep that perfect job. If you want to go from “Fired” to “Hired” by tomorrow then enroll in John’s free 10 day job hunting course today at http://www.freejobhuntingtips.com

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