A good CV is an attractive shop window. It pulls you in as you walk past and makes you want to know more about what's being sold. Here's our top 10 to make it more Harvey Nicks than Primarni!

Change it for each job

One of the biggest mistakes applicants make when applying for any job is keeping the same CV every time. Research the company and emphasise your skills to match the employers' needs

Include a personal statement or cover letter

Don't assume a recruiter will see the connection between your experience and the job, use your cover letter or a personal statement to tie your CV to the specific company and role.

Mind the gap

Often people have gaps between jobs but this can make any recruiter suspicious especially if you ignore it. So if you have been out of work put it on you CV but put a positive spin on it. What did you learn in your time? Did you develop any skills while job hunting?

Keep it brief

Big isn't always beautiful. Your CV should be no more than 2 sides of A4. If you're lucky your CV will get 2 minutes attention and if you're unlucky it might get 2 seconds. So keep everything short and to the point. Save the detail for your interview.

Up to date

It's hard to remember back a few days let alone to achievements in previous jobs or school. So regularly update your CV with the most up to date information. Plus you never know when someone may just ask you for it.

Get it right

Don't give them an excuse to ditch your CV early. Spelling mistakes, jargon, slang make it all too easy for the recruiter to bin a CV without a second thought. Double and triple check and then have someone else check again

First impressions count

You may have all the experience in the world but if your CV is a mess no-one will give it a chance. Spending time on the formatting and layout is all time well spent. Use bullets or numbering to keep it short and get some nice paper to finish it off.

Don't lie

Making the most of your skills and experience is one thing but never tell a blatant lie. If a company checks then you're screwed and even if they don't getting through an interview will be a nightmare it's just not worth it.

Work the system

Loads of recruitment companies and employers use software to sift through CV's. So fill your CV with keywords and jobs titles a computer programme can easily recognise.

Write a killer opening

Get their attention with your opening paragraph. Get a couple of key points in to make them want to read more such as "energetic sales professional with a history of getting results... particular expertise in winning new business and maximising all sales opportunities"