When writing a CV, try to remember that you are creating a document to persuade an employer to consider you for a position over every other applicant. Along with your cover letter, your CV will provide a first impression of your strengths, skills and experience to any prospective employer. This first impression can make or break your initial application.

It is imperative that your CV is clear, concise and easy to read and understand quickly. Sentences should be kept short and the length of your CV should be kept between three and five pages. Your CV needs to contain as few words as possible but these words must communicate in as much detail as possible.

Before you start writing your CV, you need to think about the content. It may help to gather your thoughts then write some rough notes. This will save time when it actually comes to writing the final document. Some of the things you should consider for inclusion in your CV are:

When you have established what you wish to include in your CV, concentrate on the layout and presentation. As there are a variety of different CV styles you can use, you should select one that best reflects your work experience, the position you are applying for and whether you are changing careers.

The most common type of CV is the generic style. It details your skills, employment history and personal details. Your experience and age will determine how long this document is and what it contains and you must decide what information is relevant and important enough to be included. As you follow a chronological structure (from most recent position back), this is the easiest CV to write.

A specific application is a CV tailored to a particular job advertisement or position description. This type of CV provides the opportunity for you to present your experience and skills, highlighting why you would be the best choice to fill the position.

If you are making a major career change or have had a very long and varied career history, a functional CV may be the most appropriate way to list your previous employers as well as promote your strengths and abilities. This will enable you to showcase your skills and highlight how these abilities relate to the demands of the job you are applying for.

Once you have selected the type of CV most suited to your needs, you can commence the final document. Always include a high impact summary or profile section at the beginning of your document. This tool enables you to demonstrate that you have the skill level and competencies directly related to this position. It also makes it easy for a prospective employer to decide if you land in the interview pile or in the no thank you pile.

Next, you should start with your most current position and work through your employment history, without going back further than 10 to 15 years (this may alter depending on your experience, the position you are applying for or the company you a seeking employment with). Include specific dates so a recruiter can follow your career path and the achievements and impact you have had in each job role.

When describing your previous positions, you should provide less details as you move further away from your current position. Your most recent positions should be described in the greatest detail but always remain focused. Summarise the position and describe your duties, responsibilities and achievements in short, sharp sentences or bullet points. To help you summarise each position you have held, consider the following:

You should always give examples of your team work, ability to communicate and your leadership skills as almost every recruiter will look for these skills.

Be aware of weaknesses on your CV and how they may impact your potential to be considered for a position. These may include:

If you have been out of work in a fulltime capacity but have been temping, consulting or working in the family business, you may be able to cover this gap with the general term 'self-employed'. If you have been fired, try to remember that, generally speaking, this occurs due to interpersonal conflicts and is not a reflection of your performance. The best thing to do is prepare yourself to answer questions about the incident at interview and think of scenarios where you dealt with similar situations with a positive outcome.

Should you be making a career change, your CV should focus on the attributes you have that would be useful in this new area. If your current work history is unrelated to the position, select achievements that display your strengths and skills and how they would be beneficial in this new industry.

If you are a recent school leaver or graduate and don't have a career history to include, focus on your personal skills and attributes. You may have developed skills when completing group-work at university, volunteer work with a Rotary club or when working in a casual position and you just need to tailor these skills to show you in the most positive light. For example, you may have held a retail position and developed excellent skills dealing with difficult clients, finding solutions to customers' problems or meeting sales targets. Maybe you volunteered to be a secretary or treasurer of a committee or you may have been a waiter and juggled numerous tasks at once and also been responsible for balancing the register at the end of the day.

Sometimes these very obvious strengths are taken for granted and the writer doesn't consider them for their CV. Thinking laterally about your experiences will assist you determine what is important and should be included in your CV. For example, being the chairman of your local sporting club requires a range of skills and abilities including leadership, delegation, organisation, team work and commitment. A potential employer would find all of these skills and abilities beneficial.

You should also include telephone referees in your CV. Include your referees' names, job titles, company name and all contact phone numbers, at the end of your CV.

Finally, be clear about what you want. Don't waste space including information that is merely there to fill up pages. A recruiter may have hundreds of CVs to wade through, don't waste their time (or yours) by including useless, irrelevant or out of date information. By keeping your CV focused and making every word count you will give yourself a better chance at obtaining an interview.

Important points to remember when writing a CV: