CVs - Basics that you should take notice of

Ok, I apologise for potentially preaching to the converted but I have to say that as the days, weeks and months pass me by in recruitment I am amazed at the simple things people do on their CV which for me automatically have me yanking out the quickly greying strands I have left in my head.

A CV, what is it ? It is an opportunity to sell yourself to a potential employer, a recruiter, a decision maker. They are not an application form, they are a means to get you through the door, to enable you to sit in front of that decision maker and have them a) take you seriously and b) potentially hire you as opposed to one of the other 30 people in reception.

I am going to take you through some of the most irritating mistakes I find on CVs and they exasperate me, simple things that with care and attention can be circumvented.

1. Misuse of capital letters. How many people use the letter i instead of I when writing a CV ? I can tell you in my experience it is well over half. Also the amount of CVs I get where the individual does not even use a capital letter when typing their own name infuriates me.
2. Poor grammar, there is no excuse in this day and age for the use of incorrect grammar. If people are using a PC to type up their CV, they all have a spellcheck function as well as a function through Word to highlight grammatical errors in a document. The red and green wavy lines are not there for decoration to make it look pretty, they have a purpose, click and see what the problem is.
3. Incorrect contact details. Whether that be an email address or a phone number. Check them please ! Nothing is more frustrating than trying to ring the number on a CV only to find it does not connect. If you have changed your number, just check on your CV before sending it, it only takes a second and stops you looking like an imbecile.
4. Have a structure to your CV. If you have listed your most recent job in a certain way, make sure that continues through your CV and do not change font, font size and style midway through the document.
5. Don't waffle on. Be clear and concise, giving an overview of your duties and responsibilities
6. For me personally I always like to read a personal statement at the top of a CV. This gives me an insight into the individual who has submitted it. Anybody can put any load of old tosh on their CV about exam results etc. Who actually checks up on exam results ? I know I never have unless it is for an apprenticeship position. You could have anything on there and I am not going to question it too intensely. I am more interested in the person. Tell me about you not what you did 25 years ago in an exam hall.
7. Make sure your CV scans well and is pleasing to the eye. I do not mean draw pretty pictures on it, but do not lay it out haphazardly, give it clear sections that flow.

Other than that when you go for the interview, make an effort, dress to impress, do not turn up like you have just weeded the garden or cleaned the chimney. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. But do not take that too literally, my boss said it to me once, the following day I was sat outside his office waiting for a disciplinary hearing dressed as Batman. Best of luck, because getting a new job is never easy but can ultimately be worth it.