Congratulations – you’re a graduate! With a good degree in the bag, the world’s your oyster. Or is it? In 
today’s tough job market, where thousands of university leavers are chasing fewer jobs, it’s never been more important to make your CV stand out. Follow our top ten tips to landing that dream job.
1. Get noticed – your CV is a golden opportunity to advertise yourself to a potential employer and secure that all important interview. The average recruiter spends just 10 seconds on a CV so make it’s clear what you want to do, what you’re good at and what you can do for them. Consider including a personal profile or statement.
2. List key facts first – unless you capture their attention, employers will relegate your resumé to the rubbish. Outline key achievements clearly in short, readable sentences.
3. Presentation is key if you want your CV to stand out. Stick to two pages and don’t overfill them with text, keeping enough space around borders and between sections. Use a simple font and bullet points rather than lengthy paragraphs.
4. Sell yourself – research the company you’re applying to, identify what they’re looking for and tailor your CV accordingly. Use the same words and phrases that they used when advertising the job and they should believe that you are the man for the job. Sell not only your skills, but your personality too – the potential employer wants someone who’s going to fit in well with the team.
5. Highlight your successes – don’t just list your achievements, emphasise what you did well and quantify your contribution where possible.
6. Outline your employment history in chronological order – including details of holiday or temporary work, but only if it’s pertinent to the job you’re applying for. You may want to omit the babysitting you did as a teenager.
7. Volunteer – sign up to a spell of voluntary work and there’s no doubt that you’ll stand out in a crowded job market. Potential employers will approve of the leadership and team building skills you develop and you’ll be sure to find it a fulfilling experience. You could set aside a few hours a week to volunteer for a charity close to home or head overseas with an organisation like Original Volunteers, which runs a variety of projects around the world.
8. Use action verbs to give your CV strength and gravitas. Punchy words like performed and proposed, managed and maintained and designed and developed demonstrate that you have focus and initiative and you’ll be more likely to be called for an interview. Describe your achievements with a strong action statement and highlight how an employer will benefit.
9. Tell the truth – yes, you want to present yourself in the best possible light, but exaggerating or fabricating information will only come back to bite you.
10. Check for mistakes – always run a spelling and grammar check and ask someone else to read your CV. Nobody can claim to have a strong attention to detail if they produce a CV that is littered with errors.
Now’s your chance to catch the eye of that potential employer – good luck!