There is no universally approved structure for a CV, and certainly no right way to write one. It is a personal document that is meant to be a reflection of your strengths, skills and experience.

However, it is important to realise that your CV is a marketing document designed to sell yourself to the employer and secure an interview.

CVs should always be written with the reader, your potential employer, in mind. At this stage you don't know exactly what the employer is looking for beyond what the job advert said. If you spend your time trying to second guess what the employer wants you could lose both the focus of the CV and the chance of an interview.

It is important to present your CV simply, but also to make it interesting and easy to read because the reader will probably have hundreds to go through and will save time by scanning them.

Below are some useful tips for constructing an impressive CV.

• DO present your CV in a order. Begin with your name, contact details (including mobile phone and email) and a current profile. Then list your pertinent experience and skills in chronological order, starting with the most recent.
• DO present yourself in a positive light and highlight your achievements and skills. Your challenge is to get your messages across to your reader quickly.
• DO say it with statistics. Examples and figures add credibility and will help your CV stand out.
• DO use action words. Action verbs such as delivered, operated, consolidated, administered, evaluated and negotiated help add punch to your writing and stimulate interest.
• DO check your CV through after you have finished writing it, or, better still, ask someone who you trust to check it. Mistakes look unprofessional.
• DON'T lie and avoid embellishing. You must be able to substantiate anything you put in your CV at interview. A lie that is found out will not only lose you the application, but could damage your future chances with other employers.
• DON'T put your age at the top of the CV as you could be immediately ruled out. This is now illegal but employers will no doubt have an ideal age range for candidates in mind. If you include it, put it at the end with other personal details and interests so the employer has to read your CV first.
• DON'T include anything that could represent you negatively. You may have had may temporary jobs, which could indicate you move around a lot. Any breaks in your career should be explained. There are many reasons for career gaps - people travel for instance - but you must explain this on your CV. Don't leave the employer guessing.
• DON'T include any salary demands as this can limit your potential. If offered the job have a salary range in mind for discussion.

Remember:

Less is more: Restrict your CV to two pages. That doesn't mean reducing the type size to make it fit! Be brief, but also clear and to the point. Tempt your reader to find out more about you.

Simplicity: Create your CV on a computer using a clear, businesslike font (Arial and Times New Roman are the most widely-used) and print it on quality white or cream paper.

Relevance: Omit irrelevant information. For example, the longer you have been in employment the less important your school education becomes. Think about whether you actually need to include all your academic qualifications - only include the ones which will improve your chances of getting the job.

Layout: The appearance of your CV is vital. Use wide margins, bold text for headings and bullet points for your achievements. Do not underestimate the value of white space. Too much text clutters a CV and makes it a off-putting read.