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When applying for a job, your CV (Curriculum Vitae) is the driving force behind your chances of securing an interview.
Your CV should concisely outline your skills and serve to quickly indicate to your prospective employer that you are not only capable of doing the job, but that you are someone who will benefit the organisation as a whole.
Generally, employers will have many CV's to review in a short period of time, so if you get called-in for an interview, it means your CV has done its job.

Key CV points:

• Try and keep your CV to two pages, or less
• list your most recent job first and work backwards, the same applies to education and work experience
• Ensure all the dates listed in your CV link up. Don't leave any gaps unexplained
• Include details of your responsibilities and what your role involved
• Always send a cover letter, tailored to the specific job you're applying for
• Keep your language simple, professional and business like
• Be honest and truthful about your experience and achievements – don't make any claims you can't back up
• Briefly state your hobbies and interests – 2 or 3 lines is plenty
• Get other people to proof read your CV and make sure there are no spelling mistakes or other grammatical errors
• Always print your CV on standard white A4 paper

Good CV Structure:

1. Name (bold type)
2. Personal details including date of birth, address and telephone number, marital status, nationality
3. Qualifications
4. Career history (in reverse order, most recent position first)
5. Leisure interests
6. Referees

You should never send a CV to an employer, without an accompanying covering letter.
A covering letter is your chance to place your CV into context with your application or enquiry.
Given this, it's important to be honest and specific from the outset.
If you're looking for an Internship – make sure you say so, as to avoid the employer guessing your intentions.

A good covering letter should:

• Demonstrate to the employer your interest in and knowledge of the company
• Highlight particular parts of your CV that are your unique selling points
• Draw attention to additional information that does not fit easily into a CV
• Explain any personal circumstances or anomalies in your application

The following format provides a useful overview for a letter:

1. Briefly introduce yourself, state what position you're applying for and where you saw it advertised. For a speculative letter, specify the type of work you're looking for.
2. Explain why you're interested in this type of work, demonstrating an understanding of what it's likely to involve.
3. Explain why you're interested in working for this particular employer. Demonstrate enthusiasm and evidence of research into such aspects as their successes, involvements, values or clients.
4. Highlight the ways in which you're suitable for this position. Provide evidence of your key strengths by referring to experience listed on your CV. Aim to show that your key strengths reflect the requirements of the employer and position.
5. Take the opportunity, if necessary, to explain any anomalies in your background, such as any time gaps or any ways in which you don't match the selection criteria. Perhaps explain how any hurdles you've encountered have helped you develop in a positive way.
6. Indicate availability for interview

Often regarded as the nerve-wracking element, it's true that the interview is your chance to prove to a prospective employer that you are capable of performing in a role.
However whilst it's imperative to make sure that you've gathered as much information in terms of research as possible, it's important to remember that an interview should be a two way process - it's an opportunity for you to be able to "try a new employer" for size.
For this reason it's key to try to be yourself and enjoy the exchange of information and aim to get as much out of the meeting as you can.

• The company website is a "must" for key business information; it's also a good idea to use search engines to identify recent press or product launches.
• If you're required to undertake aptitude (numeric, verbal, diagrammatic) or psychometric tests, it's not a bad idea to spend some time on some practice tests – dependent on the type of test, there are normally examples available online if you search for them
• If you're presenting a case study or some information, ensure that you are 100% clear on the task before you undertake it and that you have all the material and information you require. It's worth double checking what facilities will be available to you on the day – there's nothing worse than turning up with a just a CD to find that there is no laptop in the room!
• Ask the background of the line manager interviewing you, it's not only useful from a conversation perspective but can also provide food for thought and discussion when it comes to finding out about the organisation's progression structure.
• Get a good night's sleep before your meeting and ensure that you know where you are going and that you leave yourself enough time to arrive comfortably.

Remember - In a job interview, you are interviewing the company, as much as they are interviewing you, so feel free to ask any questions you wish.
Even if they like you, you don't have to take the job! Good luck!