Word-processing and printing a CV

Your CV should be produced using a modern word-processing package, such as Microsoft Word and printed on a high quality printer, such as a laser printer or an inkjet printer.

It is not really good enough these days to produce your CV on a typewriter and it will make you look very unprofessional, out-of-date and out-of-touch with the modern world.

CV writing companies can considerably improve your existing CV or create a new CV from scratch for you. They have the skills and experience to produce an interview-grabbing CV that will make employers want to meet you and invite you to job interviews.

If you do get someone else to prepare a professional CV for you and you want printed copies, make sure they print it out on a laser printer or an inkjet printer. Always ask for a proof copy of your CV, so that you can check that it meets your needs before it is printed out.

When you are learning how to write a CV, you may have changed the default page margins or you may have left them alone. We recommend that you have all margins (top, bottom, left and right) set to one inch (2.54cm).

Your name, address and telephone number should be included at the top of page one of your CV, preferably in the first page header.

Section headings should be picked out in BOLD UPPER CASE. In a Performance CV you should pick also out employers and job titles in bold text, but you may not want to pick them out in bold in a Functional or Targeted CV.

Please ensure that you use enough 'white space' (empty space) on each page - do not squeeze things in and make your CV look cramped.

A CV writer would normally check your CV thoroughly for spelling and grammatical errors before sending it to you and you must do this too before you send your CV out. When you are happy with it, you should get at least one other person to check it over and give you some feedback. You should then redraft it and show it to them again. You may need to do this several times before you are completely satisfied with the final version.

When it comes to printing your CV out you should always use good quality paper, preferably 100gram weight and you should also use this paper for writing any cover letters too. You can use brilliant white paper or if you want to be distinctive and different you might try cream or vellum paper.

If you have to post your CV (rather than emailing it), you should always send it in an A4 envelope rather than folding it. A CV that's been folder once or more, just doesn't look as good as a CV that hasn't been folded.