For many students, completing a professional qualification such as CIMA or ACCA is done with the aim of repositioning their careers and finding new employment - often in higher salary bracket. This often means that the joy of graduation is followed by a stressful period of job-hunting.

A well-structured CV will ensure that your application finds its way to the top of the ‘Yes’ pile.

Here are the top 10 CV building tips you should be using today:

1 - Format

Before we get started with the content, it’s important to talk about form. Hiring managers go through multiple applications everyday, often quickly screening CVs for a couple of seconds before adding them to a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ pile for later reading. Ensuring your CV follows some simple form guidelines will help you to pass this vital test. Keep your CV concise and to the point. It should be no longer than two full A4 pages. Don’t use large paragraphs of text - using bullet points and white space will make your CV easy on the eyes and enable theimportant to stand out on the page

2- Your email address

The badboy777@gmail.com account you made back in high school isn’t going to cut it. Make sure your email address is professional and contains either your first name or surname. Consider making one specifically for job searches so that you won’t miss out on any replies you receive.

3- Don’t leave gaps

Leaving long periods unaccounted for in your job history will serve as a red flag to employers. Instead, try to explain what you were doing in that time other than working. Were you studying, or volunteering as a coach at a local sport club? Include it. This shows you weren’t just lazing about on the couch and could display other desirable qualities and skills you may have picked up.

4- Back your achievements with numbers

‘Help to raise sales’ sounds good but ‘Helped raise sales by 25%’ sounds even better. Backing up your achievements with statistical proof not only gives them an extra sense of validity but will also help to tangibly express your contribution in your current/previous position. However,

5- Always be honest

Don’t lie. You will get caught out. Either in the interview or three months down the line when you suddenly have no idea how to complete that task you claimed to be an expert in.

6- Have a skills/competencies list

Be sure to include a bulleted list of what you can offer. This helps recruiters gauge whether you’re a suitable candidate at a glance. They will appreciate the effort in making their lives easier, and a concrete list of skills will help you to stand out from the crowd.

7- Tailor-made

Make sure your skills listed are relevant to the position you’re applying for. The closer they match, the more your application will stand out as the right person for the job. Cross check your competencies with the ones listed in the job listing and try to meet as many of them as possible.

8- References

Make sure your references are credible and contactable. It always helps to contact them before hand and notify them they have been listed as a reference, should they receive any calls in the near future.

9- Social proof

Social tools such as LinkedIn can be extremely useful. Many hiring managers will hop on to LI to view your profile if they like what they’ve seen with your CV. It’s worth putting in a bit of time to make sure your profile stands out. Check out our top LinkedIn profile tips here

10- Use a CV building website

If you’re in a pinch and need a CV made fast, we recommend using a CV building site such as Resume.io. These sites will build a beautiful CV in minutes with a simple drag and drop feature.