You'll need to have a CV ready if you're looking for a job. To present yourself in the best light, follow these golden rules:

The golden rules

• Tell the truth - don't be tempted to 'upgrade' your exam results or exaggerate your experience because most companies will check what you say.
• Keep it simple - remember it's a CV, not your life story. You can talk about your achievements in more detail at the interview, so try and keep your CV to two pages.
• Tailor to the job - if you've got the time, tailor your CV to each job you apply for and make sure your relevant skills and experience shine through.
• Fill in the blanks - if there are gaps in your work history, explain why. If you've taken time out to have a family, travel or because you were made redundant, that won't be a problem. Fibbing about it will be.
• Double check - spelling mistakes in your CV could put employers off, so always have a read through and check it carefully.

Create a CV from scratch

We've created a couple of CV templates for you. Use the basic CV template if you've never worked before, and the detailed CV template if you have.

If you're still not sure where to start, you can go to fish4jobs and create a CV online using our simple tool. We'll take you through step-by-step, so it couldn't be simpler.

Get a professional opinion

Sometimes it helps if someone looks at your CV with a fresh pair of eyes. For a professional opinion on how your CV could be improved, why not use our CV checker service?

Just before you go.....!

Why not maximise your chances of finding a new job and save your CV on fish4jobs? Not only will it be quicker and easier to applying for jobs, it also means employers will be able to find you. Just make sure you set it to 'public' once it's been uploaded.