Different: Make sure your CV is different. Google, “quirky ways to make your CV stand out” to get more ideas.

Metrics: What have you done that makes you stand out from the crowd? Have you won any prizes? For example, Mathematical Olympiad or Jack Petchey.

Talking points: Your CV should contain things that could spark a conversation (see case study at the bottom of this page).

Power verbs: These are strong, specific words used to describe what you did. In the context of a CV, if possible, use this format: Power verb + what you did + result. For example, replace “I was responsible for social media” with “Managed social media accounts, increasing customer engagement by 50%”.

Examples of power verbs: Led, coordinated, managed, created, solved, collaborated and assisted.

Perfect: In business, mistakes cost money. If your CV contains inaccuracies, expect it to end up in the bin.

Aesthetically pleasing: Your CV needs to look great. Ensure you use tabs and format consistently. E.g. If one subheading is in bold font, the others should be too.

Pithy: Do not litter your CV with long rambling sentences. Make each point in as few words as possible.