In a recent live Q+A on expressandstar.com, recruitment experts shared advice on how to make the most of your CV and covering letter.

Catch up with best of the advice from Mildred Talabi, the author of 7 Keys to a Winning CV: How to create a CV that gets results and Jason Guy, Managing Director at First4Staff.

How long should your CV be?

Mildred Talabi: The recommended length for the average CV is two pages – this is long enough to include all the necessary and important details but short enough not to bore.

There are a few exceptions, however. People in certain occupations, for example academics, tend to have much longer CVs and people with long career histories can also have CVs longer than two pages.

Jason Guy: I would stick to a maximum and minimum of two pages for your CV. Too much information may mean you are adding information to your CV that may put the employer off. On the other hand, it is important that there is enough information for them to make an informed decision on your application.

What font should you use on your CV?

Jason Guy: I would stick to Arial or Times New Roman. Any fancy fonts will detract the attention away from the message that you are trying to put across.

Mildred Talabi: I actually have to disagree with Jason on this one! Arial and Times New Roman are as old as dinosaurs when it comes to CVs. For a more modern and fresher look, I would recommend sans serif fonts such as Tahoma or Verdana.

Should you include a picture?

Jason Guy: I would steer clear of the picture. This could lead somebody to make a decision on you for the wrong reasons. Employees should be employed on vacancy related criteria – not what they look like.

Mildred Talabi: Absolutely not! The only exceptions are if you’re going for a TV job or something similar, in which case the CV looks totally different anyway.

Should you tailor your CV for different jobs?

Mildred Talabi: You shouldn’t tailor your CV to each job, however you should tailor your CV to the industry you want to work in. Cover letters, on the other hand, must always be targeted to the specific job.

Jason Guy: It is important to tweak both the covering letter and the CV. If you amend this information for each vacancy that you apply for, it will increase your chances of an interview.

Help, I’m running out of space!

Mildred Talabi: Before you create a CV, you should know exactly who you’re targeting, in terms of industry, and then tailor everything on your CV towards this target. This might mean leaving out or ‘being quiet’ on information that is not directly relevant to your target.

Any last tips?

Jason Guy: Keep your CV simple. Amend it for each position that you apply for, add ‘buzz words’, never assume, leave out the photo, stick to 2 pages maximum and ask for the interview!

Mildred Talabi: Make sure your CV looks presentable, reads right, and get rid of those spelling and grammar mistakes!

Mildred and Jason took part in the making the most of your CV live Q+A on Wednesday 19 October.

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