Careers clinic

Managing director of Compass Personnel in Bromley,Trish Mackinnon, offers her advice on writing a successful CV

Now is the time to assess whether your CV has an outdated image and what it really says about you as a future employee of 2008.

It is as important to highlight communications skills as typing skills when crafting a CV, as the corporate world and particularly the service industries have come to rely heavily on image and customer perception.

Businesses will also be looking out for recruits with competencies such as relationship building, resourcefulness, determination, adaptability, initiative and a can do' approach. Give examples on your CV where you have used these skills in the workplace.

CVs which engage and sustain the recruiter's interest are streamlined, uncluttered and use words which illustrate strengths and unique selling points.

Words such as focused, effective, resilient, articulate, innovative and dependable will send a clear and positive message to the reader, so get out your CV and thesaurus and delete bubbly personality' right now.

Don't forget, less is more, so where possible two pages only.

5:21pm Thursday 5th January 2006. News report January 2006