Just the job - tips on getting your CV up to scratch

Job hunting is one of the most important activities facing Brits at the moment.

It could pull you out of financial instability, put food on the table, kick-start your career and give you an extra bit of confidence as a bonus.

Unfortunately though, it's also time consuming and often frustrating - especially when the job market is so competitive.

The number of people currently unemployed, according to the Office for National Statistics, stands at 2.5 million, meaning each vacancy that pops up will have no shortage of candidates.

And unless you're prepared for the process of hunting down work, you could find yourself with an inbox full of rejections from once-prospective employers.

How can you turn employers' heads??

But how can you make sure you knock those company bosses for six and clinch that much sought-after interview?

Well, having a decent CV would be a start.

The curriculum vitae is extremely important as it is the first point of contact between you and a potential boss.

It offers a glimpse into your personality and skills - the basis for the decision on whether or not to bring you in for an interview.

And it shows - or not, as may be the case - that you're the perfect candidate for the position.

Sell yourself

So you've got to sell yourself.

According to Peter Panayotou, senior consultant at the Write Stuff, the CV is exactly that - a sales document.

The secret to this, he says, "is to put in lots of action words and inspirational language".

"For example, rather than saying 'a graduate with a degree in this, looking for a job in this' - you need to say something like 'an accomplished graduate with extensive experience in this, looking for a dynamic position in a forward-thinking international company'," he adds.

So far so good, but one aspect of the CV that can be tricky to circumvent is your employment history, particularly if you've been out of work for some time.

A gap, explains Dave Berry, a careers coach from the Careers Advice Service, is "one of the worst things" people can have on a CV.

"People need to justify what they've been doing with their time, which may sound awful, but the worst thing you can do is give an employer the impression you haven't been doing much," he notes.

How to overcome employment gaps

But don't worry too much, there are ways around it.

Mr Panayotou states: "I always recommend something like voluntary work because, as far as the CV is concerned, it always looks much better if you have something on there rather than nothing at all."

"The other thing is training - any kind of training that you can do in the meantime."

So training and volunteering are two things that can you do while trying to find a job and two things that may just give your CV a much-needed boost.

Of course, there's much more to consider than this when it comes to writing the perfect CV.

However, these tips may just help you in your quest from employment and ensure your resume isn't just tossed in the bin along with the other unlucky hopefuls.