1. Poor formatting/Layout
The first impression is crucial recruiters need to see information quickly so displaying it in a clear layout will capture the reader and encourage them to read the content.

2. Unusual fonts and point size
It may be tempting to use an unusual font to grab attention; however the only attention it will get is negative! Times New Roman and Arial are standard, a more unusual but accepted alternative is Verdana.

3. Photos
Recruiters in the UK do not expect to see photos on a CV so are usually put off when there is one, regardless of whether it is acceptable across the EU.

4. No personal Profile included
The recruiter needs to know who you are, what experience you have and what you are looking for in a short paragraph. The profile is there to entice the recruiter to read the rest of the document and is a key part of the CV.

5. Missing contact details
As a recruiter there is nothing more frustrating than finding a great candidate then realising that there are no contact details or that there is an error in the phone number provided! Make sure the reader can contact you.

6. Lengthy CV’s
CV’s that continue for pages are likely to get overlooked, firstly because recruiters will have to search for the information, secondly an agency will be reluctant to want to spend the time editing the CV to present to the client! Aim for 2 pages!

7. Irrelevant Personal information
Avoid personal information that could create immediate prejudices against you e.g. your age, gender or marital status. This could also be applied when considering which hobbies/interests to include.

8. Exhaustive lists of Duties
Duties are a really a small part of what is contained in your CV; recruiters want to be informed of what you achieved during your work history.

9. Over emphasising experience
It may be appealing to build your experience up in order to gain a better position; however you leave yourself wide open if you get to interview stage and can’t demonstrate that you have the skills and capabilities for the job.

10. Irrelevant Academic details
It is not necessary to provide details of all academic achievements, e.g. If an applicant has a Msc there would be little need to list all GCSE grades as this information is simply not relevant.

Article Submitted by Claire Thorogood who is a expert CV Writer and Career Guru for The CV Writing Centre

The Personal Profile section is the first statement that the recruiter will see when looking at your CV, and is your foremost opportunity to convince them to read the rest of your CV. It will highlight your major skills, work history and give the reader an insight to your competencies and personality.

Firstly it is more advisable to construct your work history then go back and write your personal profile, it will make it easier to summarise your career highlights. You also need to think about your career goals and what you hope to achieve in future positions.

The Profile needs to be written towards the needs of the recruiter, so you may well wish to adapt this for each application you make to fit particular job profiles. If the profile matches the needs of the recruiter, they are much more likely to read the rest of the CV.

Keep these points in mind when writing the profile:

• Limit the profile to 3 sentences- remember it is an area to highlight your skills not describe them in depth.
• Any statements you make be sure to support in the rest of your CV. E.g. ‘Good attention to detail’ this statement needs to be supported by not having any mistakes in your CV!
• Start with a positive statement of what you are e.g. ‘Experienced HR Manager’ or ‘Senior Administrator’.
• Focus on the main reasons why they will want to employ you e.g. relevant experience, track record of successes, qualifications and key personal skills.

Article Submitted by Claire Thorogood who is a expert CV Writer and Career Guru for The CV Writing Centre

So what do recruiters really want to see on your CV? In a candidate driven market applicants may have achieved interviews with a sloppy or poor formatted CVs, but now the companies have taken control and have plenty of choice so only the best will do.

Must have CV tips….

• Use a clear concise and chronological format.

• Use spell check but also get another person to proof read it so that auto-correct hasn’t changed the meaning of sentences.

• Keep your CV short and to the point- aim for 2/3 pages.

• Tailor your CV to meet the requirements of the role being applied for.

• Support any competencies stated with examples in your work history

• Quantify where possible achievements.

• Put your Major achievements and accomplishments in the CV, not just tasks and responsibilities.

Article Submitted by Claire Thorogood who is a expert CV Writer and Career Guru for The CV Writing Centre

“After carefully considering all possible options, Dell has decided that there is a risk that it will be unable to continue to provide work for all of its employees in Dell sites at Bracknell,” wrote Josh Claman and Stephen Murdoch. “Therefore, we need to consider making compulsory redundancies.”

However, Dell at this stage is declining to comment on specific numbers, and the firm’s spokeswoman was unable to provide a breakdown of how individual operations within EMEA would be affected.

She told us that the firm had made “a concerted effort over the past 18 months to streamline its business”, but sadly for the computer maker’s staff those measures have failed to prevent further job cuts.

“We are working to minimise consequences, however we are not going to comment on reassurances at this stage,” said the spokeswoman.

Dell told staff at its Bracknell plant that a consultation process will be initiated to review any proposed redundancies. Employee reps will be elected over the next few weeks.

Staff made redundant will have 90 days to stay on at Dell, with the first terminations expected to be as early as 18th June.

What an umbrella company will do is help make sure you get all the tax relief to which you are entitled in accordance with your expenses.  What a GOOD umbrella company will do is make sure that the expenses you claim tax relief on are reasonable, defendable and appropriate.  This will keep you on the right side of HMRC and the tax man.  That way you can be sure that you are safe from being investigated and from being asked by HMRC to pay up tax not paid on inappropriate Non-reimbursed Expenses.

In some areas particularly the South East of England the number is thought to be as high as 60 people chasing each individual job

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the figures “were shocking”, and showed the extent to which unemployment had risen.

Mr Barber added that its figures “blow out of the water the government’s claim that there are plenty of jobs available for people who are prepared to look”.

Unemployment is rising as the UK recession, the first since 1991, continues.

Response was so great that the huge number of jobseekers in attendance spilt out over to the near by streets as hundreds tried to complete application forms with additional application forms having to be printed on the day.

Interest was also high away from the town hall as the online application form struggled to handle the volume.

Hospital Trusts human resources director Clare Edmondson said: “We weren’t quite sure how many people would come, but it’s really tough out there at the moment and we’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of people who’ve come here this morning. We had queues at the door from 9pm and we ran out of application forms in the first half an hour and had to get more printed.”

She said: “I’m surprised by how many people there are here, but it just brings home to me what’s happening out there at the moment and how many people are in this position.”

It’s easy to understand why the demand was so high when in the same week Thames Water announced 300 job cuts and high street stores continued to close in Reading.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said one in three US employers axed jobs in the final three months of 2008, similar to the number of firms in the UK planning cuts in the first quarter of 2009.

The Research suggested that fewer jobs could be lost in the first three months of 2009 which would indicate that the worst of the losses in this country could be over by Easter, said the report.

CIPD policy adviser Gerwyn Davies said: “Our comparison of the US and UK studies highlights a marked degree of transatlantic trauma affecting the jobs market.

A total of 27 stored were shortlisted for possible closure; but it has already been confirmed that the Bracknell store will close its doors for the final time on 5th March 2009.

A petition organised by both shoppers and local traders was in vain as the closure was confirmed before the organisers even had an opportunity to submit their displeasure to M&S bosses

Where possible M&S have said that they will try to explore redeployment opportunities into other stores
M&S said it will consult with the 25 staff at the store to discuss “implications of this decision for them personally and to.

Where redeployment is not available, employees will be made redundant and offered appropriate help from M&S to find alternative employment in the local area, the company said.

Steve Rowe, M&S director of Retail, said: “We have consulted fully with staff at the Bracknell Simply Food store, listening carefully to both their views and suggestions, as well as those of the local community.

All issues raised throughout the process were fully considered, but as no proposed alternatives to the store closure have been found to be commercially viable, it was necessary to make this difficult decision.

I would like to thank the team at Bracknell Simply Food for the professional way in which they have handled this process and for their patience as we enter into individual consultation.

We will explore all possible redeployment opportunities and remain committed to avoiding redundancies whereverpossible.

We hope that our valued customers will continue to shop with M&S at one of our alternative local stores such as Camberley and Wokingham, which offer a wide variety of quality M&S products.”

The group first unveiled plans for cost reductions last November as part of a strategy to offset the impact of the recession on consumer spending.

Vodafone, which twice scaled back revenue hopes last year as conditions worsened in the UK and other key markets - said the pound’s slump had boosted full year revenue expectations.

The company has seen conditions worsen in the UK and other key markets as the recession has deepened, hitting sales of handsets.

Today’s news comes as a major blow to the companies 10,000 UK Workforce and potentially effects many areas of the county with call centres and offices in Newark, Banbury, Theale, Trowbridge, London, Warrington, Stoke-on-Trent and Hayes.