Your c.v. and covering letter are crucial.  They are essential tools in most job searches. Like any marketing document, your c.v. should help you sell yourself.

Preparation:

Think about your skills, competencies, qualifications and experience. What are your unique selling points and strengths?  Think in terms of what you have achieved.

If you are replying to a specific job advertisement, review what key words and tasks were used in the advertisement.  Which of these words applies to you?  Use these words in your c.v.

What to do:

• Remember that you want your c.v. to be read and responded to.  Include enough information to stimulate interest.  It should simply be sufficient to get an interview.  No more. 
• If you provide small, digestible pieces of information you stand a better chance of having your c.v. read. 
• Short well written sentences and bullet points stand out from a page much more than long winded paragraphs.
• Three pages maximum is preferred, but keeping it to one page is even better. 
• Every word must contribute to the overall message - so keep it brief and ensure that the content is relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Ensure that your c.v. is well structured and well laid out; this gives the impression that you think logically and makes it easier to review.
• Remember that c.v's that are hard to read are often ignored.
• When writing a c.v. remember that self-opinion is best avoided.
• Aim to include factual information or objective evidence and remember to focus on the benefits of your achievements.
• Pay close attention to reply instructions in advertisements (e.g. spelling of a contact's name).
• Always have someone else check your spelling and grammar. Nothing can ruin your chances of getting a job faster than easily preventable mistakes.  Got "spell-check"?  Well use it! 
• Avoid coloured paper or fancy fonts, if you plan to fax or email your c.v., you'll get a much better result with clean fonts and a simple lay-out.
• Don't forget to include an e-mail address unless you want to appear a techno-phobe.
• Sell yourself on the first sheet, which should stand alone. Start with a profile of who you are, plus your key achievements, followed by a career history in brief.
• Your c.v. should make claims about who you are and what you can do, and then provide evidence to back up those claims.
• Translate what you know and can do into terms that will appeal to a recruiter - talk about solving problems, making a difference...
• Try to say something interesting about your academic history - relate it to an employer's needs rather than regurgitating the syllabus, e.g. if you led a seminar or gave a talk, write about your facilitation or presentation skills.
• It's all very well being the best thing since sliced bread. Be specific: make claims and then give evidence. Express achievements in terms of awards, money, time or percentages.
• Try to include something under "interests" which is neither bland nor run of the mill. Include interests which make you appear a rounded person, and those which have some relevance to the job.
• Avoid empty adjectives. Almost everyone claims to be creative, dynamic or enthusiastic.  Focus on what you have achieved.
• Remember that your c.v. will initially be scanned in about 20 seconds, just to screen you into the "YES" or "NO" pile. Do everything you can to end up in the "YES" pile by making the recruiter's job easier.

What not to do:

• Don't provide huge amounts of detail about jobs you did more than 10 years ago.
• Don't put anything down under "interests" unless (a) it has some relevance to the job or (b) you can talk inspiringly for hours on the subject.
• Don't put yourself down, try irony or humour. It rarely reads the way you want it to.
• Don't use inappropriate email addresses.  Happygolucky@freebie.com conveys the wrong impression.
• Don't put anything on the front page that strikes a negative note.
• Don't include anything that looks incomplete or misleading, e.g. mentioning a degree without mentioning the subject or result.
• Don't put "Curriculum Vitae" at the top.  Put your name and contact details, including e-mail address.
• Avoid obscure abbreviations or jargon.
• Don't include your age - but you might like to put your date of birth at the end of the c.v.
• Avoid referring to the age of your children.
• Don't include salary - deal with this in a covering letter or at interview.
• Cut out non essential personal information e.g. height, weight, state of health, children/ their names/ages, religious or political beliefs.
• Don't give the names and addresses of referees - you can provide them if they are requested, but you should brief your referees carefully about who they may be talking to, and what the potential job is all about.
• Don't include your reasons for leaving jobs.
• You will not normally need to provide copies of references or certificates.
• Don't include details of qualifications that have been made out of date or irrelevant through other qualifications or study you have undertaken