Are you struggling to find a job? Or are you preparing your CV for the first time and don't know where to start? Don't worry, I've got some tips for you! 

For the past 6 months I have been searching for a part time job and let me tell you, it's been a struggle. I was failing to even reach the interview stage, which was extremely frustrating as I am a hard worker and will always give my best effort in anything I do. 

I was thinking about why I wasn't even getting an interview and I realised the problem must have been my CV. My determination and motivation were not coming across in it! I updated and re-did my CV about 2 weeks ago and I have already received 2 interviews (one of which is tomorrow) and one very temporary job (it's only for a few days, but at least it is something, right?!). 

All of this has led me to think that there could be other people out there who were in the same situation as I was so I decided to share some tips with you:

• Keep it to 2 pages MAX: Think of all the people that apply for one job. The person responsible for choosing the candidates will make it through to the next round, will not want to be reading 50 essays. It does not matter how pretty it looks or how professional the format is. They want it to be short and straight to the point. 

• Take Your Time: It's important to spend time on your CV. Don't just rush through it and throw down anything. I would advise you to think back on all of the things you have done in your life that show certain skills, for example captaining a team shows leadership skills, and any achievements you have received in school or outside of school, such as attendance awards and a driving licence. 

• DO NOT LIE: This is so extremely important, you cannot lie on your CV. You WILL get caught out for it! And you don't want this happening, as you will not look good. 

• Turn Negatives into Positives: This is a very useful tip. For example, if you don't have a lot of experience in a specific area, acknowledge it but turn it into a positive by saying something, such as you are a quick learner.

• Proofread: Do not forget to proofread your CV! It's important that everything is spelt correctly and makes sense. I would advise you to have someone else, such as a partner or a family member, look over it for you. They might spot mistakes that you haven't. 

• Highlight Key Words:You want to make your skills stand out so make sure to highlight these and other key words by making them bold, underlining them or putting them in italics. This will make it much easier for the reader to pick them out when she/he is glancing through the CV.

• Differentiate Yourself: If you are applying for a job, there is a chance that the other applicants have relatively the same experience and grades as you so this is where your hobbies and interests come into play. These are the things that will differentiate you from the other candidates and it will give an insight into the type of person you are. I would recommend listing your hobbies and interests as headings and then giving a brief sentence about each one, rather than just giving a list of lots of items.

• Make it visually appealing: You want to ensure your CV visually appeals to the reader. Have clear headings and space everything out nicely. Don't have it all cluttered and hard to read. 

I really hope you have found this helpful and if you have any more tips, I would love for you to share them in the comments below. Good luck with the job hunting!

*I am in no way a professional in this field but I have had some classes on building CVs in college.