You may find yourself being overwhelmed by the sheer number of vacancies out there. It’s time to focus and be realistic about the kind of job you actually want, rather than spending time perfecting applications for roles you’ll never accept. If you have a niggling doubt about the job at this early stage, it’s probably not for you!

Broaden your search. Sign up for jobs by email and a lot of the work is done for you.

Get your CV up to date. It’s a good idea to get a friend to read through it, in case of glaring errors you may have missed. And be prepared to accept their feedback, difficult as it may be to hear. CV tips and advice

Application forms

You may be asked to fill in an application form online. In this case you can copy sections from your CV but make sure you are actually answering the question they’re asking.

Filling in forms by hand requires some planning. Easy mistakes to make include running out of space and getting simple facts like your date of birth wrong. Write it out on a spare bit of paper first, and don’t forget to make a copy of the final version in case you’re asked about it at the interview!

Writing a covering letter

Your covering letter is your opportunity to make a great first impression. So watch for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors and read it through before sending.

Study the job description and outline how your experience and skills make you the right person for this position; great communication skills are vital in a marketing role, the medical profession needs people who can keep calm in a crisis and devotion to detail is required in the banking industry.

You can then point the reader in the direction of your CV, which will give plenty of supporting evidence for the description you’ve given.

You should finish by making clear your hopes to get an interview; ‘Thank you for taking time to read my application, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.’

Improve your CV

It is essential that your CV is accurate and up to date. It’s good practice to update it each time you change job or take on more responsibilities.

Focus on your transferable skills, such as management experience and working in a team, problem solving and communication. You should also make reference to the skills required by this particular industry, and be prepared to tailor your CV to a particular job application.

Clarity is key. A good CV should stick to two pages and be easy for the reader to understand. Get someone else to read it and be prepared to accept their criticism.

CV tips and advice

Job-hunting tip

If you have found your dream company then write to them and request that you’re considered for any future vacancies.

Don’t be afraid to really sell yourself, outlining your excellent skills and experience, and make sure you mention what it is that impresses you so much about this company.

Visit our recruiter A - Z for company contact details