A curriculum vitae (CV) is your best chance to advertise yourself to a potential employer. It is the best way to show anything that you have done in the past that makes you qualified for the job that you are applying for. But a CV is more just a list of what makes you qualified for a job, its your first impression. It is important that you appear like a good candidate not only from the information on your CV, but from the professionalism of the CV itself.

List your contact information at the very top of the page. Include your name, address, phone number and email address.

Create a new heading, "Education" and list every school you have attended, and the year you graduated, beginning with high school. Include your college major and any other areas of study that will help you perform in the job you are applying for.

Create a new heading, "Work Experience" and list every job you have had and the approximate dates that you started and left each job. Under each job you can list highlights, or any experience you gained that will make you a more attractive candidate. Make it clear how each job opportunity has made you more prepared for a future job.

Create a new heading, "Extracurricular Activities" and include anything that you have done outside of school or employment, that you would like your potential employer to see. This can include athletic achievements, volunteer work or any awards or commendations you have received. This is the least important section, so make sure that you only include things that are pertinent to the job you are applying for.

Space is at a premium on your CV. Ideally your CV should be a single page, but you can go onto extra pages only if you have too many important things. Anything that is not critically important to your employment is a waste of space.

You can make your name stand out by changing its font, or making it slightly larger. Other than your name, all the text should be the same font and size.