The thought of writing a CV intimidates almost anyone. It’s difficult to know where to start or what to include. It can seem like an insurmountable task. Here are 15 Numero Uno Tips to help you not only tackle the task, but also write a winning CV.

1. Determine your job search objective prior to writing the CV. Once you have determined your objective, you can structure the content of your CV around that objective. Think of your objective as the bull’s-eye to focus your CV on hitting. If you write your CV without having a clear objective in mind, it will likely come across as unfocused to those that read it. Take the time before you start your CV to form a clear objective.

2. Think of your CV as a marketing tool. Think of yourself as a product, potential employers as your customers, and your CV as a brochure about you. Market yourself through your CV. What are your features and benefits? What makes you unique? Make sure to convey this information in your CV.

3. Use your CV to obtain an interview, not a job. You don’t need to go into detail about every accomplishment. Strive to be clear and concise. The purpose of your CV is to generate enough interest in you to have an employer contact you for an interview. Use the interview to provide a more detailed explanation of your accomplishments and to land a job offer.

4. Use bulleted sentences. In the body of your CV, use bullets with short sentences rather than lengthy paragraphs. CVs are read quickly. This bulleted sentence format makes it easier for someone to quickly scan your CV and still absorb it.

5. Use action words. Action words cause your CV to pop. To add life to your CV, use bulleted sentences that begin with action words like prepared, developed, monitored, and presented.

6. Use #’s, $’s and %’s. Numbers, dollars, and percentages stand out in the body of a CV. Use them wisely. For example, Managed a department of 10 with a budget of $1,000,000.

7. Lead with your strengths. Since CVs are typically reviewed in 30 seconds, take the time to determine which bullets most strongly support your job search objective. Put those strong points first where they are more likely to be read.

8. Play Match Game. Review want ads for positions that interest you. Use the key words listed in these ads to match them to bullets in your CV. If you have missed any key words, add them to your CV.

9. Use buzzwords. If there are terms that show your competence in a particular field, use them in your CV. For marketing people, use "competitive analysis." For accounting types, use "reconciled accounts."

10. Accent the positive. Leave off negatives and irrelevant points. If you feel your date of graduation will subject you to age discrimination, leave the date off your CV. If you do some duties in your current job that don’t support your job search objective, leave them off. Focus on the duties that do support your objective. Leave off irrelevant personal information like your height and weight.

11. Show what you know. Rather than going into depth in one area, use your CV to highlight your breadth of knowledge. Use an interview to provide more detail.

12. Show who you know. If you have reported to someone important such as a Vice President or Department Manager, say so in your CV. Having reported to someone important causes the reader to infer that you are important.

13. Construct your CV to read easily. Leave white space. Use a font size no smaller than 10 point. Limit the length of your CV to 1-2 pages. Remember, CVs are reviewed quickly. Help the reader to scan your CV efficiently and effectively.

14. Have someone else review your CV. Since you are so close to your situation, it can be difficult for you to hit all your high points and clearly convey all your accomplishments. Have someone review your job search objective, your CV, and listings of positions that interest you. Encourage them to ask questions. Their questions can help you to discover items you inadvertently left off your CV. Revise your CV to include these items. Their questions can also point to items on your CV that are confusing to the reader. Clarify your CV based on this input.

15. Submit your CV to potential employers. Have the courage to submit your CV. Think of it as a game where your odds of winning increase with every CV you submit. You really do increase your odds with every CV you submit. Use a three-tiered approach. Apply for some jobs that appear to be beneath you. Perhaps they will turn out to be more than they appeared to be once you interview for them. Or perhaps once you have your foot in the door you can learn of other opportunities. Apply for jobs that seem to be just at your level. You will get interviews for some of those jobs. See how each job stacks up. Try for some jobs that seem like a stretch. That’s how you grow, by taking risks. Don’t rule yourself out. Trust the process. Good luck in your job search!