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First impressions are crucial, especially when creating a CV. You are marketing yourself as the best person for the role. That is why the content and the ability to catch the attention of the employer are far more important than the physical look of the CV. 

• • Reel the reader with a brief introduction listing your key achievements. 
• • Describe your jobs. Don’t just list the job title. State the following: Who did you deal with? What did you do? Did you work alone or in a team? What were your main responsibilities?
• • Be accurate. Make sure the dates are correct and include the month and year of the period of employment.
• • Start with your most recent employment or education and list backwards.
• • Account for any gaps in your employment history. Perhaps you were travelling, went back for further education, etc.

A cover letter accompanies a CV (and/or completed application form). It's an opportunity to highlight what's in your CV and to provide real examples to support your ability to do the job. Some recruiters place more emphasis on the cover letter than the CV so it pays to take care with it.

Unless you are asked to apply by letter of application only, a cover letter should be brief and drive home the key aspects of why you are a good candidate. It should summarise what's in your CV, by emphasising your key strengths in relation to the job.

A cover letter should include a heading to make it clear which job you're applying for and, following the introductory paragraph, it can take the form of bullet points or short statements. It should also include your own name, address and contact details.

Make it clear which job you're referring to by using a heading and an opening line such as, 'In response to your advertisement on the XXXXXX website for the role of XXXXXX, I write to enclose my CV'. 

If you're given a named person you should address the letter to that. If you don't know the name of the person, but have a job title, such as the HR manager, you should address the letter to the HR manager, and include Dear Sir or Madam, and end with Yours faithfully, ...

A cover letter should always end positively and look ahead to the next stage, for example, 'I would be happy to provide further information at an interview' or 'I look forward to hearing from you'.

When you are called to an interview remember that the best prepared candidate has the best chance of getting the job. Fail to prepare. Prepare to fail!

• Read the job specification carefully! The job description will tell you exactly what a hiring company is looking for and it will give you plenty of keywords and characteristics. Prepare examples related to the keywords and characteristics and use this in an interview!
• Research the company! Don’t just read the homepage of the company that is interviewing you; make sure you know some of their products and other information (profits, news, etc) that shows you have done your research. Look at which their clients are and why they are clients (referrals).
• Research who is interviewing you! For senior roles, one of the best way to impress the person that is interviewing you is to show you know who they are and what they have done. Many decision makers have an online profile and it’s easy to view their career path.
• And most importantly Know yourself! Make sure you have examples ready of relevant work experience. As well make sure you know your facts. If you have worked with targets in the past whether it was in sales, customer service, etc, make sure you know them!

Always prepare questions for you to ask the employer regarding your role and their business, again this shows interest and your questions may uncover some useful factors for you to consider above what you know already.
How many people work for the business / work within this team?
What is the reporting structure?
How do you see the company changing in the next 3-5 years?
Does the business have any major plans in the foreseeable future that may affect this position?
What are the chances of progression?
Plan your route
It sounds simple, but first impressions count and you will be more relaxed for your meeting. Plan your journey to the interview in advance to ensure you will arrive at least 10 minutes early, taking into account mode of transport, parking, traffic and possible delays.

Make a good first impression and give a firm hand shake.
Make eye contact with the person addressing you throughout the interview.
Dress professionally.
Be aware of your body language – what is it saying about you? Don’t fold your arms or look out of the window, sit up straight.
Smile, enjoy your meeting, engage the person talking to you, be polite.
Listen to the questions properly. Don’t feel the need to rush into the answer, think about your response. If needed, ask for the question to be clarified again. Give concise and logical answers to the questions asked – compose your answer, take a breath if you feel that you are muddled, then continue.
If it feels right then ask a closing question at the end of your interview i.e. “following my interview today, is there any reason why you would not want to progress my application?” this gives you opportunity to overcome any concerns or queries the interviewer may have regarding the answers you have provided. This also acts as an expression of your interest in the position.