Try to assess yourself as objectively as possible in order to identify your marketable features. Analyse your performance appraisals and, if possible, enlist help of a trusted friend or colleague to help you evaluate yourself.

Define and prioritise your short-term and long-term career goals.

Study recruitment websites and appointments pages of newspapers to familiarise yourself with current requirements of employers.

Your CV/resume should be fine-tuned regularly and kept up-to-date to enable you to make a swift and targeted response to any suitable job opportunity that arises.

Learn all you can about job search strategies, job-specific resumes, and professional interview techniques.

By adopting a planned and proactive approach, you will maximise your chances of landing job that best fits your skills and personality, and increase likelihood of achieving your long-term career goals.

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*Explains how, in your previous jobs, you increased sales and profits, improved productivity, saved time and costs, and established good customer relationships.

*Provides evidence of competencies most valued by employers, for example: your communication and interpersonal skills, flexibility, initiative, organisational ability, and teamwork.

*Includes any pertinent awards or honours you may have received.

*Provides your educational history and details of training related to position you are seeking.

*Employment history is logical and consistent; and gaps of more than one year between your jobs are clearly explained.

*The layout is neat and uncluttered, with an easy-to-read sequence of sections and no large blocks of text.

*Contains no errors in spelling or grammar; and all unnecessary words have been eliminated.

*Hobbies and interests have been included only if they serve to reveal characteristics, skills or accomplishments that support your career objective.

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