Prospective employers spend just 8.8 seconds ‘reading’ your CV before deciding whether to interview you, according to a new study.

The first second Keep it concise. Nothing is more off-putting than reams of paper, an online page that seems to scroll down indefinitely, or endless prose without paragraph breaks. The second second Keep it traditional. The harder you try to stand out, the greater the risk it backfires. You are unlikely to know the likes and dislikes of the person reading your professional back story, so maintaining a standard format and easy to read font (no calligraphy or coloured paper) is the best way to keep them focused. The third second Be relevant. Make sure your CV or profile makes it immediately clear why they need to carry on reading. If you currently have a job that gives you the perfect experience for your dream role, then it needs to be instantly visible – right at the top. If your current role isn’t an obvious stepping stone to the job you want - but you’re convinced you have the skills necessary to succeed - then make sure those skills are the first thing your prospective employer sees. The fourth second Focus their eye. The chances are that whoever is reading about you is looking for certain phrases – soft skills, a particular job title or specific qualifications - that will indicate to them you need to be invited to interview. Use emphasis strategically to make sure that these words jump out by using basic text effects, such as bold, sidebars and larger fonts, selectively. And on LinkedIn, put keywords in your profile to make sure people who are searching for those terms come across your page. The fifth second Be connected. LinkedIn is all about networking, but you can translate this to paper too. Highlight your social media credentials where they relate to work and mention relevant networking events you’ve been to that will demonstrate your commitment and contacts to a potential employer. The sixth second Be interesting. If you’ve sold them on your professional worthiness in the first five seconds, don’t be cast into the ‘reject’ pile because you forgot to mention your life outside The seventh second Time up. Now you’ve won them over, be contactable. Make sure your contact details are clearly set out, up to date, professional (no dodgy personal email addresses) and that you respond promptly.