Forget about the "short and concise" CV

Ignore all the advice you've heard about the two- or three-page CV; employers want to know exactly what you can do and what you've done, therefore maximum detail is required. And if you need four pages to do this, so be it. Technical details, clear and explicit explanations, specific technologies implemented—your CV needs to be very specific. It shouldn't just list tasks, but also results, i.e. what you've contributed to the company. For example, don't put "Programmer," but what kind, such as "Java programmer." To describe a work experience, give details: "I developed online forms for X new insurance contract for Company X." If the company is not well or little known, it's better to present it succinctly.

And on the other hand, there's no need for creativity: an unusual application is not what recruiters are looking for. Originality is important for a Web site designer to stand out from the crowd, but is not required for most other IT profiles. If you have a blog or personal site, keep in mind that recruiters expect to find the same information there as on a classic CV.

Also know that most recruiters nowadays use CV sorting software, such as Taleo or Recrutmax, or in-house systems. For your application to pass the first hurdle, you should include the key words recruiters are looking for in your CV and cover letter—those in the job ad!

Applying for a job in the computer field implies doing so on line. It would be considered questionable for an information technology specialist to fax his or her CV. . .

Finally, if you do not get a reply within two weeks, recruiters agree that following up by e-mail is appropriate. Phone calls out of the blue, on the other hand, are less appreciated.

An impeccable cover letter

Although important from the presentation point of view, information technology recruiters admit that the cover letter is practically never read. They consider it to be of low reliability, because it may have been written by a third party. In addition, spell-checkers and online cover letter models mean that they cannot be used to judge a candidate's writing skills.

Nevertheless, the cover letter should be perfectly clear, readable and impeccable in terms of grammar and spelling. Although it has been said over and over, recruiters continue to complain about badly written letters, or candidates who apply for anything because they haven't read the full ad. . . For example, when following up with a candidate by phone, it is not unusual to hear "Oh, but it's too far from where I live, I'm not interested!," which tends to leave a bad impression!