I thought I'd bring up something out of the ordinary for a change... Mainly because I know someone specific who'll soon be able to use what I'm about to cover, but also because it's something that I see people getting wrong so often, while it's actually quite rudimentary. I constantly get a stream of CVs (call them resumés if you must) passing through my inbox, most of them terribly badly structured, some containing irrelevant information, with only a rare few focusing on bringing across what the person they're aimed at actually wants to know.
The objective of a CV is simple: to communicate as clearly as possible to a prospective employer how you may be of value to their organisation. That's it. It's not meant to be used as a vehicle for telling people what kind of a person you are, or for regurgitating everything you've done in your life up until the point you create the document (just in case something might catch the reader's eye). Instead, a good CV:
Is concise - Think Mission Impossible. Think self-destructing messages. A CV is a message which needs to tell the reader what they want to know in 1 minute or less. If it takes longer than that to scan the first time, it's too long.
Gets to the point - Trim your language to something akin to a "Getting Started" user manual. Bullet points are called exactly that because they hit things accurately. If you have to write a paragraph, keep to a maximum of 3 sentences.
Is relevant - Try not to send a generic CV to an employer if you're sending it yourself. If you absolutely have to create a generic document because a recruitment agent is sending it out on your behalf to more than one employer, tailor the document to a specific position, never to "available positions". If you're individually sending your CV to an organisation, do some research on the company, and structure your skills to fit in with what they're looking for. A prospective employee who's done their homework scores major points.
Is written in the 3rd person - This is important for two reasons. Firstly, when something sounds like an outside perspective, it's (even if just subconsciously) perceived as objective. Secondly, writing something in the 3rd person forces you to reflect on what you're really saying, which means you'll think twice about saying silly things.
Doesn't tiptoe around the tulips - State blandly how much money you want. If you don't know, do some research. In addition, although you may be hesitant at first, state clearly how much you have been earning. Employers are very easily reassured of your competence if they see proof of your track record in financial terms.
Puts the important things first - There cannot be enough emphasis on this point; you need to convince the reader within the first two sections (see below) that you're the person they're looking for, the rest of the document is just there to reaffirm that first impression.
OK? So the points above are generic guidelines. The thing is though, structure is the critical determinant (see the last point above), meaning that fitting all of the above into the correct framework is the only way to get close to guaranteeing success. Remember that you're telling a story; not a story of your life, but a story which proposes business value. This is how you do it:
Step 1: Start with an introductory paragraph which describes you as a news reader would introduce a guest. Try to stick to no more than 2 or 3 sentences. The first sentence should state what you are, the second detail what you do.
Step 2: Now that the reader knows what you are, tell them in a little more detail what you can offer them, in the form of a bulleted list of deliverable skills. The word "deliverable" is important, because employment is actually just a contract to buy something (the something being your skills). Tell the reader what you're going to give them.
Step 3: OK, so the reader now knows what they're going to get. How much is it going to cost them? State in CTC (cost to company, the total actual amount the company needs to budget for each month) what you expect in remuneration terms. Don't be shy, a seller is supposed to advertise a price, and nothing annoys people as much as walking into a shop where there are no price tags. If you're approaching a large corporate, state your salary in annual terms; for smaller businesses, monthly is best - cash flow is a factor in a small business, and your monthly salary figure is important from an expense point of view. Even though your qualifications shouldn't necessarily determine your income in the real world, degrees and diplomas create perceptions: state your highest qualification without fuss as part of this section.
Step 4: The reader now knows what you are, what you can offer them, and how much you want for these skills. Why should they believe you? Show that your skills are tested and proven by setting out your track record from your last job down to your first. Keep things in the same terms as up to now by listing the position and what you delivered. You don't need to state how much you were earning in all your previous positions, but being open about your current salary shows a willingness to trade. Remember, you're offering to trade your skills at a fair price.
Step 5: If the reader's come this far and is still interested, you've done well. Tell them a little more about yourself in the form of personal details such as your age, language proficiency, etc. Continue to stick to bullets, you're not writing an essay. After that, give an overview of your education, and add one or two key references. Really, after the first 4 steps, all these points are formalities - so focus on the facts themselves, rather than explaining them nicely.
That's it? Yes. If you've been sparingly applying your magic, you should by now have a document around 3 pages long (short). Here's an example which you can use as a template of you're so inclined.
So what's the trick throughout the process? Don't sell yourself, sell what you can do. It's as simple as that.