The Secret to Graduating Into a Recession and Still Finding Your Dream Job

If you are one of the new breed of graduates, you have a lot going for you. Getting used to working in the information age is no issue for the 'Facebook generation'. You embrace the internet as your social playground and are accustomed to taking activities such as banking and shopping into the online world.

It would all be so easy if it weren't for recent developments. Enter the global economic crisis and now things don't look so rosy for this year's university leavers. Suddenly, you could be entering a highly challenging labour market.

But it's not all doom and gloom - there will always be demand for strong candidates. What it does mean is that, more than ever, you need to market yourself effectively in order to stand out from the crowd.

Fortunately, as one of today's new graduates, you should be very comfortable with applying for jobs online, and your online CV is a valuable tool to get you where you want to go.

Your online CV must seem professional and it needs to tell the employer that you are the right person for the job. Applying for jobs online should be easier for you than it is for the oldies, but there are still some things you need to remember to get that crucial online CV right.

Use the right online CV template:

Get your CV template right. Recruiters often use software to extract critical information from an online CV, converting it into a standard online CV template. Spending hours on formatting, fancy typefaces, and eye-catching designs is therefore a waste of time and may even hurt your chances. A truly professional online CV focuses on key data like achievements and skills, and uses a standard CV template.

As a basic rule, your online CV template should include these sections:

* Personal information - name, address, full contact information
* Personal profile and/or career objectives
* Skills and achievements
* Work experience
* Education
* References

Know when to stop:

Leave out the addresses of all the institutions you went to, your gender, marital status, age and passport details. Include details such as skills and actual experience but be concise. Recruiters notice it when concise, relevant information is presented in plain English in a professional online CV.

Proof-read thoroughly:

One of the easiest ways to spot an unprofessional CV is grammatical errors, spelling mistakes or incomprehensible terminology. You may be hitting all the right notes, but if your CV is riddled with sloppy mistakes, it will never come across as a professional CV. Read, re-read and ask your friends and relatives to read your CV before you send it out into the world.

Watch out for identity theft:

While applying for jobs on the internet is fast and efficient, you do run the risk of online CV identity theft if you are not careful. Don't include unnecessary personal information and don't be tempted to post your online CV onto open forums. Only post your information onto secure sites and to genuine employers.