Times are changing and industry's demands of managers are becoming more and more complex. Corporates are now looking for multi-skilled managers. A finance company may be looking for a candidate with a finance background along with a flare for marketing financial products.

A marketing manager may be expected to know HRD concepts to motivate and get the best out of his team. This has also given birth to concepts like dual specialisation and short-term, niche specialisation courses at various B-Schools.

Over 75 per cent of jobs, in time to come will, involve new skills, new knowledge and new products. There will be more B-Schools and even more students applying for jobs. This will make the task of selecting new recruits more challenging. Eliminations will be done at the time of scrutinising the applicants' resumes itself. All this has fuelled the need to design an effective curriculum vitae.

The CV is a visiting card, which will ensure an appointment to the candidate. Many an opportunity has been lost by deserving applicants because the bio-data did not convey the right message. While scrutinising thousands of CVs, yours has to stand out from the others at first sight. A specially designed CV will bring out the personality of the candidate forcefully.

Many management students who wish to apply for summer training feel they have nothing worthy to mention in their CV other than their qualification, as a majority of them are fresh graduates. A well designed CV also helps the recruiter and the interviewers to pick the right candidate for the job. State only enough to keep the interest alive so that you get an opportunity for a personal interview. Prepare your CV keeping in mind the recruiter's needs. Make different CVs for different recruiters and highlight only those aspects that the prospective employer is looking for.

This is the only thing you can control in the process of job selection. The best thing to do is to put every thing about your self across in the most impressive way. The idea is to highlight your value to the potential employer. Above all your CV is a reminder to the interviewer of what you can do for his organisation.

Some suggestions on the content and structure that students can use to make their CV more effective:

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: Most recent job first. What-Who-When (left to right). It has to announce loud and clear, you skills, abilities and experience. Try to briefly describe the scale and scope of the company you worked for. This will give your interviewer an idea of the environment you have worked in. Your CV has to be up-to date. The recruiter wants to know first, what you are doing now, not what you did 10 years ago.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Highlight up front career and corresponding achievements in your various assignments. Here focus on the interviewer's need. Avoid jargon but make use of powerful words and try to write in the third person. This will give you proper credit without appearing brash. Job achievements are more important, put it down before mentioning your responsibilities.

DESIGNER CV: your curriculum vitae has to be unique and outstanding. Use professional layouts, which are clear and easy to read. Use heading to help reader scan the document. Bullet points to focus on key information.

SEQUENCE AND LAYOUT: Begin with "NAME AND ADDRESS" but do not write "NAME:" before your name. Telephone number is a must as interviews are also taken over the telephone.

E-MAIL ADDRESS: This not only facilitates immediate reply but also gives an impression that you are technologically savvy. Avoid adding Mr/Ms/Mrs before your name as jobs are given according to ability without gender discriminations.

CAREER PROGRESSION: Put your present occupation first, with achievements, followed by responsibilities, then other work experience. Try to put important, relevant and forceful words at the begin of the statement.

QUALIFICATION: Recent qualifications first followed by earlier ones. If you have passed out from a renowned university, which has more weightage, write it first, then marks obtained followed by what course, you have selected. Put down the most important point first, left to right. If you have obtained high percentage marks then first marks then other details left to right.

INTEREST: Hobbies, social work, sports, etc. Here do not forget to mention what you have done to promote your interest. This will show your commitment to activities you take up. If you have managed to furthering your interest, it will be a positive factor.

CAREER GOAL/MISSION: There is also a trend to begin with an opening sentence. The Goal/Mission statement is written before employment details.

COMPUTER LITERACY: Any short time course or experience of using computers at home or in your institute can be mentioned.

PERSONAL DETAILS: This can be limited to date of birth and martial status.

NAME AND SIGNATURE at the end of the CV.