Write a stellar CV / resume

Everyone knows what goes into a CV/resume - right? Your educational and career attainments and then a bit at the end where you say you enjoy reading and the movies. Yawn. The secret is to keep the reverse chronology section brief. We'll highlight your strengths upfront next.
No matter how long your career - and the longer it is the more important this is - devote the most attention to the last five years and leave out anything over ten years old. List the job title, the company, the location if you've moved about a lot, and then a list of your responsibilities/attainments. Go into most detail about your most recent job and give less detail about each previous job unless there's something important you want to highlight about that role. For example, if you have led a change-management programme, a software implementation or a sales organisation, list the key benefit(s) - increased productivity, cost saving or sales improvement.
Unless you are fresh out of university, only list your degree(s). There's no need to tell the recruiter that you passed your Grade five piano except, perhaps, if you did it this year. Now that you've got the nuts and bolts down it's time to get smart and creative with the marketing of your skills and experience.

More and more CVs/resumes feature a two- or three-paragraph description of the candidate upfront, sometimes these feature a photograph, too. This is a great way of showing the recruiter who you are and why you're the best person for the job. Remember that these days many recruiters use an automated system that scans for keywords to reduce the number of applications they have to read - be specific and mirror the language used in the advertisement. This section will get rewritten time and time again, depending on the job you're applying for, whereas your job history and educational attainments don't change.
I'll use myself as an example.
Compare these two openings:
For a traditional subediting position at a magazine
I am a veteran subeditor with over ten years' experience of both print and web editing. Having most recently specialised in the computer-graphics (CG) sector, I am adept at editing highly technical copy and translating jargon into plain English for a variety of niche readerships.
But for an executive speech writer position I would present myself thus:
I have spent the last five years working with C-level executives at a wide variety of blue-chip companies to help prepare them for media engagements. Having recently specialised in the computer graphics (CG) sector, I have the ability to assimilate highly technical information and produce copy that is suitable for either niche or broad audiences.
My evidence of these skills - my career history and experience - remains the same; only my emphasis and presentation has changed.

Now you've got all your text down, it's time to spellcheck, proofread and look at how it sits on the page. Think about how your CV/resume will be used:
Is the font easy to read on screen and in print?
Are your name and contact details on the second page as well as the first?
I like to put "1 of 2" in the first page footer and my name and e-mail in the second page header, knowing from experience how often pages get lost or muddled in a pile of CV/resumes.
Once you have it looking perfect, print it out and put it in a drawer, leave it for a day if you can but at least an hour or two before giving it a final proofread. Look for things the spellcheck won't pick up: 'lead' instead of 'led', for instance.