Humour

Here are our top tips to help you pack like a pro!

Essentials bag

Bring a little pouch to take with you on the flight or for just general easy access. Fill it with hand wipes, lip balm, tissues, earphones and painkillers. Trust us this is a really smart move.

Don’t bring the bling

Travelling is not the time to be worrying about losing your Tiffany necklace. Leave the expensive stuff at home and bring a few cheap bits to spruce up your outfits instead. Plus, you’ll definitely buy a load on the way!

Emergency fanciness

Even if you’re not planning on going on any fancy dinners, bringing a nice scarf for girls and a crease-free tie for boys can be a real lifesaver when you need to look a little bit smarter.

Stuff those shoes

Something your mum probably tells you to do, but this doesn’t mean it’s not super useful. Stuffing your shoes with socks and underwear will help them keep their shape as well as saving precious space.

Breathing room

Do not pack your suitcase totally full. You’ll definitely buy souvenirs on your travels and you don’t want to regret bringing something you didn’t need at all.

Layers

Pack layers of clothing instead of bulky coats and jumpers. It’s much more space efficient and means endless possibilities of mix and match outfits.

Label it

Make sure your bag has some kind of recognisable label or ribbon on it so you can spot it easily in a hurry. There’s nothing worse than eyeing up every black bag on the carousel trying to work out which one’s yours.

Minimum toiletries

Yes, they do have deodorant in other places in the world! Only bring toiletry essentials and pick up stuff along the way if you run out.

Freezer bag heaven

Separating all small items into individual freezer bags makes it much easier to find stuff. Put hair bands into one, medication in another and so on.

Roll it up

Rolling clothes uses much less room than folding and it will also stop creasing. Don’t just take our word for it! Try it. Seriously.

Smart cash hiding

Hide spare cash in empty cosmetic bottles like lip balm or sun cream. This is a great way to avoid flashing your cash and hopefully minimise the worst-case scenario of being robbed.

Sweet smells

Putting a scented drawer liner in your bag will help keep everything smelling nice and fresh. This is a necessity for long trips or backpacking when everything starts to smell a bit… odd… after a couple of weeks.

Liquid leak saver

Take the lids off liquid bottles and put a layer of cling-film over the opening before putting the lid back on. This will create a tighter seal and avoid that disastrous leakage all over everything. Ahhhh.

Dress yourself

When you’re almost done mentally dress yourself from socks up to hat, this will make sure you don’t miss something crucial like underwear in the panic of it all.

Top Tip: Before you head off on your travels make sure you check the Foreign Office for advice–https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel- advice

We’ve all probably got a version of a CV under our belts already…

However, it’s often really hard to work out what you’re meant to be getting down on this piece of paper that can make the difference between getting a job and not. Here are some of our top tips to make the whole process a lot easier:

Spelling and grammar

Yes, it’s boring and everyone’s told you this before – but small errors could completely ruin your chances of getting that job. Check, check and check again. Top tip, use Grammarly for this – it’s a real life saver!

Tailor it

Tailor your CV to the specific job and company you’re applying to. For an example if it’s a marketing role, emphasise any marketing-related modules you’ve taken to really show off your experience. This is a must!

Keep it simple

Advice varies between having a CV on one or on two sides of A4 – however, whatever you’re aiming for, you should always keep it concise and clear. Bullet points are great for emphasising key skills and sub-headings are great to give the document structure.

Personal details

Include your name, address, phone number and email, as well as your LinkedIn account if you’ve got one. Remember you’re no longer required to disclose your birth date due to age discrimination laws!

Achievement over responsibilities

Always emphasise what you contributed and achieved in specific situations –don’t fall into the trap of just re-writing your job description or the activities you took part in.

Extra skills

Include any extra skills you may have learnt over the years such as languages, IT skills or First Aid qualifications; these are what can make you stand out from the competition.

Be confident

Remember your CV is your chance to show off all the skills and knowledge you’ve developed in your life so far. Don’t be afraid to talk yourself up – but always back up claims with solid evidence.

Presentation

For more serious roles, at a bank for an example, a well laid out page and a professional font will go a long way. However, if you’re applying for a more arts and design orientated role, an eye-catching design will really help show off your skills and make your CV stand out.

Now take these tips away and apply them to your own CV, you’ll see a huge difference and it will no doubt increase your employability. Good luck!