London Mayor Ken Livingstone says "the right tactics generate luck" in a new book on how to apply for jobs.

Bill Faust, who wrote the book with his brother Michael, persuaded Mr Livingstone to help when they were next door neighbours at West Hill Street, Brighton.

The mayor has written what the Faust brothers call a personal elevator pitch which, they say, will become a replacement for CVs.

Instead of showing employers people's pasts, elevator pitches also demonstrate future performance.

In his document, Mr Livingstone is bullish about the controversial proposed congestion charge in central London streets for motorists.

He says: "I made a promise to ease the congestion in the capital and congestion charges for traffic entering it are the answer.

"I believe in it and believe it is best for London."

Bill Faust said: "A personal elevator pitch transforms the way you're seen by demonstrating your future performance."

He added that traditional CVs said little about who people really were and what they had to offer.

Personal elevator pitches were concise, being usually no more than one page but talked the language of employers and recruiters.

Backing for them has already come from organisations such as Manpower, the biggest employment agency in the world, and the London Business School.

The book called Pitch Yourself, has reached the top 100 of the sales chart compiled by Amazon, the online books retailer.

Bill Faust, who has enjoyed a career in marketing, said: "Elevator pitches have never been done before in this way and they work. The book is going to be published worldwide."

Pitch Yourself by Bill and Michael Faust is published by Prentice Hall at £12.99.