How to Write a CV
A good CV is not a list of everything you have ever done. It is a clear, focused document that helps a recruiter understand what role you want, what experience you bring, and why you are worth inviting to an interview.
Before you start writing, read the job advert carefully and decide which parts of your experience are most relevant. The strongest CVs are written for a specific type of role, not for every possible vacancy at once.
Start with a clear structure
Use a simple order that hiring managers can scan quickly. Most candidates should include contact details, a short profile, work experience, education, skills, and any relevant certificates or languages.
- Contact details: name, email, phone, location, and a professional profile link if it supports your application.
- Profile: two or three lines that summarize your job target, experience, and strongest value.
- Work experience: start with the most recent role and focus on results, not only duties.
- Education: include the qualification, school, and dates when they help the application.
- Skills: choose skills that match the job advert and that you can prove with examples.
Write achievements, not only responsibilities
A responsibility says what you were supposed to do. An achievement shows what changed because of your work. Whenever possible, add numbers: revenue, time saved, people served, projects delivered, errors reduced, or customer satisfaction improved.
For example, “answered customer emails” is weaker than “handled 80+ customer requests a day while keeping satisfaction above 95%.” The second version gives the recruiter scale and impact.
Keep the CV easy to read
Use short paragraphs, bullet points, consistent dates, and a clean layout. Avoid tiny fonts, decorative graphics, and long blocks of text. If you have less than ten years of experience, one or two pages is usually enough.
Many employers also use applicant tracking systems. That means your CV should include the real words from the job advert, such as the tools, responsibilities, qualifications, and job title that match your experience.
Avoid the most common CV mistakes
- Do not send the same generic CV to every employer.
- Do not hide important experience under vague phrases such as “hard-working” or “team player.”
- Do not include spelling mistakes, inconsistent dates, or an unprofessional email address.
- Do not make the design more important than the content.
- Do not forget to update your CV before each important application.
Build your CV faster
If you want to avoid formatting problems, use the CVRobot online CV generator. It guides you through the sections, keeps the layout professional, and lets you download a finished CV in a polished template.
You can also compare different formats on CV Template, see a practical CV example, or learn how a professional CV should present your experience.
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