How to Write a CV Document: Select CV Best Format

If you want to write a CV that actually lands you in the “yes” pile, you’re in the right place. Forget the outdated advice and get real information that’s currently working and acceptable. I’m here to give you the straight-up, actionable goods.

If you’ve applied for jobs severally and haven’t gotten it or wanna change to more current CV format is simply because you have realized the job market is a battlefield. You need every advantage you can get. And a killer CV? That’s your frontline weapon.

Think about it: “Only 3% of CVs/resumes will result in an interview,” according to Forbes. That’s brutal. And TestGorilla stats show “42% of employees feel they “have trouble standing out from the crowd” when submitting resumes.” No wonder, right? Most CVs are just… meh. They’re boring, generic, and don’t tell the recruiter why you’re the one.

This guide is about changing that. I’m going to show you how to write a CV that grabs attention, showcases your value, and gets you those all-important interviews. No more guessing games. Just practical, no-BS advice.

Understanding CVs and Resumes

Too many questions like…

What’s the Real Difference and When Do You Need to Write a CV?

So, what’s the deal? CV, resume… are they the same thing? Short answer: No. And knowing the difference can make or break your application, especially in certain fields or countries.

What is a CV?

Let’s get this straight. A CV, or Curriculum Vitae (that’s Latin for “course of life,” if you’re interested), is a comprehensive document of your professional and academic history in detail. It’s thorough. As Indeed puts it, “CVs typically include information such as your work experience, along with your achievements, awards, scholarships or grants you’ve earned, coursework, research projects and publications of your work.” Think of it as your academic and professional biography. It can be, and often is, longer than two pages.

What is a Resume?

A resume, on the other hand, is a concise summary. It’s typically one, maybe two pages max. It’s tailored to a specific job, highlighting only the most relevant skills and experiences. Think of it as a marketing brochure for you.

Similarities and Differences Between CV and Resume

Okay, let’s break down the different between CV and Resume simply:

Similarities:

• Both need to be error-free and professionally presented.
• Both are marketing documents designed to get you an interview.
• Both include your contact information, work history, and education.

CV vs. Resume: Key Differences at a Glance:

Feature	CV (Curriculum Vitae)	Resume
Length	Can be long (3+ pages common for academics/senior execs)	Short (typically 1-2 pages)
Content	Exhaustive; includes publications, research, conferences, detailed projects	Selective; focuses only on what’s relevant to the specific job
Purpose	Often used in academia, medicine, science, many international jobs	Standard for most business/industry roles, particularly in the US
Layout	Often follows a more static, chronological format	Can be more flexible in format (chronological, functional, combination)

When to Use a CV Instead of a Resume or Both Together

This is crucial. Don’t send a CV when a resume is expected, and vice versa. You’ll look like you haven’t done your homework.

Use a CV when:

• Applying for academic positions (lecturer, researcher, professor).
• Applying for medical or scientific roles.
• Applying for fellowships, grants, or scholarships.
• Applying for jobs internationally, particularly in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia (though always check local conventions).
• The job posting specifically asks for a “CV.”

Use a Resume when:

• Applying for most corporate or industry jobs in the United States and Canada.
• The job posting specifically asks for a “resume.”
• You want a concise document to quickly highlight your most relevant qualifications for a specific role.

When to use both (or be prepared to):
Sometimes, especially for high-level or specialised roles, you might have a comprehensive CV on hand and then pull information from it to create a tailored resume for a specific application. Or, an employer might ask for a resume initially, then request a more detailed CV later in the process. The key is to know your audience and the conventions of your target industry and region.

What Should a CV Look Like?

You know what they say about first impressions, right? Well, your CV’s appearance is exactly that. Before anyone reads a word, they see the layout, the font, the overall professionalism. So, what should a CV look like? It should look like you mean business.

Overall Structure and Layout

Think clean, clear, and easy to scan. Recruiters spend seconds, not minutes, on their first pass.

• Margins: Use standard margins (e.g., 1 inch or 2.54 cm all around). Don’t crowd the page.
• Spacing: Use consistent spacing between sections. White space is your friend – it improves readability.
• Alignment: Left-align your text for the main body. It’s the easiest to read.
• Consistency: Whatever choices you make for headings, bullet points, and dates, keep them consistent throughout the document.

A good CV format makes information easy to find.

Essential Sections of a CV

While the depth might vary, these are the core components:

1. Contact Details: Full name, phone number, professional email address, LinkedIn profile URL (make sure it’s up to date!). Location (City, Country is usually fine).
2. Professional Profile/Summary/Objective: A brief, powerful statement (3-4 lines) at the top, tailored to the role, highlighting your key skills and career goals.
3. Core Skills/Areas of Expertise: A bulleted list of your most relevant hard and soft skills. This is crucial, especially since “nearly 70% [of recruiters] prefer skills-based hiring,” according to TestGorilla.
4. Work Experience/Professional History: List in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Include company name, job title, dates of employment, and bullet points detailing responsibilities and achievements (quantify them whenever possible!).
5. Education and Qualifications: List degrees in reverse chronological order. Include institution name, degree, graduation date (or expected date), and any relevant honours or major coursework.
6. Publications/Presentations/Research (if applicable): Essential for academic or research-focused CVs.
7. Awards and Honours (if applicable):
8. Professional Affiliations/Memberships (if applicable):
9. References: Usually, “References available upon request” is sufficient, or you can list them if specifically asked.

Best Colours, Fonts, and Font Sizes to Use

This isn’t the place to get overly creative, especially for traditional CVs.

• Colours: Black text on a white or off-white background is the gold standard. It’s professional and prints well. If you must use colour, use it sparingly for headings or a subtle border, and choose something conservative (e.g., a dark blue or grey). But honestly, black and white is safest.
• Fonts: Stick to classic, readable sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Verdana. Serif fonts like Times New Roman or Garamond are also acceptable. Avoid novelty or script fonts like the plague.
• Font Sizes:
  • Main Body Text: 10-12 points. Don’t go smaller than 10pt; it becomes hard to read.
  • Headings: 14-18 points. Make them stand out but not scream.
  • Your Name: Can be slightly larger, perhaps 20-22 points.

Examples of Popular CV Formats

There isn’t one single “best” popular CV format, but common structures include:

• Chronological CV: This is the most common, listing your work experience and education in reverse chronological order. It’s straightforward and preferred by many employers.
• Skills-Based (or Functional) CV: This format emphasizes your skills rather than a chronological work history. It can be useful if you’re changing careers, have employment gaps, or your experience is varied. However, some recruiters are wary of it as it can obscure work history. Use with caution. I generally advise against it unless you really know what you’re doing.
• Academic CV: This has a very specific structure, often prioritising education, publications, research, and teaching experience.
• Combination CV: Blends elements of chronological and skills-based formats, usually starting with a strong skills summary followed by a chronological work history.

You can find plenty of CV samples (or CV examples as you may prefer calling it) online to get a feel for these. The key is to choose a format that best showcases your strengths for the specific type of role you’re targeting.

How to Write a Perfect CV

Now you have gotten to this level of this article, you’ve understood the styles, colour and front, etc, means you really met business to write a perfect CV document that will be appealing in the eyes of the reader.

Alright, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Knowing how to write a perfect CV isn’t about magic; it’s about a systematic approach and focusing on what matters to the employer. I’m going to walk you through it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Each Section:

Remember, every word counts. No fluff.

1. Contact Details

This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people mess it up.

• Full Name: Make it prominent at the top.
• Phone Number: Your mobile, obviously. Include the country code if applying internationally.
• Email Address: Professional. Not [email protected]. Something like [email protected].
• LinkedIn Profile URL: Customise it to be clean (e.g., linkedin.com/in/yourname). It’s a must-have.
• Location: City, County/State, Country. No need for your full street address.

Example: JOHN DOE +44 7700 900000 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/johndoe | London, UK

2. Professional Profile/Summary

This is your elevator pitch. Your 30-second commercial. Make it count. It should be 3-5 lines MAX, tailored to the job you’re applying for. Highlight your key experience, top skills, and what you bring to the table.

Bad Example (Generic): “A highly motivated individual seeking a challenging role in marketing.” Yawn.

Good Example (Specific & Impactful for a Marketing Manager role): “Results-driven Marketing Manager with 8+ years’ experience developing and executing successful digital campaigns for SaaS companies. Proven ability to increase lead generation by 40% and drive revenue growth. Seeking to leverage expertise in SEO, content strategy, and team leadership to achieve [Company Name]’s marketing objectives.”

See the difference? Specificity. Impact.

3. Core Skills

This section is your quick-win area. Recruiters scan for keywords here. Use a bulleted list. Mix hard skills (technical proficiencies, software, languages) and relevant soft skills (leadership, communication, problem-solving). Pull keywords directly from the job description.

Example (for a Project Manager):

• Agile & Waterfall Methodologies
• Stakeholder Management
• Risk Assessment & Mitigation
• Budget & Resource Allocation
• JIRA & Confluence
• Team Leadership & Motivation
• Problem-Solving & Decision Making
• Excellent Communication (Written & Verbal)

4. Work Experience (With and Without Job Experience)

This is the heart of your CV. List in reverse chronological order (most recent job first).

For each role:

• Job Title
• Company Name, City, Country
• Dates of Employment (Month/Year – Month/Year)

Then, under each role, use bullet points.

• Start each bullet with a strong action verb (e.g., Managed, Developed, Led, Increased, Reduced, Implemented).
• Focus on achievements and results, not just duties. Quantify them whenever possible.
  • Instead of: “Responsible for managing social media.”
  • Try: “Managed 5 social media channels, growing follower engagement by 35% and click-through rates by 20% within 6 months.”
• Tailor these points to the job you’re applying for. What did you do that’s relevant to this role?

How to write a CV for a job with no job experience (or limited):

• Focus on internships, volunteer work, university projects, freelance gigs.
• Highlight transferable skills. Maybe your part-time retail job taught you customer service, problem-solving, and cash handling – all valuable.
• Emphasise your education and relevant coursework.
• Showcase personal projects or extracurricular activities that demonstrate initiative and relevant skills.

How to write a CV for a job with job experience:

• Prioritise your most recent and relevant roles.
• For older roles (10+ years ago), you can be more concise unless they are highly relevant.
• Show career progression if possible.

5. Education and Qualifications

List in reverse chronological order.

• Degree Name (e.g., MSc Marketing, BA (Hons) Business Studies)
• University Name, City, Country
• Graduation Date (or Expected Graduation Date)
• Relevant Modules/Coursework (Optional): If you’re a recent graduate or it’s highly relevant.
• Dissertation/Thesis Title (Optional): If relevant, especially for academic or research roles.
• Grades/Classification (Optional): Include if strong (e.g., First Class Honours, GPA 3.8/4.0). If not, leave it out.

6. Additional Information (Optional but often useful)

This is a catch-all for things that don’t fit neatly elsewhere but add value.

• Languages: Specify proficiency (e.g., Fluent, Conversational, Basic).
• Certifications & Accreditations: Relevant professional certifications.
• Awards & Honours: (If not extensive enough for a separate section).
• Publications/Conferences/Patents: (Crucial for academic/research CVs, may have its own section).
• Interests (Optional & with caution): Only include if they are relevant or show positive traits (e.g., “Team sports” shows teamwork, “Coding personal projects” shows passion for tech). Avoid generic or controversial ones. Keep it brief.

Tips for Tailoring Your CV to the Job

I can’t stress this enough: TAILOR. YOUR. CV. “63% of recruiters like to get CVs/resumes personalized to the job position,” Glassdoor found. Don’t be lazy.

• Analyse the Job Description: Identify the key skills, experience, and qualifications they’re looking for. These are your keywords.
• Mirror Their Language: If they say “stakeholder engagement,” use that term (if accurate for your experience).
• Prioritise: Reorder your bullet points and skills to highlight what’s most important for that specific role.
• Tweak Your Profile/Summary: Make sure it directly addresses the needs of this employer.

Using Bullet Points and Active Language

• Bullet Points: Make your achievements easy to scan. Short, impactful phrases.
• Active Language: Start bullet points with strong action verbs.
  • Instead of: “Was involved in team projects.”
  • Try: “Collaborated on cross-functional team projects to deliver X outcome.”
  • Instead of: “Duties included customer support.”
  • Try: “Provided exceptional customer support, resolving 95% of issues on first contact.”

This makes your CV dynamic and shows you as a doer, not a passive observer.

Writing a CV for Different Experience Levels

Your approach to how you write a CV will naturally change based on where you are in your career. What works for a graduate won’t cut it for a senior executive, and vice-versa.

How to Write a CV for a Job with No Job Experience

Feeling stuck because you lack “real world” experience? Don’t sweat it. You have more to offer than you think.

• Lead with Education: Put your Education section before Work Experience if it’s your strongest asset. Highlight relevant coursework, projects, and academic achievements.
• Showcase Transferable Skills: Think about part-time jobs, volunteer work, university societies, or even personal projects. What skills did you develop? Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, organisation, initiative? These are gold.
• Focus on Potential: Your CV is about showing what you can do. A strong academic record, eagerness to learn, and relevant skills (even if not from paid work) can make a big impression.
• Internships & Volunteering are Key: These count as experience! Detail what you did and achieved, just like a paid job.
• Professional Profile/Objective: Use this to state your career goals clearly and express your enthusiasm for the role and industry.

How to Write a CV for a Job with Job Experience

This is where you let your track record shine.

• Prioritise Recent & Relevant: Your last 10-15 years of experience are usually the most important. Older roles can be summarised more briefly unless they’re exceptionally relevant.
• Achievements, Achievements, Achievements: Don’t just list duties. Quantify your accomplishments. “Increased sales by X%,” “Reduced costs by Y,” “Managed a team of Z to deliver Project A on time and under budget.”
• Show Progression: If you’ve been promoted or taken on more responsibility, make that clear.
• Tailor Aggressively: With more experience, you’ll have more to choose from. Be ruthless in cutting what’s not relevant to the specific job you’re targeting.
• Strategic Summary: Your professional summary should be a powerful synopsis of your career highlights and value proposition.

How to Write a CV for a Job with No Writing Experience

“But I’m not a writer! How can I write a CV?” I hear you. Good news: you don’t need to be Shakespeare. You need to be clear, concise, and factual. If you already have a written CV document, you can use our free CV/Resume Analyzer & Critique tool if you feel there are gaps in it.

• Use Templates (Wisely): Find a professional CV template (many sites offer a free CV template download). This gives you a structure. But always personalise the content.
• Focus on Facts & Figures: Numbers speak louder than fancy words. “Managed inventory” is okay. “Managed inventory of 500+ SKUs with 99% accuracy” is much better.
• Action Verbs: Use a list of strong action verbs (you can find these online) to start your bullet points. This adds punch without needing complex sentences.
• Get Feedback: Ask a friend, mentor, or career advisor to read it. A fresh pair of eyes can spot errors or areas for improvement.
• Simple Language: Don’t try to use big words you’re not comfortable with. Clear, straightforward language is best.
• Tools Can Help (a bit): Grammar checkers (like Grammarly) can catch typos and grammatical errors. But don’t rely on them for content.

The main thing is to convey your value, even if writing isn’t your strong suit. Focus on what you did and what you achieved.

How to Make a CV Document on Your Phone

In the real word today, people prefer using their phone instead of PCs, so you might need to make a CV document on phone when an opportunity pops up too.

But Is it real ideal? Maybe not for the final polished version. But is it doable? Absolutely. Because nowadays, you can login to a CV maker page from your phone browser then provide all the necessary prompts and get your CV generated and downloaded as doc or PDF, or other file format best for you. However, in spite of the possibilities, there are still more tools or apps you may need.

Several apps are designed for this:

• Microsoft Word Mobile: If you have a template, you can easily edit and update it.
• Google Docs: Similar to Word, great for cloud-based editing and sharing.
• Canva: Offers stylish templates, but be careful – some can be too design-heavy and not ATS-friendly (Applicant Tracking System). Stick to simpler, professional designs.
• Dedicated CV Builder Apps: Apps like Resume.com, CV Engineer, or Kickresume have mobile versions that guide you through the process.

Step-by-Step Process for Creating and Formatting a CV on a Phone

If you’re building from scratch or heavily editing on your phone:

1. Choose Your App: Pick one that you find intuitive.
2. Start with a Template (if possible): It saves a lot of formatting headaches. Many apps offer a CV templete you can adapt.
3. Enter Your Information Section by Section: Focus on the content first.
   • Contact Details
   • Profile/Summary
   • Skills
   • Experience
   • Education
4. Formatting (The Tricky Part on Mobile):
   • Keep it Simple: Stick to standard fonts and a clean layout. Fancy formatting is harder on a small screen and can get messed up.
   • Use Bullet Points: Most mobile keyboards make these easy.
   • Check Spacing: Ensure consistent spacing between sections and lines. This might require some fiddling.
   • Zoom In/Out: Constantly check how it looks overall.
5. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread: Typos are easier to make on a phone. Read it carefully. Then read it again. Maybe even use a text-to-speech feature to hear it read aloud.
6. Save as PDF: Always save and send your CV as a PDF to preserve formatting. Most apps allow you to export to PDF.

Tips for Maintaining Formatting and Professionalism

• Avoid Complex Tables or Columns: These can be a nightmare to manage on mobile and often don’t parse well in ATS.
• Stick to Standard Fonts: Your phone might have cool fonts, but the recruiter’s system might not.
• Email it to Yourself: Open it on a desktop or laptop when you get a chance to do a final check before sending it off for a critical application.
• Simplicity is Key: The goal on mobile is often speed and convenience. A clean, straightforward CV is better than a poorly executed fancy one.

So yes, you can make a CV document on phone. Just be extra diligent about the details.

Should You Use AI to Write Your CV?

The big question: can you just use AI like ChatGPT to write CV content? Or any other AI tool? It’s tempting, right? Let’s break down the pros and cons of using AI to write CV with AI.

Advantages of Using AI Tools (e.g., ChatGPT) to Write CVs

I’m not going to lie, AI can be a useful assistant:

• Speed & Efficiency: AI can generate drafts or ideas much faster than you can type. Great for overcoming writer’s block.
• Idea Generation: Stuck on how to phrase an achievement? AI can offer suggestions.
• Keyword Optimisation: You can ask AI to incorporate specific keywords from a job description (though you still need to check if it sounds natural).
• Summarising: If you have a long, detailed account of a project, AI can help you condense it.
• Basic Structure: Some tools can help you lay out sections if you’re starting from absolute zero.

Disadvantages and Common Pitfalls of AI-Generated CVs

Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Relying too heavily on AI is a mistake.

• Generic Content: AI often produces bland, generic text that lacks your unique voice and specific accomplishments. It can sound robotic.
• Lack of Nuance: AI doesn’t understand your career or the subtleties of a job role. It just processes text.
• Inaccuracies/Hallucinations: AI can make things up or misinterpret information. You must fact-check everything.
• Overuse of Buzzwords: AI might stuff your CV with buzzwords that sound impressive but lack substance if not backed by real examples.
• Formatting Issues: AI-generated text still needs to be formatted correctly into a professional CV document.
• Doesn’t Know YOU: Your personality, your specific achievements, your unique selling points – AI can’t capture that authentically.

Why CVs Written with AI Are Sometimes Rejected by Employers

This is a big one. Why CV written with AI is rejected by employers? Because recruiters are getting wise. They can often spot a CV that’s been largely churned out by AI. It feels impersonal. It lacks depth. It might not directly answer the “why you?” question for that specific role. If your CV screams “low effort” or “could be anyone,” it’s going straight to the “no” pile. Employers want to see your effort, your understanding of their needs, and your genuine interest. An overly AI’d CV just doesn’t convey that.

Best Practices When Using AI for CV Writing

So, should you use AI to write CV sections? Yes, as a tool, not as a replacement for your brain.

• Use it as a Starting Point: Generate ideas, draft initial bullet points, get help with phrasing.
• YOU are the Editor-in-Chief: Critically review, edit, and rewrite everything AI produces. Make it your own.
• Inject Your Voice & Specifics: Add your unique achievements, quantify your results, and ensure it sounds like you.
• Fact-Check Relentlessly: Verify every claim, every date, every detail.
• Focus on Tailoring: Use AI to help you brainstorm for a specific job description, but then you do the fine-tuning.
• Never Copy-Paste Blindly: This is the biggest mistake. Always adapt and personalise.

Think of AI as a helpful research assistant or a brainstorming partner, not the author of your career story.

Handwritten CVs (If Applicable)

This content page is already too long, but I can’t stop without talking about handwritten CVs. So let me be fast, at the same time be brutally honest about the handwritten CV. In 99.9% of cases today, DO NOT SUBMIT A HANDWRITTEN CV. Seriously. Don’t. It looks unprofessional, it’s hard to read, it can’t be scanned by ATS, and it screams “I’m stuck in the 1970s.”

The only conceivable (and extremely rare) exceptions might be:

• If you’re applying for a role where handwriting is a specific skill being assessed (e.g., calligrapher, historical document research where handwritten notes are common).
• If an employer explicitly requests one for a very niche, perhaps artistic or highly traditional role (and even then, I’d question it).

If, against all odds, you find yourself needing to write one:

• Use good quality, plain white paper.
• Use black or dark blue ink.
• Write legibly. Print if your cursive is hard to read. Neatness is paramount.
• Follow the same structure as a typed CV.
• No errors, no crossing out. You’ll need to start over if you make a mistake.
• Keep it concise.

But again, unless you’re applying to be a monk in a silent order that only communicates via parchment, just type your CV. It’s the 21st century.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. The guide to Write a CV that actually gets results. We’ve covered a lot, from understanding the core differences between CVs and resumes, to structuring each section for impact, tailoring for experience levels, and even navigating the world of AI and mobile CV creation.

Remember, your CV is often the very first impression a potential employer has of you. Make it count. Don’t just list what you’ve done; showcase what you’ve achieved. Personalise it. Proofread it until your eyes water. And then proofread it again.

The job market can be tough, but a well-crafted CV is your best foot forward. Take these tips, put in the effort, and you’ll be well on your way to write a CV that opens doors.

Now go out there and write a CV that makes them sit up and take notice! You’ve got this.

And let’s know your thoughts or ask your questions on the comment box below. Also share this page to let others learn what works in making CVs today.