How to write a CV? Tips and Templates

You must have heard your teachers or parents say this before—“ a good CV can make or break your chances of landing a dream job.” Anyone can look up and create a CV for a job application, but that will not increase your chances of getting shortlisted for a job role. 

But in today’s competitive job market, the most crucial part of a job application is understanding how to write a CV that stands out. 

Whether you are a student looking for an internship or an experienced professional, your CV should accurately reflect your skills, experience, and accomplishments. This blog covers how to write an effective CV, offering tips and templates for various job applications to simplify the whole daunting process.

What is a CV?

A curriculum vitae, commonly referred to as a CV, is a comprehensive record of your educational history and professional experience, skills, and achievements. While resumes are mainly one-pagers, CVs can be multi-paged to cover your full professional career history.

Why is a CV so important?

Your CV is the initial opportunity to make a positive impression on a prospective employer during the job application process. It showcases your qualifications and helps recruiters evaluate your suitability for the position. A well-written CV can increase your chances of securing an interview, while a poorly constructed one may result in rejection. 

How Is It Different From a Resume?

Both CVs and resumes are job application documents, but their applications differ a little.

• Length: A CV contains much more information; thus, its pages may occupy more than two. A resume, on the other hand, usually occupies only one page.
• Purpose: A CV is used to apply for academic, research, or international positions or job roles, unlike resumes that are commonly used for business job applications.
• Content: A resume mainly emphasizes your skills and your work experience, but a CV includes your education, research, publications, and many more highlightable points about you.

But there are some more factors that differentiate a CV from a resume. You should clearly understand this difference to not confuse yourself.

Types of CV Formats

1. Chronological CV: This structure makes your professional background chronological, starting from the latest employment. So, it is always recommended to those having a steady job history and has been widely used by many companies in different industries.
2. Functional CV: This form focuses on skills and competencies developed in the work years. This is especially helpful for those who have had breaks in employment or plan to seek a new career.
3. Combination CV: It tends to incorporate a blend of chronological and functional formats of CVs, emphasizing working history as well as various skill sets. It is, therefore, very suitable for experienced professionals with diverse expertise.

What Should I Include in My CV?

A good CV should state information about the background, qualifications, and skills you bring to the table. It should be meant to portray a summary of exactly what qualifications and experiences have been acquired concerning the position being applied for.

The following are the major sections that every CV is made of:

1. Personal Information

The personal information part of your CV should be simple, listing the following:

• Full Name: Write your first and last names at the top of the page.
• Contact Information: Include your phone number and a professional email address. Make sure that the email is appropriately included, not casual; for instance, “coolguy123@gmail.com.”.
• Location: You should not give the full address from your home, though stating the city and country could be helpful, particularly if you are seeking an internally located opportunity.
• LinkedIn Profile (optional): Add your URL to your LinkedIn profile so that recruiters can get more information on you.

Optional but Relevant:

• Portfolio Website: If you’re applying to jobs in a creative field such as design, development, or writing, include a link to your portfolio.
• Social Media Handles: Include it if it has something to do with the position you are applying for. For example, if you apply for a position that has something to do with social media, you have to have a professional Twitter or Instagram account.

2. Professional Summary

This professional summary is a to-the-point, 2-3-sentence overview that should be placed at the head of your CV. It should include a summary of your most important career highlights, core skills, and what your future goals are. As this is an introductory section, it should catch the recruiter’s attention right away.

Example:
Experienced marketing professional with more than 5 years of experience in digital marketing, content creation, and developing social media strategies. Proven track record of driving brand awareness and a 25% increase in the conversion ratio. Seeking a challenging role in a dynamic organization to leverage my skills and grow professionally.

Tips:

• The summary should be written in the style of the job description.
• Emphasize your most important achievements and skills related to the position.

3. Work Experience

This is the core section of your CV where you detail your professional experience. List all the posts you have held in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent job. For each position, include the following:

Job Title: Clearly state your role.

• Company Name and Location: Include the company’s name and where it’s based.
• Employment Dates: Use the format Month/Year to Month/Year. 

(e.g., March 2020 – Present).

• Responsibilities: Use bullet points to describe your primary responsibilities in the role. Concentrate on the most important tasks.
• Key Achievements: Whenever feasible, quantify your accomplishments (e.g., I increased sales by 15% over two quarters).

Example:

Marketing Manager

XYZ Corporation, New York, NY,

March 2018 – Present

• Developed and executed marketing plans for product launches, leading to a 30% increase in customer acquisition.

• Managed a team of 5 marketing associates and ensured the timely execution of campaigns across various channels.

• Partnered with the sales team to revise the customer acquisition process, resulting in a 20% increase in lead conversions.

Tips:

• Determine which responsibilities and accomplishments should be customized to emphasize the most relevant experience for the position you are applying for.
• Use strong action verbs (e.g., led, developed, implemented, increased, etc.).

4. Education

This section gives an overview of your academic background. Add the following information to each entry:

• Degree: The type of degree (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Marketing).
• Institution: The name of the university, college, or educational institution.
• Dates of Study: Month/Year of starting and graduating.
• Honors or Awards: If relevant, include any academic distinctions (e.g., Magna Cum Laude, Dean’s List).

Example:

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
University of California, Berkeley
Graduated: May 2017

• Graduated with Honors

• President of the Business Club

Tips:

• If you are a recent graduate, you may place this section above work experience.
• If your coursework or projects are relevant to the job you are applying for, you may also include them.

5. Skills

The skills section concisely details both your hard and soft skills that are specifically applicable to the job; be sure the skills you include are relevant to the job description.

• Hard Skills: A technical skill or ability that has some sort of measurable quantifiable value (i.e., some sort of foundation upon which the person’s measurable ability is built). Some examples are knowledge of specific pieces of software, data analysis, programming languages, and foreign languages.
• Soft skills: Personal or social skills, and perhaps a better descriptor is interpersonal skills, (i.e., the way you engage with other human beings). Communication abilities, leadership, time management abilities, and problem-solving skills are all examples. Never leave soft skills off your resume or the skills section.

Example:

Skills:

• Data analysis (Excel, SPSS, and Python)

• Digital marketing (SEO, Google Ads, and Social Media Management).

• Project management (Agile and Jira)

• Bilingual (English and Spanish)

Tips:

• Use the list of job-specific skills first.
• Using both hard and soft skills helps you to demonstrate your diversity and versatility.

6. Certifications and Awards

Adding certifications and awards is a great way to showcase extra qualifications, setting you apart from other applicants. This can include: 

• Professional Certifications: Any relevant certifications to your industry (e.g. PMP, Google Analytics, AWS Certified Solutions Architect). 
• Awards: Any awards you have received for exemplary work, performance, or innovation.

Example:

• Certified Digital Marketing Professional (CDMP)—Digital Marketing Institute, March 2021

• Salesperson of the Year—ABC Corporation, 2019

Tips:

• Make sure your certifications are up-to-date and relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Place the most prestigious or important awards at the top.

7. Volunteer work or extracurricular activities (optional)

If you have worked with a non-profit, organized an event, or participated in extracurricular activities, include it here. This is especially useful if you are a student, a recent graduate, or someone who is looking for a career change and does not have a great amount of work experience.

Example:

Volunteer Work:
Marketing Lead, Charity Water Campaign,
March 2020 – September 2020

• Led a team to organize local fundraising events, raising $15,000 for clean water projects.

Tips:

• Concentrate on volunteer opportunities that require transferable skills or are relevant to the job.

8. Additional Sections (Optional)

You can add additional sections to your CV based on your industry or the role you are applying for. These might include:

• Publications: If you have written articles, papers, or reports, especially in academic settings.
• Projects: List any major projects on which you have worked that are relevant to the job.
• Languages:  If you speak multiple languages, please list them here.
• Professional Affiliations: Membership in professional organizations related to your field.

CV Template for Internship

Here’s a simple CV template for interns:

[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
[LinkedIn Profile]

Professional Summary

A motivated student pursuing [your degree] with experience in [relevant field]. Skilled in [relevant skills] and eager to contribute to [Company Name].

Education

• [Degree] in [Field of Study], [University], [Expected Graduation Date]

Relevant Skills

• Skill 1
• Skill 2

Experience

• [Internship/Part-Time Role] – [Company Name], [Dates]
  • Responsibility 1
  • Responsibility 2

Certifications

• [Certification Name] – [Date]

CV Template for Experienced Professionals

[Your Name]
[Contact Information]
[LinkedIn Profile]

Professional Summary

A skilled [Your Profession] with over [X years] of experience in [Your Industry]. Expertise in [key skills] and a proven track record of delivering [key achievements].

Work Experience

• [Most Recent Job Title] – [Company Name], [Dates]
  • Key achievement 1
  • Key achievement 2
• [Previous Job Title] – [Company Name], [Dates]
  • Key Responsibility 1
  • Key Responsibility 2

Education

• [Degree] in [Field of Study], [University], [Graduation Year]

Certifications & Skills

• Skill 1
• Skill 2
• Certification Name: [Date]

Tips for Writing a Good CV

1. Customize Your CV: Ensure your CV highlights the skills and qualifications detailed in the job description to improve your chances of making it through the application tracking system (ATS). 
2. Include Keywords: To optimize your CV for human recruiters or your ATS, ensure that you are including relevant industry keywords, and using keywords directly taken from the job posting.
3. Incorporate Appropriate Length: Be aware of the most relevant and important experiences. Remove unnecessary detail, and limit your CV to 1-2 pages.
4. Include Quantifies: Quantify all your accomplishments whenever possible. Instead of writing “increased sales,” write “increased sales by 25%”; or instead of writing “managed 10 employees,” write, “managed a team of 10 employees.”
5. Use Action Verbs: Lead off each bullet point with an action verb, such as “developed,” “designed,” or “implemented,” to show impact and responsibility.

How Do I Format a CV?

Having a clear and uncomplicated design is important when formatting a professional CV. Follow these guidelines:

• Font: The use of a professional font includes Arial or Times New Roman in sizes of 10 to 12 points.
• Margins:  Keep the standard 1-inch margins on all four sides.
• Sections: Use clear headings to separate each section (for example, Education, Work Experience).
• Bullet Points: To improve readability, organize responsibilities and achievements into bullet points.
• Consistency: Use consistent formatting throughout, including dates, font style, and headings.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your CV

1. Spelling and grammatical errors: Always proofread your CV or use Grammarly to check for spelling and grammar errors.
2. Use Generic Terms: Avoid cliches such as “team player” and “hard worker.” Instead, try to be specific at your point with an example.
3. Irrelevant Information: Do not have a lot of outdated and unnecessary information. Do not retain items that are too long and unnecessary.
4. Lack of consistency in formatting: Make sure to align your resume in order for it to appear great and professional.
5. Not customizing each of your CVs: Every application requires a tailored CV. You can not use the same CV for two or more different types of job roles or even for the same job roles in different companies because everyone has their own set of requirements.

Is AI used in the recruitment process?

Yes, more and more, artificial intelligence is used nowadays while recruiting, especially at the top stages of screening the CVs. Most companies have incorporated applicant tracking systems powered by AI, commonly known by the name of the ATS system—a screening based on keywords, skills, and qualifications. 

Therefore, your CV might never reach a human eye in this case if it cannot pass through these preliminary mechanisms. That is why it’s so crucial for you to word your CV with ATS use in mind, incorporating career-specific keywords, and keeping the format nice and clean.

Can I Use AI in My Job Application?

Indeed, you can apply AI to perfectly build your job application. For example, you can perfect and polish your resume and even customize  it with specific jobs in mind using AI-driven sites such as ChatGPT. Additionally, resources such as Grammarly and AI-driven resume construction can help ensure that you produce a better resume.

However, a CV writing service providers like ClarityIgnite is available to provide you with personalized CV-writing services that can help you to work towards coming up with a tailored, professional document updated for the most recent industry standards.

Where Can I Get Help with My CV?

If you’re still confused about how to write a CV or need help in building your CV for a specific job, ClarityIgnite is here to help. Our professional CV writing services are designed to highlight your strengths and increase your chances of getting interviews. Our team of experts will make sure your CV is ATS-optimized and tailored to your career objectives. 

However, our assistance is not limited to CVs; we also offer specialized career counseling, outplacement coaching, and executive coaching to students or individuals who are stuck in their career choices. 

So, are you ready to advance your career? Let us help you create a professional CV that will stand out in this competitive market!