Write a CV that gets you noticed

A well-structured CV makes it easy for a recruiter to find what they need quickly. Stick to a clean, logical layout and keep it to two pages maximum.

• Start with your name and contact details — phone number, professional email address, and LinkedIn profile if relevant.
• Follow with a personal profile, then work experience in reverse chronological order, education, and any additional skills or certifications.
• Use clear section headings and consistent formatting throughout. Avoid tables, text boxes, or graphics — these can confuse applicant tracking systems.
• Keep your CV to two pages. If you are early in your career, one page is perfectly acceptable.

Your personal profile sits at the top of your CV and is your chance to make an immediate impact. Think of it as your professional pitch in three to five sentences.

• Summarise who you are, what you do, and what you are looking for — keep it concise and relevant to the roles you are applying for.
• Avoid generic phrases like 'hardworking team player' or 'excellent communicator' — these add no value. Show, don't tell.
• Tailor your profile for each application. A few targeted sentences will always outperform a generic paragraph.
• Write in the third person without using your name, or in the first person without using 'I' — either works, but be consistent.

Your work experience section is the most important part of your CV. List roles in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position.

• Include your job title, employer name, dates of employment, and a brief description of your responsibilities and achievements for each role.
• Use bullet points rather than paragraphs — they are easier to scan and allow you to be concise.
• Focus on what you actually did and the impact you had, not just a list of duties. Recruiters want to understand your contribution.
• If you have gaps in your employment history, address them briefly and honestly. Unexplained gaps can raise questions.

Achievements set you apart from candidates with similar experience. Where possible, back them up with numbers or specific outcomes.

• Quantify your achievements wherever you can — percentages, revenue figures, team sizes, or timeframes all add credibility.
• Use strong action verbs to open each bullet point: led, delivered, increased, reduced, managed, developed, implemented.
• Think about problems you solved, processes you improved, or results you delivered — these are far more compelling than a list of responsibilities.
• Include one or two standout achievements per role rather than trying to list everything. Quality over quantity.

A clean, professional layout signals attention to detail. Poor formatting can undermine even the strongest experience.

• Use a professional font such as Calibri, Arial, or Georgia at 10–12pt. Avoid decorative or unusual fonts.
• Use consistent spacing, margins, and bullet styles throughout. Inconsistency looks careless.
• Save and send your CV as a PDF to preserve formatting across different devices and operating systems.
• Name your file professionally — for example, 'FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf' rather than 'CV-final-v3-UPDATED.pdf'.

Even strong candidates can be overlooked because of avoidable errors. These are the most common CV mistakes recruiters see.

• Spelling and grammar errors — always proofread carefully and ask someone else to review it before you send.
• Using an unprofessional email address. Create a simple [email protected] address if needed.
• Including a photo, date of birth, or marital status — these are not required and can introduce unconscious bias.
• Listing references on your CV. Simply write 'References available on request' or omit the section entirely.

A generic CV sent to every employer rarely gets results. Taking time to tailor your application significantly improves your chances.

• Read the job description carefully and mirror the language and keywords used — many employers use applicant tracking systems that scan for these.
• Reorder your bullet points so the most relevant experience appears first within each role.
• Adjust your personal profile to reflect the specific role and organisation you are applying to.
• Remove or reduce detail on roles that are less relevant to the position — keep the focus on what matters most to this employer.