Professional CV Formats and Structures

Designing Your CV

1. Limit Information: Focus on relevant accomplishments and skills for each job.

2. Maintain a Master File: Keep a document with all your past details for easy reference.

3. Highlight Strongest Areas First: Put your best experiences and achievements at the top.

4. Skip Objective Statements: Use a summary only when necessary, or omit it.

5. Use Reverse Chronological Order: List most recent experiences first for better clarity.

6. One or Two Pages: Keep it concise—one page for clarity, two if needed.

7. Consider an Online Portfolio: Link to your website for more detailed work examples.

 

CV Formatting

1. Keep it Simple: Use modern, readable fonts and adequate white space.

2. Creative Design Thoughtfully: Stand out but ensure ATS readability.

3. Highlight Contact Info: Include phone, email, LinkedIn, and social links.

4. Formatting Tips: Align text properly, avoid excessive bolding, and maximize white space.

5. Seek Professional Help: Consider a designer for a polished resume.

 

Key Points

1. CV Headline: Ideally, it will contain your targeted job title, achievements and industry / product specific keywords.

2. CV Length: Let your CV not exceed 3 pages. 2 pages is best for more than 5 years of experience. 

3. Your Achievements: Create a separate achievement section or list you top 3 achievements under each employer. 

4. keyword optimise your whole CV. Use simple keywords even for job titles.

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Work Experience

1. Recent and Relevant: Show the last 10-15 years of relevant experience.

2. No Relevant Experience?: Focus on transferable skills and projects.

3. Use Bullet Points: Keep them brief, impactful, and under five per role.

4. Simplify Text: Avoid jargon; aim for clarity and accessibility.

5. Use Numbers: Quantify achievements to show impact.

6. Add Accomplishments: Highlight outcomes and benefits to the organization.

7. Show Soft Skills in Context: Demonstrate leadership without listing buzzwords.

8. Include All Work Types: List part-time, freelance, or volunteer work.

9. Vary Verbs: Use engaging action verbs to keep the reader's attention.

10. Maximize Keywords: Use job-specific keywords for better visibility.

11. Avoid Cliché Words: Skip overused terms like "team player" or "detail-oriented."

 

Education

1. Experience First: Put work experience above education unless you're a recent grad.

2. Reverse Chronological Order: List education from most recent to oldest.

3. Skip Graduation Dates: Focus on degrees rather than when you earned them.

4. Highlight Honors: Showcase any distinctions rather than GPA.

5. Include Continuing Education: Add online courses or certifications for relevancy.

 

Skills, Awards, and Interests

1. List Key Skills: Include technical and relevant skills, avoiding common ones.

2. Use Subskill Sections: Break out language or software skills into separate categories.

3. Show Personality: Include hobbies relevant to the role.

4. Be Careful with Controversial Interests: Avoid potentially divisive topics.

5. Brag About Your Awards: Include accolades and personal achievements.

 

Short Gaps and Career Breaks

1. Eliminate Short-Term Jobs: Remove roles held for only a few months unless crucial.

2. Manage Gaps: Use years instead of months for shorter gaps.

3. Explain Job Hopping: Address frequent moves with clear, concise reasons.

4. Address Long Breaks: Use a summary statement if re-entering the workforce.

5. Avoid Non-Essential Work: Skip over-explaining personal roles like parenting.​

 

Finishing Touches

1. Remove "References Available Upon Request": This is assumed and unnecessary.

2. Proofread: Check for typos and ask others for a second review.

3. Save as a PDF: Ensure formatting stays intact across devices.

4. Smartly Name Your CV: Use your name, e.g., "Jane Smith Resume."

5. Update Regularly: Keep your resume current with new skills or experiences.