How to write a CV that gets you interviews
A good CV does one job: it convinces a recruiter – and often an applicant tracking system (ATS) before them – that you are worth an interview. Recruiters typically skim a CV in under a minute, so structure and clarity matter as much as content. This guide walks you through every section, with examples.
1. Choose the right structure
For most people the reverse-chronological CV works best: your most recent job first, then going back in time. Recruiters expect it and ATS software reads it reliably.
A typical order:
- Header – name, job title, contact details
- Profile / summary – 2–4 sentences
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
- Languages
- Optional: certifications, projects, courses, volunteering, awards, publications, interests, references
Recent graduates can put education before experience. Career changers can add a strong projects or skills section near the top.
2. Write a clear header
Include:
- Full name (largest text on the page)
- Job title that matches the role you want, e.g. Marketing Manager
- Phone number and professional e-mail address
- City and country – a full street address is not needed
- LinkedIn and, if relevant, a portfolio or GitHub link
Whether to include a photo depends on the country: common in much of Europe (for example Germany, Austria and Switzerland), usually left out in the US, UK and Canada.
3. Write a short profile
Your profile is a 2–4 sentence pitch: who you are, your experience, your strongest skills and what you are looking for.
Example: Marketing specialist with 5 years of experience in B2B SaaS. Grew organic traffic by 180% and led campaigns generating €1.2M in pipeline. Looking to lead a small content team in a fast-growing tech company.
Avoid empty phrases like “hard-working team player” – show it with facts instead.
4. Describe your experience with achievements
For every job list your title, employer, location and dates, then 3–6 bullet points. Focus on results, not duties:
| Weak (duty) | Strong (achievement) |
|---|---|
| Responsible for social media | Grew Instagram followers from 2k to 18k in 12 months with a new content calendar |
| Handled customer complaints | Resolved 40+ customer cases per day, keeping satisfaction at 96% |
| Worked on the company website | Rebuilt the website in React, cutting load time by 45% |
Tips:
- Start each bullet with an action verb: led, built, increased, reduced, launched, negotiated, designed.
- Add numbers wherever possible: %, €, time saved, people managed, customers served.
- Mirror the job ad: if the ad asks for “stakeholder management”, use those words (honestly).
- Older or irrelevant jobs can be shortened to one line.
5. Education
List your degree, institution, location and dates. Add your grade or GPA only if it is good, and relevant courses, thesis topics or honours if you are early in your career. Experienced professionals can keep this section short.
6. Skills and languages
- Split skills into hard skills (tools, software, methods) and, sparingly, soft skills.
- Be specific: Excel (pivot tables, Power Query) is better than Microsoft Office.
- For languages, use the CEFR levels (A1–C2) or clear labels like Native, Fluent, Working knowledge.
7. Length and format
- Length: one page for students and juniors, two pages for most professionals. Academic CVs can be longer.
- Fonts: a readable font at 10–12 pt; consistent spacing and alignment.
- File type: send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Make sure the PDF contains real text, not an image – otherwise ATS software cannot read it.
- File name: Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf.
8. Common mistakes to avoid
- Typos and inconsistent dates – proofread twice, then ask someone else.
- An unprofessional e-mail address.
- Long paragraphs instead of bullet points.
- Listing duties instead of achievements.
- One generic CV for every application – tailor at least the profile and top bullets.
- Fancy designs with text in images, which ATS software can’t read.
Checklist before you send it
- Header with name, title, phone, e-mail, city, LinkedIn
- Profile tailored to the job
- Achievements with numbers in every role
- Keywords from the job ad
- One or two pages, consistent formatting
- Saved as PDF with a clear file name
Ready? Open the CVBurst editor, pick an ATS-friendly template and download your CV as PDF or Word for free.