Writing Your CV

Introduction

A CV (called a résumé in some countries) is a short document that helps a busy reader decide whether to talk to you. Many are read for under a minute. Clear and honest beats clever and long. Local customs vary: in some countries a CV includes a photo or date of birth, in others it should not. Check what is normal where you apply.

A simple structure

1. Name and contact details: email, phone, town or region. Use a professional email address.
2. Short summary (two to three lines): who you are, what you offer, the kind of role you want.
3. Experience: newest first. Job title, organisation, dates, and bullet points.
4. Education and training: relevant courses and qualifications.
5. Skills: tools, languages and strengths that match the roles you want.
6. Optional: volunteering, projects, certifications.

Aim for one page for early careers and two pages at most for most others.

Achievements, not just duties

A duty says what you were asked to do. An achievement says what you did and what changed.

Weak: "Responsible for customer service."

Better: "Helped about 60 customers a day, and resolved most questions at the first contact."

Formula: action verb + what you did + result or scale. Examples:

• "Organised a weekly rota for 12 volunteers, cutting missed shifts."
• "Built a spreadsheet to track orders, saving about two hours a week."

Use numbers only when true, and be ready to explain them. Never invent or inflate. Interviews and reference checks reveal exaggerations, and dishonesty can cost you a job later.

No experience?

Use what you do have: volunteering, school or personal projects, caring or family responsibilities, clubs, part-time work, online courses. Describe the skills involved: organising, communicating, solving problems, reliability.

Layout and proofreading

• Clear headings, plain font at a readable size, generous spacing.
• Consistent dates and punctuation.
• Save and send as PDF unless asked otherwise, with a sensible file name such as Name-CV.pdf.
• Read it aloud, and ask someone else to check it. Spelling mistakes are among the most common reasons CVs are rejected.
• Do not include sensitive details you do not need to share, such as full address or ID numbers.

Try it yourself

Write a CV using the structure. Turn three duties into achievement bullets. Ask a friend: "What job do you think I want?"

Summary

• Use a simple, honest structure of one or two pages.
• Write achievements with action, scale and result, never invented.
• Proofread carefully, and format for quick reading.