How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) for a Job Application

Taking the time to create an effective CV is an investment in your professional future. In this article, we’ll go over exactly what a CV is and how to make one with our step-by-step guide and examples.

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What is a CV for a job?

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a detailed document that presents your professional and academic history to potential employers.

It typically includes information about your education, work experience, skills, achievements, and other relevant qualifications.

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

You’ve probably heard the terms “CV” and “resume” both used to refer to the document you submit as part of a job application. So what is a CV vs. a resume?

It’s simple: In most of the world, the words “CV” and “resume” both refer to the document you send to employers to apply for a job.

A resume is typically a concise document (usually 1 page) that includes a summary of your most relevant qualifications for a specific job. A CV provides a more comprehensive picture of your career trajectory and accomplishments.

In the United States and Canada, CVs are primarily used for academic positions, while resumes are more common for other jobs.

Put simply, if you’re applying for jobs in the US or Canada, you should use an American resume, and use a CV only to apply for academic positions. But if you’re applying for jobs anywhere else in the world, you should use a CV.

1. Decide on a CV format and style

Before you start writing your CV, you need to format it properly.

Option 1: Start from scratch

If you’re starting from a blank document, open a new file in Microsoft Word or Google Docs and follow these steps:

1. Set ½ – 1” margins on each side
2. Use a font size between 10 and 12 points
3. Select a professional font such as Times New Roman or Arial

Then add headings for the following sections you need to include on your CV:

1. Header with your name and contact information
2. Introduction
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Optional sections like volunteer work or hobbies

Option 2: Use a template

Alternatively, you can use a CV template to speed up the job application process.

If you’re writing an academic CV or applying for a job at a suit-and-tie kind of workplace (such as a law firm), your CV’s style should be highly formal. A formal CV features a minimal design, serif fonts, and dark colors.

On the other hand, if you’re applying for a job in marketing or design your CV can be more creative. A creative CV design includes graphic details like skill bars, brighter colors, and more unique layouts.

Here’s a comparison of a formal CV and a creative CV so you can see the difference:

2. Clearly list your contact information at the top

Employers need to know how to contact you if they want to offer you an interview.

Make it easy to find that information by including the following in the header of your CV:

• First and last name (in a large font)
• Phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn profile (optional)

Make sure that your email address and LinkedIn profile are up-to-date and professional before adding them to your CV.

3. Open with a convincing CV summary

A CV summary (or professional summary) is a brief paragraph at the beginning of your CV that highlights your most relevant experience and skills. The goal of your summary is to convince employers to keep reading your CV.

This section should be concise (2-5 sentences) and tailored to the specific job you’re applying for, showcasing how your skills and experiences make you an ideal candidate.

4. List your work experience in chronological order

Your work experience section is where employers evaluate your qualifications and look for information about your achievements and previous responsibilities.

List your relevant work experience starting with your most recent job and working backwards. For each position, include the following information:

• Company name
• Job title
• Dates of employment
• 3-5 bullet points outlining your key responsibilities and achievements.

Focus on experiences that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for, using action verbs and quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your impact in each role.

Usually, you should list a maximum of four jobs to keep your CV to an easily scannable length.

5. Highlight your education

A clear education section is an essential part of your CV, especially if you’re a recent graduate or have minimal work experience.

If you have less work experience, your education section should be highly detailed to help showcase all of your academic accomplishments.

However, if you’re already years into your career, keep your education section brief to maintain focus on your work experience.

For each entry, include the following information, starting with the highest degree you’ve earned:

• The name of your university, community college, or technical school
• Location of the school (city and state)
• Graduation date (month and year)
• Degree or program name

If you’re a college student or recent graduate, you can also add the following information to your education section:

• GPA (if it’s above 3.5)
• Relevant coursework
• Honors or awards (such as latin honors or Dean’s list)

6. Showcase your skills

Your skills section is an opportunity to highlight your skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. This section should be written in an easy to scan format, such as a bulleted list.

Generally, you should stick to listing hard skills in your skills section. These are job-specific abilities learned through experience, education, or training.

Typically, hard skills are either the technical skills needed to perform a specific job, or a general set of abilities, like project management.

Here are some general examples of hard skills to include on your CV:

Soft skills are character traits that positively impact how you work or interact with other people (like interpersonal skills or creativity). They’re naturally learned throughout your life and, unlike hard skills, can’t easily be taught in a classroom.

Rather than listing them in your skills section, you should demonstrate how you’ve used your soft skills in your work experience bullet points, like this:

• Mediated conflicts between team members, fostering a harmonious work environment and demonstrating conflict resolution skills.

Some examples of soft skills for your CV include:

7. Add additional sections that highlight your strengths

Depending on your field and experience, you may want to include additional sections that showcase other relevant qualifications or experiences. These can help set you apart from other candidates and win over hiring managers.

Here are additional sections that you can include on your CV:

Certifications

Listing relevant certifications on your CV demonstrates specialized knowledge and commitment to your field. When listing certifications, include the full name of the certification, the issuing organization, and the date obtained or expiration date (if applicable).

Relevant coursework

Adding a relevant coursework section is beneficial if you’re a recent graduate or changing careers. By listing courses directly related to the job, you can showcase your knowledge in specific areas, even without extensive work experience.

Include both the course name and a brief description if the title isn’t self-explanatory. This section can help bridge the gap between your academic background and the job requirements, demonstrating your preparedness for the role.

Projects

Projects provide concrete examples of your skills in action. When adding projects to your CV, briefly describe the project, your role, and the outcomes or impact. This information allows potential employers to understand how you’ve applied your skills in real-world situations.

Languages

Candidates who speak multiple languages are valuable in a variety of industries. If you’re a polyglot, consider listing languages in a separate section on your CV to show off your skills.

Hobbies and interests (if relevant to the job)

Including interests or hobbies on your CV is a great way to stand out from other applicants and show employers that you’re a good culture fit for their company.

However, before adding an interests section to your CV, consider whether your hobbies are relevant to the company you’re applying to and are work-appropriate. Also, consider the company’s level of formality.

Volunteer work

Adding a section for volunteer work on your CV is a great way to highlight some of your transferable skills and show that you’re involved in your community.

Publications

If you’re writing an academic CV and have published work under your name, feature it in a separate section.

Make sure that every entry in your publications section is cited properly.

Research experience

If you’re a graduate writing your first CV, you may want to include a separate section for any research assistant positions you’ve held.

When listing research experience on your CV, specify the methodologies used and any other details that help explain how you performed your research.

3 good CV examples

To help you get a better idea of what your finished CV should look like, here are three professional CV examples:

The best free CV templates

Need to make a CV? The best way to start is by downloading one of our free CV templates and filling it in with your information.

Browse CV Templates

Graduate CV example

First, here’s a CV example from a recent graduate applying to grad school:

Nursing CV example

This nurse CV example features a separate section for certifications, and the candidate is pursuing a Doctorate Degree:

Academic CV example

Finally, here’s an example an academic CV (the type you’d use in American universities) from a candidate just starting their academic career: