How to arrange cv documents?

A CV, which stands for curriculum vitae (a Latin phrase meaning 'course of life'), is a document used when applying for jobs. It allows you to summarise your education, skills and relevant work experience enabling you to successfully sell your abilities to potential employers. Alongside your CV employers may also ask for a cover letter.

In other countries, such as the USA and Canada, CVs are known as résumés. These documents tend to be more concise and follow no particular formatting rules.

A standard CV in the UK should be no longer than two sides of A4. Take a look at our example of a chronological CV for inspiration.

That said one size doesn't fit all. For example, a school leaver or recent graduate with minimal experience may only need to use one side of A4. Although not used as often, a three-page CV might be needed for those in high-level roles or for people who have gained a lot of experience or worked in multiple jobs over the last five to ten years. For example, some medical or academic CVs may be longer depending on your experience. While it's important to keep your CV concise you should also avoid selling your experience short.

When writing a CV save space by only including the main points of your education and experience. Stick to relevant information and don't repeat what you've said in your cover letter. If you're struggling to edit your CV, ask yourself if certain information sells you. If it doesn't cut it out. If it's not relevant to the job you're applying for delete it and if it's old detail from ten years ago summarise it.

For more help and advice on how to create a CV and to find CV templates, see example CVs.

The layout of your CV also has an effect on its success. Keep in mind the following tips when crafting your CV:

Employers understand that candidates have lives and responsibilities beyond the world of work, so don’t automatically assume that a gap in your education or employment history will take you out of the running.

Another thing you shouldn’t do is ignore a gap in your CV.

Acknowledging a period of time spent out of education or work is a bit of a balancing act. You need to make the recruiter aware, without going into too much detail (you’ll get the chance to do this in your cover letter - Read our example cover letter explaining a gap in your CV.)

Briefly mention (in the appropriate section) the reason for the gap (with dates) be that a gap year, illness, caring for a relative or redundancy and rather than going into too much detail, instead list the transferable and relevant skills/qualifications gained during this experience.

You could mention:

Remember - you'll need to relate these to the job you're applying for so focus on the skills these activities taught you and how/why they'd be useful.

Where to put this information depends on the activities. Volunteering or charity work can be included under the 'Work experience' heading. The online courses and additional qualifications you've gained can go in the 'Education' section while any new skills you've learned need to be housed under 'Skills and achievements'. If any new hobbies are relevant to the role you're applying for place these in the 'Hobbies and interests' section.

If you're a student or recent graduate and you'd like help putting together a CV, then you can get professional advice from your university careers service.

• Contact information.
• Personal Statement (Personal Profile)
• Work Experience.
• Associations and Certifications (Optional)
• Education.
• Skills.
• Extra Sections.

…until you actually sit down to make a CV. That’s when questions begin mounting, until you no longer have the faintest idea what you’re supposed to do.

Today, we’ll answer all of those questions—and then some. Time to learn exactly how to write a CV the right way!

This guide will show you:

Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.

Create your CV now

Sample CV made with our builder—See more templates and create your CV here.

Impressive, right?

Now, here’s how to make a CV of your own that’s just as good:

Picture yourself landing an interview for that job you want. Would you dress up in your best outfit, hoping it will convey your professionalism? Or would you arrive in a t-shirt, assuming recruiters will gather you’re the perfect candidate from your answers?

Exactly.

It’s the same with your CV: even a perfectly written document won’t get a chance if it doesn’t look the part.

So, before we get to writing, here’s how to format your CV to make the perfect first impression:

Plan enough space for the following CV sections:

When you’re done editing your CV, save it as an editable document (like a Word file), but also create a PDF copy to submit to recruiters. The PDF format is reliable and universal: your CV will look the same on every device.

With the document ready, we can now move on to writing your CV!

Read more: What is a CV in India? Curriculum Vitae Definition & Example

Even though your CV profile appears first on the page, let’s start by writing your work history section instead. The profile is a compilation of the best bits of your CV, so it makes sense to write it last.

Now then—

Your work experience is arguably the most important part of your CV, so make sure to spend plenty of time perfecting it. Chances are, if the recruiter reads just one part of your CV, it’ll be this one.

Here’s how to get it right:

That’s enough theory—

Let’s practice on some CV writing examples:

Isn’t that far more convincing than a long, overly detailed description of every little thing this person was responsible for? This is what your CV will look like if you stick to achievements over duties!

Meanwhile, this is how not to do it:

This is not terrible… But we already know it could be made miles better with just a bit more effort. The wrong example tells us what the candidate did, but it doesn’t prove that they actually did it well, does it? The numbers, the context, and the active verbs make all the difference.

But what if you don’t have that much experience?

Don’t worry: the same techniques can be applied to fresher CVs with equal success. Observe:

This candidate didn’t do or achieve anything extraordinary—all of these bullet points are pretty typical for this role. But the way they’ve described their experience using active verbs suggests they were proactive and efficient.

Unlike this candidate:

Yaaaawn.

Boring and unimpressive, right?

Note that the experience and tasks are exactly the same in both examples—it’s just that the first one does a much better job picking the right words to describe it.

And now you know how to do the same on your CV, too!

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional CV template here for free.

When you’re done, Zety’s CV maker will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Would you believe that the hardest part is already behind you?

It’s true!

If you’ve finished polishing your work experience section, all that’s left to do now is to fill in the blanks—

Starting with your education section.

Even if you have lots of experience or your job doesn’t require formal education, it would still look unprofessional to completely skip this part. So, here’s how to go about it:

If you have a few years of relevant experience, include only:

Here’s an example of how to format your entry:

Pretty simple, right?

Things get a bit more complex, however, if you have little to no professional experience. In such cases, it’s worth boosting your education section with extra information—

This can help to show off your skills and talents, as well as bulk out your CV a bit. You don’t want to send in a half-empty page, after all!

So, consider adding things such as:

Lastly, if you’re still in the process of obtaining your degree or you have nothing to put on your CV apart from your education, add your earlier schooling (10th & 12th class).

Let’s take a look at a fresher education section example:

Pro tip: What about internships? If you have no experience at all other than the internship, list it as your work experience. If you have had other jobs, mention your internship(s) in your education section.

The more skills you put on your CV, the better, right?

Wrong.

Overstuffing your application with buzzwords won’t get you far. Instead, a targeted approach is a much smarter alternative.

5 to 10 skills on your CV will be enough, and here’s how to pick them:

First, make a list of all your professional skills. Remember to include:

Done? Alright—

Now, take another look at the job advertisement to which you want to apply. Read it again carefully, looking for keywords and specific skills.

Lastly—you guessed it—compare your list with the skills from the ad. There are bound to be some matches! Pick 5–10 of the most relevant ones, and put those on your CV.

This may feel like a lot of messing around, sure—but it’ll get easier with time. Now that you’re aware of all your skills, tailoring your CV to each job ad will be much quicker!

This isn’t just done for the recruiter’s benefit, either: companies use software that scans job applications, looking for keywords pertinent to the ad. So, the more of those keywords you include (within reason, of course), the better your chances of getting the green light from Applicant Tracking Systems.

Are there any universal skills that will work for every CV, though? Yes, to an extent—

According to research from Rasmussen University, the top skills employers look for include communication, time management, critical thinking and problem-solving, teamwork, emotional intelligence, digital literacy, and initiative. It goes without saying that these would look great on your CV, mixed with some hard skills specific to your profession.

Like so:

Pro tip: Got some skills that didn’t make the list, but should still be included? No problem: you should be weaving your key skills into the other sections of your CV, anyway! Mention them in your profile and job descriptions.

Okay, there’s your experience and your education… but there’s so much more that didn’t make the cut! What about your certificates, projects, volunteer work?!

Don’t worry.

That’s where bonus sections come in.

Consider adding the following to your CV:

Here’s what these bonus sections can look like on a finished CV:

None of these sections are strictly mandatory, but as you can see, when done correctly they can really boost the value of your CV. There’s one key rule, though:

Everything you include must be relevant to the job in some way. Otherwise, it’ll just take up space that you could use for something more impactful.

Struggling to fit everything onto one page? A template can help! Read more: 20 CV Templates to Download & Use for Free

Remember how we left writing your CV profile for last? Well, last has come—

Let’s start with some definitions, just to make sure we’re on the same page:

A CV profile is a short paragraph located at the top of the page, just below your CV header. Its purpose is to grab the reader’s attention and immediately show that you’d bring value to the company if hired. Basically, it highlights the best bits of your career or proves your potential. Now—

There are two types of CV profiles: a summary and an objective.

A CV summary is best for candidates with 2+ years of experience. Here’s how to write yours:

Neat formula, right? Let’s see it in action:

Notice how those numbers stand out! This candidate managed to squeeze in two big achievements and four key skills into just four sentences, without compromising on readability. The targeted offer at the end leaves the reader with the immediate impression that this person knows the company well and is ready to bring immediate value.

Unlike in this example:

You’re thinking it too—

Who cares?

With almost the same word count as the right example, the wrong summary fails to convey a single concrete reason why this person should get the job. Anyone can say they’re good at forecasting—the key is to prove it with a measurable achievement from previous experience.

Speaking of previous experience—

What about fresher candidates, who don’t have career accomplishments to share yet?

This is where the CV objective comes in. Let’s see what it looks like, done well… and not so well:

See?

Even with no experience outside school, it’s possible to write an eye-catching objective. The key is to show your passion and weave in proof that you have the right skills for the job.

Unlike this candidate:

That’s nice—

What’s in it for the company, though? And what’s there to prove that this person really can use Python and R?

As you can see, the formula for a great CV objective is the same as for a summary, except that you’ll need to substitute professional achievements for academic ones and focus on showing your enthusiasm and motivation.

An objective is also the profile of choice for career-change CVs, by the way. If you’re writing one of those, just rely on your transferable skills and experience (i.e. things you’ve done and learnt in your previous career that can also be helpful in your new job).

And that’s it!

…for your CV. There’s still a cover letter to write.

Yes—no one likes writing cover letters, we know. But they really are necessary. Think about it:

Will a recruiter believe that you truly care about getting the job if you couldn’t even be bothered to spend an hour writing a short cover letter?

A cover letter is your chance to convince the hiring manager to give you a call, so it really makes no sense to waste the opportunity.

Convinced? Good—

Here’s a quick breakdown of how to write a cover letter for your CV:

Done right, a cover letter should be no more than four paragraphs and fit on one page. So it’s not that hard, after all!

Still at school? Don’t have experience? Read more: How to Write a Cover Letter for an Internship in India

A great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Here’s a recap of how to make a CV:

That’s it! Now, we’d love to hear from you:

This guide will show you:

Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.

Sample CV made with our builder—See more CV examples here.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with a handy checklist of sections, good keywords, and other items to put on a CV. If you’re more interested in how to write each CV section, see: How to Write a CV for a Job: Examples and Writing Guide

Also, note that this guide covers what to write on a CV you’d use to apply for jobs in UK and other European countries. If you want to learn about what to put on an American academic CV, switch over to: Academic Curriculum Vitae: Template and Samples

Unsure what the difference is? Go here: The Difference Between a CV and a Resume Explained (Definitions and Samples)

A standard CV written in accordance with the modern-day hiring standards has to include the following sections:

These are the basics. However if you want to outperform other candidates, your CV will benefit from some extra sections. If you can showcase any of the following, make sure to include them:

Two CV sections that seem to confuse candidates most are: Hobbies and Interests and References.

Here’s all you should know about these two potentially tricky parts of your CV:

Long story short:

“Reading, Sports, Films,” is a no-no.

“Harlem Renaissance Poetry, Vittorio De Sica’s Films, Table Tennis”—that’s more like it.

To learn more, see: Hobbies and Interests for a CV/Resume: Good and Bad Examples

Learn more: How and When to Put References on a Resume or CV

We’ll break down what information exactly you should include in every CV section, but before we get to that, consider one thing—

The order of sections and the structure of your CV will depend on the stage of your career you’re currently at.

And it matters a lot.

In a recent reed survey, over half of recruiters selected “a logical order for presentation” as the most important thing to consider on a CV.

And here’s the order of CV sections you should follow to create a professional CV in three different scenarios:

All of the above is applicable to traditional, reverse-chronological CVs only. If you choose to write a skills-based CV, you’ll need a slightly different section setup. You can learn all about it here: Skills Based CV: When and How to Write It (Examples)

Before we move on and discuss every section to put on a well-written CV, have a look at some sample CVs which include everything a good CV should. We created them in our builder (notice how well all key items are organized).

If you like what you see, you can have an equally well-structured CV of your own. Use our builder, find a template you like, and have a ready CV in minutes.

Now, let's go through every key section a good CV has to include:

In the contact information section, at the very top of your CV, include:

Do not include:

As for the last point, don’t get me wrong—

If you use Twitter to exclusively discuss things related to your industry, it’s okay to include the handle. But if you only retweet football talk or post “Cool People Don’t Date Tottenham Fans” (they don’t) memes, leave it off.

Also, make sure your email address is elegant. If you still use that “CuteChickAngela@hotmail.com” email you thought funny in high school, get a new one.

See examples and get more information here: Contact Information Section for a Modern-Day CV or Resume

A CV personal statement (also called a CV personal profile or a CV profile) is a short, 2- to 4-sentence paragraph at the top of your CV. Its purpose is to give a synopsis of your career, list your top skills and achievements and show what you can do for your future employer.

Here’s what to include in a CV personal statement:

And here’s what to leave off:

See this example for reference:

CV Personal Statement Sample

Or learn how to craft an outstanding CV personal statement from our handy guide: CV Personal Statement/CV Profile: Samples and Writing Guide

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Arguably, the most crucial section of your whole job application. According to a Jobvite report, 67% of recruiters consider relevant work experience the most important thing they look for on a CV.

In the CV work experience section, include up to 15 years of relevant job experience. List jobs in reverse-chronological order. In each entry, include:

Do not include:

CV Work Experience Section Example

Find out how to max out your work history section to impress every recruiter: How to Describe Work History on a CV/Resume to Land More Jobs

What you need to put on a CV in this section depend on your experience.

If you have more than 2 years of relevant job experience, in your education section, include all postsecondary degrees. Enter:

And nothing else.

Like in this example:

For entry-level CVs with little work history, place your education section above your work experience. You can add:

Like this:

To find out more about putting education on a CV, see: Education Section for a CV/Resume: Best Tips

And now for the final mandatory section of a CV: skills.

Here’s what to list:

And here’s what best to keep to yourself:

Imagine the job description requires skills in: SEO, CRO, Data Analysis.

See this sample skills list:

Good skills to include on a CV vary most across positions, industries, and individual sets of qualities. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula.

That’s why why have over 10 dedicated guides on various skills sets and how to use them in your job search. Give them a read if you want to learn more about particular skills:

Now you know everything about what items to include in each of the standard CV sections. But there’s a bit more to a well-crafted CV.

Here are a few extra tips for what to put on a run-of-the-mill CV to turn it into a fab one.

Also known as CV action words or action verbs. These are the words you use to introduce your achievements, instead of just listing responsibilities.

With CV action words:

Here are some sample action words to put on a CV:

For 226 more, see: 240 Most Powerful Action Words for a CV/Resume

Use standard, elegant, and legible fonts such as Calibri, Cambria, Open Sans, Helvetica, Georgia, or Bookman Old Style.

Don’t pick outdated fonts such as Times New Roman. Don’t ever think of using a “fancy” curly-tailed font. Instead of adding a touch of class it will make your CV a nightmare to read.

See more: The Best CV Fonts

Sending one generic CV to all prospective employers won’t do. Especially in the era of Applicant Tracking Software, you need to tailor each curriculum vitae you send to match the job on offer.

Read the description of the position carefully. Jot down all important responsibilities and required skills. Then, use those keywords on your CV.

Here’s how to do it to pain-free: How to Tailor Your CV to Match the Job Ad

That means:

And, for the final word…

What’s the one thing you should never, EVER include on a CV?

Lies.

You might feel tempted to exaggerate the importance of your past positions. Embellish your achievements. Overestimate your language skills. All that just to get a shot at the interview which otherwise seems impossible to get.

Don’t.

First of all—recruiters are trained to spot liars. And once they find out you lied, there will be no second chance.

And, perhaps paradoxically—

Employers are much more forgiving than you’d think. A recent survey found that 42% of employers would consider a candidate who met only 60 percent of key qualifications for a specific role.

Unconvinced? See: Can You Lie on a Resume and Why You Cannot

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Here’s what to include in a CV:

List everything in reverse chronological order. Then the recruiter sees your work history and most recent achievements first. Keep it concise by using bullet points. This type of CV layout allows potential employers to skim your CV and quickly pick out important information first.