How to Write a CV

Your header should help an employer contact you instantly — nothing more.

You should include a few essential details so recruiters can scan your CV in seconds.

• Full name
• Phone number
• Professional email address
• Location (city / region is enough)
• LinkedIn URL or portfolio link (if relevant)

It’s best to avoid certain details that can distract recruiters or hurt your chances.

• Photo (generally best to leave it out unless the role asks for it)
• Date of birth / age
• Marital status
• Nationality
• Full postal address (optional — keep it minimal)

More detail: personal details on a CV.

This is a short paragraph (3–5 lines) that answers: who you are, what you’re good at, and what you’re targeting. Here, a simple structure that works:

• Role + experience: “Customer-focused Retail Assistant with 3 years’ experience…”
• Proof: “Known for improving conversion and handling high-volume queues…”
• Target: “Now looking for a role in…”

Tip: Pull 5–10 keywords from the job advert (skills, tools, job title) and reuse them naturally in your personal statement and experience.

Deep dive: CV personal statement.

If you’re a school leaver, focus on your strengths, achievements, and potential — not your lack of experience.

• GCSEs / A-Levels (or equivalents)
• Predicted grades (if relevant)
• Projects, clubs or responsibilities that show skills

As an undergraduate, highlight your degree, placements, projects, and transferable skills.

• Degree title + university + expected graduation date
• Relevant modules (only the ones that support the job)
• Projects, placements, societies, competitions

As a graduate, show what you can do by linking your education to real outcomes and relevant experience.

• Highest degree first (include classification if strong)
• Dissertation or final project topic (if relevant)
• Key modules and achievements

As an experienced professional, keep your education section short and relevant.

• Keep it brief: list your highest qualification first, then any key certifications.
• Remove older or irrelevant details (modules, grades, coursework) unless the role requires them.
• Use the space to prioritise recent achievements, projects, and role-specific skills.

Your work experience is often the most important section. The goal is to show impact, not just responsibilities.

Here the best CV structure depends on the role you’re targeting and the experience you want to emphasise.

• Job Title — Company, Location
• Dates (month/year – month/year)
• 3–6 bullet points focused on achievements

Tip: Focus on your most recent and relevant roles — usually 4–6 entries is enough, and older jobs can be shortened or removed.

Action verb + what you did + how + result (ideally with a number)

Skills help recruiters match you to the job fast — but they work best when you prove them elsewhere in the CV. Include only what strengthens your application and supports the job you’re applying for.

• Hard skills: tools, software, languages, certifications
• Soft skills: communication, teamwork, organisation (backed by examples)
• Transferable skills: great for career changers and graduates

Tip: Don’t just list skills — prove them by backing each one with a bullet point achievement, project, or real example in your experience.

Use clear, job-specific skills so ATS software and recruiters can spot them instantly.

• Mirror the wording in the job advert (without copy-pasting everything).
• Use a simple bullet list (avoid fancy graphics).

See examples: soft skills and hard skills.

Optional sections can strengthen your CV — but only if they support the role. Keep them short, relevant, and easy to scan, then link to dedicated guides for extra detail.

Languages

Languages are worth adding when the role involves international clients, travel, or multilingual teams.

Do: State your level clearly, show how you’ve used the language professionally, and list the most job-relevant language first.

Avoid: Overstating your level, listing languages without a level or proof, or adding languages that don’t help for this role.

Learn how to list language skills on your CV.

Certifications and training

Add certifications when they prove role-specific knowledge, tools, licences, or regulated training.

Do: Include the certificate name + provider + date, prioritise recognised job-relevant credentials, and mention “in progress” training with an expected completion date.

Avoid: Padding with generic courses, listing outdated or irrelevant certificates, or dumping a long list instead of your strongest few.

Projects / volunteering

Perfect if you’re early-career, changing careers, or want to prove skills beyond your job titles.

Do: Present it like experience (title, dates, bullets), focus on your contribution, and add results or outcomes where possible.

Avoid: Vague descriptions with no impact, long paragraphs, or projects that distract from stronger, more relevant experience.

Hobbies and interests

Hobbies are optional, but they can help you stand out — especially on entry-level CVs — when they show strengths.

Do: Pick hobbies that signal useful traits, add a detail to make them credible, and keep the list short.

Avoid: Generic fillers, anything controversial or too personal, or letting hobbies take space from skills and achievements.