How to write a CV that gets read.

1. The structure that works

A good CV follows a clear hierarchy. The recruiter should be able to scan the page in seconds and immediately understand who you are and what you can do. Use this order:

1. Name and contact details — at the top, clearly.
2. Profile / summary — 2–3 sentences that capture you.
3. Work experience — most recent first, reverse chronological.
4. Education — degree, institution, year.
5. Skills and languages — relevant to the role.
6. Other — courses, certifications, interests if relevant.

2. Length: one or two pages?

Rule of thumb: one page if you have less than 10 years of experience, two pages if you have more. Three pages or longer is almost always a sign that you haven't filtered enough. The recruiter wants to see what's relevant for this specific role, not your complete CV history.

3. Write outcomes — not tasks

The most common mistake is listing what you did instead of what you achieved. Compare:

4. Tailor your CV for every application

Never send the same CV to ten different jobs. Read the ad, pick out the keywords and make sure they appear in your CV — in your profile, your skills and how you describe your previous roles. Many companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) that filter out CVs without the right keywords.

5. Common mistakes to avoid

• Typos and sloppy grammar — proofread at least twice or have someone else read it.
• Generic clichés like "team player", "driven" and "passionate" without examples to back them up.
• Low-quality photos or photos from the wrong context (vacation pictures, selfies).
• Unprofessional email addresses (partyguy99@hotmail.com → john.smith@gmail.com).
• Gaps in the timeline without explanation — fill in with courses, freelance or parental leave.
• Sending as a Word file — always use PDF to preserve formatting.

6. Design and format

A clean and professional design lets the content breathe. Pick onetypeface for headlines and one for body text — max two fonts in total. Leave plenty of whitespace between sections. Avoid rainbows of colors; one accent color is enough.

Don't want to fight with margins and font sizes? Browse our 35 CV templates — they're all typographically balanced from the start.

Ready to start?

Pick a template, fill in your details in our live editor and see the result in real time. You only pay when you're happy and want to download your PDF.