How To Write a CV
Are you applying for jobs, but unsure of how to write a well structured CV that makes you stand out? Keep on reading for tips on how to write an informative CV!
To optimize the space of the page you can divide it into two columns. One containing your contact information and the skills that you possess, and one containing your experience in chronological order. If you haven’t worked much before, try to fit it all into one page. If you have worked a lot before, try to narrow it down by removing unnecessary information such as previous jobs that aren’t related to the field you are currently aiming for.
1. Start with your name and a title that matches your career. You can also include a short summary of your profile. Having a picture of yourself is completely optional, but if you choose to use one, make sure it’s a professional picture in the sense that there’s nothing distracting in the background, and you are dressed appropriately.
2. Make sure your contact information is correct. Phone number and email is the most crucial, but in this section you can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn, Github or portfolio. If you are only open to working in one particular city, you should clarify that.
3. List your working experience in chronological order with the latest job first. Make sure it’s clear where you worked and when, and in what position. List the different tasks/responsibilities so it’s easy for the hiring manager to get an overview of everything when they first scan through your CV. If you used any specific techniques or software, you can write them down too. If you’ve mainly studied your whole life and don’t have much working experience, you can write about some hobby projects you’ve made and what you learned from those. If possible, include a link to the projects.
4. Let the recruiters know what education background you have. It is only necessary to write down the latest and relevant educations; you do not need to list all of the schools you’ve ever attended. You can however list a selection of courses that you took, that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
5. Don’t forget to list technical skills or languages you possess! You can also add an extra section with other achievements that don’t fit under experience or education. For instance if you are certified within certain systems, or if you’ve worked as a volunteer, or maybe if you’ve published a paper.
6. You can include a shorter paragraph about your hobbies if there is room for it, but it is completely optional. It won’t make or break your chances of a getting a job, but it makes your CV a bit more personal, and in the cases where the hiring manager have the same hobbies it could lead to an icebreaker and common ground at the interview.
7. Lastly, do not fully disclose your references. It is better to leave your references after an interview, instead of beforehand. Otherwise they might be contacted before you are even invited to an interview, which might take up a lot of their time if you are applying for multiple jobs and therefore sever your relationship. References are important, so make sure to stay on good terms with them.
8. Make sure to export the CV as a PDF-file, since different versions of Word can change the structure of the document, whilst PDFs always look the same when opened. If you are looking for CV templates the website Canva offers several of them.
That’s about it! Good luck with creating your CV!
An example of a CV.
