How to Write a CV? Step-by-Step Guide
A great CV tells impact, not just experience. Follow the steps below to craft an ATS-friendly resume that convinces hiring managers in the first 6 seconds — then apply it in minutes with CVLayer.
Step-by-step CV writing
- 1
Get your contact details complete and correct
At the very top of your CV, put your full name, phone number, a professional email (something like [email protected]) and your city or town. Add a LinkedIn profile or portfolio link if you have one. This is how an employer reaches you first; an out-of-date number or a "party_animal_88@..." style address looks unprofessional and can get you rejected before anyone reads the rest.
- 2
Write a strong personal profile (summary)
Open your CV with a 2–3 sentence summary that says who you are and what you offer. Give your job title, years of experience and your single strongest result at a glance. This is where the employer decides whether to read on, so use a concrete, quantified claim rather than vague, generic phrases.
- 3
Write experience around results, not duties
For each role, list the results you achieved, not a job description. Instead of "responsible for", show what you accomplished with numbers: percentages, amounts, timeframes, volumes. Start with a verb (led, increased, launched) and order roles in reverse chronological order, most recent first. Employers want to see the difference you made, not simply what you were tasked with.
- 4
Keep education clear and concise
List the institution, course and year of graduation, starting with your highest or most recent qualification. If you are a recent graduate with strong grades (for example a First or 2:1), you can include them, along with your dissertation or relevant modules. As your experience grows, shorten this section; a professional with ten years behind them should not devote space to secondary school results.
- 5
Choose skills to match each job
Read the job advert and match the skills they ask for with the skills you genuinely have. State your level for technical skills (Excel, SQL, Photoshop) and be specific — "French (B2/Upper Intermediate)" rather than "good French". Never list a skill you do not have; it is the first thing you will be asked about at interview.
- 6
Make your CV ATS-friendly
Most larger employers screen CVs through software (an ATS) before a person sees them. Weave the keywords from the advert (job title, tools) naturally into your CV text. Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) and avoid overusing tables, text boxes or graphic icons; the system often cannot read them and your information gets lost.
- 7
Proofread it from start to finish
Spelling and grammar mistakes are the easiest way to get rejected. Read your CV aloud and check that dates and job titles are consistent. If you can, get a friend or an AI tool to read it too; it is hard to spot your own errors. Even a single "recieved" instead of "received" chips away at how professional you look.
- 8
Save and send it in the right format
Save your CV as a PDF; a Word file can shift on a different computer. Name the file tidily, like "Firstname-Surname-CV.pdf", rather than "cv_final_v3_real.docx". Lightly tailoring your summary and skills to each advert gives far better results than sending the same CV to everyone.
Sections a CV should include
A good CV has a standard skeleton: contact details, a short personal profile, work experience, education and skills. Depending on the role you can add certifications, projects, volunteering or publications. The order of sections shifts with your background: if your work history is strong, experience goes near the top; if you are a recent graduate, education and projects come to the fore. Every section should serve a purpose; cut generic lines that everyone writes and that set no one apart, like "interests: films, music, sport". Space is limited — every line should move you a step forward.
How to write a good personal profile
The profile is the shop window of your CV and is usually the first (sometimes the only) part read. A weak example: "I am a dynamic team player, eager to develop myself." That sentence says nothing and anyone could write it. A strong example: "Digital marketing specialist with 5 years' experience. Cut cost-per-conversion by 35% on the Google Ads campaigns I managed and tripled monthly revenue." The difference: a title, length of experience and a measurable result. Tailor the profile to each application by changing a few words to match the advert; if a role asks for a "marketing specialist", address it as a "marketing specialist".
Writing experience with results (STAR)
Employers look for impact, not a task list. The STAR approach (Situation–Task–Action–Result) organises this, but on a CV you compress it into a single line: action + result. Poor: "Responsible for customer complaints." Good: "Cut complaint resolution time from 48 hours to 6 and raised satisfaction from 72% to 91%." Poor: "Worked on the sales team." Good: "Led a 12-person sales team and delivered 120% of the annual target." Ask "so what did this achieve?" of every sentence. If you have no numbers, give scale: how many people, how many projects, how large a budget.
What is an ATS-friendly CV?
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is software that automatically scans and ranks incoming applications; it is widely used by larger employers and job boards. It reads your CV before a human sees it, matches keywords and screens out anything it deems a poor fit. For an ATS-friendly CV: place terms from the advert (job title, tools used, certifications) naturally into the text; use standard section headings; avoid multi-column layouts, text boxes, tables and graphic icons, because most systems cannot read them; and supply the file as a PDF with selectable text, not a scanned image. A plain, linear structure is the safest choice for both the software and the reader.
Common CV mistakes
The most frequent mistakes are: sending the same CV to every job; listing duties without writing results; padding the CV out to 3–4 pages; spelling errors; a profile stuffed with unverifiable adjectives like "dynamic, dedicated, hard-working"; over-designed graphics that swallow your information in an ATS; out-of-date contact details; and unnecessary personal details such as date of birth, marital status or a photo. A line reading "references available on request" also wastes space. Each mistake looks minor on its own, but stacked together they knock a CV out at the first screening.
How many pages should a CV be?
The general rule: one page. If you are a recent graduate or have fewer than five years' experience, your CV should absolutely fit on a single page. With ten years or more of strong history you can extend to two pages, but only use the second page if it genuinely adds value. An academic CV (requiring publications, projects and citations) is the exception. Length does not signal quality; an employer spends only a few seconds on your CV among hundreds. A short, focused CV that leads with your strongest information will always beat a full but cluttered one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pages should a CV be?
One page is ideal. If your experience exceeds 8–10 years, two pages can be acceptable, but every line must genuinely add value. For recent graduates and mid-level candidates, a single page is almost always the right choice.
Should I put a photo on my CV?
No. In the UK the convention is a CV with no photo, no date of birth and no marital status — these can invite bias and are best left off. Employers assess you on your skills and results, so use that space for your experience instead.
Is "CV" or "resume" the correct term?
In the UK, "CV" (curriculum vitae) is the standard term for the one- or two-page document you send with a job application. "Resume" is the American word for broadly the same thing. Stick with "CV" for UK and most international applications.
What do I write if I have no work experience?
Experience is not only paid work. Internships, volunteering, university projects, society activities, freelance work and personal projects all count. Lead with your education, the skills you have gained and the concrete results you produced in those activities; write "what I achieved" rather than "what I did".
Which format should I send my CV in?
PDF is the safest format. A Word file can shift on different computers and fonts can break; a PDF looks the same on every device. Make sure the file contains selectable text (not a scanned image) so an ATS can read it and it stays tidy.
Should I include references on my CV?
No. A line reading "references available on request" also wastes space. Do not share reference details on your CV; the employer will ask separately if they need them. That space is far better spent showing your experience and results.