How to Write a CV: A Step-by-Step Guide with Examples (2026)

"How do I write a CV?" is the first hurdle almost everyone trips over at the very start of a job search. The good news: writing a CV is not as hard as it seems — it follows a set structure, and if you avoid a few critical mistakes it becomes far easier to catch a recruiter's eye. In this guide we walk you through it step by step, section by section, with examples.

The Sections Every CV Needs

A standard CV is made up of these 6 sections — follow this order:

• 1. Contact details — full name, phone, email, city, LinkedIn
• 2. Professional summary — an intro that captures you in 3-4 sentences
• 3. Work experience — newest to oldest, with quantified achievements
• 4. Education — institution, course, year of graduation
• 5. Skills — technical and professional competencies
• 6. Additional sections — certifications, languages, projects

1. Contact Details: Simple but Critical

This is where the most mistakes are made. Keep your email address professional ([email protected], not "cool_king_2000"). A city is enough — there's no need to write your full address. If you have a LinkedIn profile, always include it.

2. Professional Summary: Win the First 5 Seconds

These 3-4 sentences at the very top of your CV are where a recruiter decides whether or not to keep reading. Say who you are, how many years of experience you have, and what value you bring.

Example: "Digital marketing specialist with 5 years of experience. Over the past 2 years I increased conversion rates by 40% across the campaigns I managed. I take a data-driven approach focused on performance marketing and SEO."

For more detailed examples, take a look at our CV summary examples article.

3. Work Experience: Write Achievements, Not Duties

The most common mistake: copying the job description. Instead of "handled customers", show what you achieved, with a number.

• ❌ "Worked on the sales team."
• ✅ "On a 12-person sales team, hit an average of 118% of the monthly target and grew my portfolio to 40 clients within a year."

Start every bullet with a strong verb (managed, developed, increased, built) and, where possible, end it with a number. We go deeper into this format in our how to write a CV guide.

4. Education

The institution name, course and year of graduation are enough. If you're a recent graduate with a strong result, you can include it. As your experience grows, the education section shrinks and moves further down.

5. Skills: Tailor Them to the Job

Generic phrases like "communication skills, teamwork" no longer impress anyone. Instead, use the technical terms (software, tools, methodologies) from the job advert you're applying to. This is also essential for getting past ATS systems.

The 5 Most Common Mistakes When Writing a CV

1. Sending the same CV to every advert (not tailoring it to the role)
2. Listing duties instead of showing achievements
3. Spelling and grammar errors (they erode trust)
4. A cluttered design that runs over two pages
5. An outdated photo, odd colours, or a hard-to-read font

Browse Example CVs

Seeing a structure suited to your own profession is the fastest route. On our CV examples by profession page you'll find dozens of ready-made examples, from software developer to nurse, accountant to driver.