How to Write a CV: Tips For 2022 (With Examples)

How to write a CV: Tips for 2022 (with examples)

The first thing you need when writing a CV is to make sure you know your goal. You need to write that CV with the job in mind. The right CV will get you an interview quickly, but a badly written CV may mean you don’t even get a rejection, you just never hear about the role again.

So, in 2022, there are a few things you need to do to get the most out of your CV and show prospective employers why you are the only person for the job.

This guide will give you our top tips on how to create a CV that gets noticed.

What exactly IS a CV?
Curriculum Vitae: a Latin phrase meaning literally, ‘course of life’; a brief account of your education, qualifications, and previous employment. It is how you present yourself to the outside world, the world of work. It is a form of personal marketing so make sure when you write your CV that it shows you in the best light possible.

Remember, that writing a CV is often just one part of the application process as a cover letter and completed application form may also be required.

What information should be included when writing my CV?
The format of a CV is flexible, and there are many different styles used. You need to tailor your CV to the job in question. And, there are elements of it that most employers would expect to see:

Name, professional title and contact details
At the top of the CV should be your name, professional title and contact details. Don’t bother adding ‘Curriculum Vitae’ as a heading, the heading should be your name – anything else is just a waste of space when creating your CV.

What contact details should I provide?
Well, email address and contact number(s) are all that is required now. An address is not required, and do not add your age, nationality, date of birth or marital status. These are NOT required. Feel free to add an up-to-date professional profile, such as LinkedIn.

Here’s an example of how your header might look:

Forename Surname | Professional Title

Location: Town, County

Phone: 01234 567890

Email: [email protected]

Personal Profile
This is simply a few lines about you, who you are, what you hope to achieve, and your goals. Make it fit the job you are applying for if you can. The person described in your Personal Profile should sound like the ideal candidate for the job.

Work History and Experience
This section is where you can really shine. Set out your previous roles, experience, volunteering, placements or internships. You should list these in reverse chronological order, that is, most recent first. Your most recent role should be of most importance to your prospective employer.

Each item should detail:

Employer details, your job role/title., your employment dates and no more than 3-4 lines of what you did in that role. Significant achievements should be identified using the STAR method. Active words, such as ‘planned’, ‘built’ and ‘created’ are useful in detailing things you have achieved.

Here’s an example of how each item could look on your CV:

mmm yyyy – mmm yyyy

Company Name, Location

Role Title

Outline

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Key responsibilities

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Key achievements/projects

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Top Tip: If you have a lot of experience/previous positions, feel free to not include roles from more than 10 years ago – unless, of course, they are particularly relevant to the job for which you are applying.

Education
Again, in reverse chronological order, the most recent first. This should include for each item:

• Institution (School, College, University)
• Qualification with Grades/Distinctions etc.
• Dates attended/completed

So, this section may look like this:

Institution name – Dates attended (from – to)

Qualification/subject – Grade

Or for space-saving if needed, try the more compact:

Qualification, grade – Institution – Year

If you have a degree, then listing a few relevant modules, projects or assignments underneath

Additional sections
If you have room, or again, if they are particularly relevant to the role for which you are applying, then you can add extra sections for things such as:

Key Skills
This is an opportunity to add some key skills (also known as ‘soft skills’ or ‘core skills’) that are super-relevant to the job you are applying for when creating your CV. Things like experience with a particular piece of software or application, courses you have attended; or anything that will help you secure your dream role.

Hobbies and Interests
Try and keep this section of your CV interesting, if you use it. Include unusual hobbies, ones that add to your suitability for the role. Try to avoid really common hobbies and interests, such as reading, walking, etc.

Achievements
Your achievements are significant things you’ve accomplished in the roles you’ve held. Going above and beyond the responsibilities or tasks associated with those roles.

When you submit a job application, emphasising your achievements can help you convince the company that you’d be a perfect fit for the position.

Candidates who are further along in their careers may be able to emphasise professional achievements, while entry-level candidates might need to concentrate on academic awards.

Referees/References
No longer expected, but if you wish to include this section, feel free to do so, but you can always just add ‘references available on request’ or leave it off, altogether when creating your CV.

Formatting and general tips on how to create a CV that gets results

Keep it brief – a standard length for a CV in the UK is just two sides of A4, but depending on the circumstances (the job or sector you’re applying to or your experience level), a single page or up to three pages is also acceptable

Headings – just like this piece, clear headings make things easier to read and the document easier to digest

File type – for best all-round readability, save it as a pdf – this can be done in most word processing software such as Word and Google Docs, by ‘printing to pdf’. Or you can use a tool to do a conversion, there are many available online.

Font type – Good, clear fonts like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri, are ideal – definitely not Comic Sans!

Font size – body text should be 10 to 12 point and headings between 14 and 18. Make sure it’s readable, don’t cram too much in or reduce the size of the margins, standard-size margins should be fine

Proofread it – from personal experience, get someone else to proofread it and then give it a final once over. Make sure the font and layout are consistent throughout. Don’t say how detail-oriented you are then leave a glaring typo in your CV!