Professional CV Writing Guide | Generated by AI

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Question: How do I write a professional CV?

Answer:

Writing a strong CV (Curriculum Vitae) is about making it clear, concise, and tailored to the job you’re applying for. Aim for 1–2 pages (1 page for <10 years experience, 2 pages if more senior or academic). Use a clean, professional font (Arial, Calibri, 11–12 pt) and save as PDF.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a CV

  1. Choose the Right Format
    • Chronological (most common): Lists experience from newest to oldest.
    • Functional/Skills-based: Focuses on skills (good if changing careers or have gaps).
    • Hybrid: Combines both (very popular in 2025).

  2. Standard Sections (in recommended order)

    Personal Information

    • Full name (big and bold at the top)
    • Phone number Professional email LinkedIn URL / personal website
    • Location (City, Country – no full address needed anymore)
      ⚠️ Skip photo, age, marital status, nationality unless specifically required in the country/job.

    Professional Summary / Profile (3–5 lines)
    A short paragraph at the top that summarizes who you are and what you bring.
    Example:

    Results-driven digital marketing specialist with 7+ years of experience growing organic traffic by an average of 180% for e-commerce brands. Skilled in SEO, content strategy, and Google Analytics. Seeking to leverage data-driven insights at [Company Name].

    Work Experience (reverse chronological)
    Format:
    Job Title | Company Name | Location | Month YYYY – Month YYYY (or “Present”)

    • Achievement/bullet point 1 (use numbers!)
    • Achievement/bullet point 2
    • … (3–7 bullets per role, more for recent roles)
      Use action verbs: Led, Increased, Designed, Reduced, Launched, etc.
      Quantify everything possible: “Increased sales 35%”, “Managed team of 12”, “Reduced load time 2.4s”.

    Education
    Degree | Major | University Name | Graduation Year

    • Relevant coursework, honors, or GPA (only if >3.5 and recent grad)

    Skills
    8–12 hard & soft skills in 2 columns or a simple list.
    Example:

    • Python • SQL • Tableau
    • Agile & Scrum • Project Management • Stakeholder Communication

    Certifications (if any)

    • Certification Name – Issuing Organization – Year

    Optional Sections (add if relevant and you have space)

    • Projects (especially for tech/design roles)
    • Publications / Conferences (academic or thought-leadership)
    • Languages (e.g., English – Native, Spanish – Fluent)
    • Volunteer Work
    • Awards & Scholarships

  3. Key Tips for 2025

    • Tailor every CV to the job description – use the same keywords (ATS-friendly).
    • No typos – use Grammarly + have a friend proofread.
    • Avoid fancy graphics or tables that break Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
    • Use bold for job titles and company names, not the dates.
    • One-column layout is safest for ATS.
    • File name: FirstName-LastName-CV-2025.pdf
  4. Free Templates That Work Well
    • Canva (search “ATS-friendly CV”)
    • Novoresume
    • Resume.io
    • Google Docs “Swiss” or “Serif” templates (very clean)
    • Overleaf (great for academic CVs in LaTeX)

Quick example header:

John Doe
+1 (555) 123-4567 • john.doe@email.com • linkedin.com/in/johndoe • New York, NY

Digital Marketing Manager with 8 years driving multimillion-dollar revenue growth...

Follow this structure and tailor it aggressively to each job, and you’ll stand out. Good luck!

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