How to write a good CV – our top tips for 2023

4. Map out your relevant employment history

When thinking about how much employment history you should include on a CV, choose quality over quantity. If you have a wealth of experience, then include your previous jobs that relate best to the role you are applying for, rather than listing every job you’ve had since you were a teenager. For example, if you are applying for a role within education, then demonstrating relevant experience such as primary school teaching will show that you have worked in the industry and understand it well.

On the other hand, if you have little or no experience and are new to an industry or fresh out of university, showcase any part-time roles or volunteer work that you’ve undertaken to prove a good work ethic.

In your employment history, list out two to three key responsibilities and achievements for each job too, focusing on those with the most relevance. Again, make sure these are tailored to the roles and responsibilities you’d be undertaking at the new job if possible.

 

5. Showcase your skills

The skills section in your CV allows you to demonstrate your suitability for the job, and that you own the relevant skills the business is looking for.

If you can, prioritise demonstrating ‘hard-skills’ which are specific capabilities that enable you to do a task. For example, if you are applying for a finance role, you may want to state your proficiency in Microsoft Excel as a skill, or if the role requires you to collaborate with teams in other countries, then showcase your fluency in foreign languages.

You should also showcase a variety of ‘soft-skills’ in an array of areas to evidence how you work and the interpersonal attributes you possess. If you are writing a CV with no experience or are just looking to upskill, consider utilising our online courses to demonstrate your ownership of skills such as project management and leadership.

 

6. List your education and professional qualifications

In this section, list out your formal education gained at school, college and/or university. If you are early in your career, this will be one of the most important sections for you to explain the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired through studying. Alternatively, if you have plenty of experience, then simply refer to what qualifications you have.

When referencing GCSE’s and A levels, you do not need to list out every single subject but instead, summarise the number of qualifications you’ve obtained, the range of your grades and that this includes English and Mathematics. For your university degree, write the subject area you’ve graduated in and your grade classification. If you are currently studying, add in date ranges to make it clear that you are still learning.

Alongside this, list out any relevant professional qualifications you’ve gained or are working towards, particularly any that are essential to working in a particular field. For example, if you want to work as a solicitor, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’ve completed a Legal Practice Course (LPC).

Enhance this section of your CV by undertaking a certification from our selection of courses and adding it to your list of educational and professional qualifications.

7. (Briefly) include your hobbies and interests

When writing a professional CV, include 2-3 hobbies or interests outside of work to ensure your personality shines through, but keep this brief as this is not a focal point of the CV. If you can, relate these to the industry you work in. For example, if you are looking to work in sport, then mentioning that you are part of a tennis team will show you are passionate about the industry.

Even better, turn your hobbies and interests into achievements to validate your ambition and drive to succeed. Perhaps you are a keen runner who has completed a marathon or an explorer who has climbed a mountain? Write these impressive accomplishments down to make your CV stand out from the crowd.

 

8. Conclude by referencing your references

Finally, round off your CV by mentioning your references. For this, do not list out who your references are and their contact details, but just write a note that your references are available upon request. You may be asked to provide these at a later date, in which case you can share their contact details once you’ve got approval. If you are struggling to find a professional reference, consider using a family friend who can support statements about your character.

What colour should my CV be?

A black and white CV will generally do the trick, but if you’d think it needs more colour, consider using colours such as navy blue to keep it looking like a professional CV. Avoid using vibrant colours such as yellow and pink as this will make it overwhelming and difficult to read.

 

How long should my CV be?

According to leading employment agency Indeed, the average length of a CV should be around two to three pages. You won’t be penalised if you can condense the key information into one page, but on the other hand, if you are exceeding four pages, you might need to rethink what you’d like to include.

Your CV should be as long as you think it takes to effectively summarise the key information that sells you as a job candidate, so don’t get too hung up on the number of pages. Do however be mindful that the hiring manager will need to read your CV and lots of other peoples too, so make sure that what you do include is clear and concise to make it easy for them to review.

 

Which program should I create my CV on?

A standard CV should be created on a document software tool such as Adobe Acrobat, Apple Pages or Microsoft Word. When your CV is complete, convert the finished product into a PDF to avoid any formatting issues when sending off your application.

For some roles, such as Graphic Designers for example, you may be required to create a portfolio to visually showcase you’re existing work, in which case you should use programs such as Adobe Portfolio or Behance. Check the application requirements and adapt this to your line of work accordingly.