How to Write a CV That Gets Noticed
A CV has one job: to help a busy reader decide, in a short time, that you are worth a conversation. Most people who read CVs are working through a pile of them, so the ones that get noticed are rarely the cleverest. They are the clearest.
This guide walks through how to write a CV that is easy to read, honest and focused on the role you want. You can use it to write your own, or to check one you already have.
Start with the role, not with the page
Before you write a word, collect two or three job adverts for the kind of role you want. Read them side by side and note the skills, tools and responsibilities that appear again and again. That list tells you what your reader is looking for, and it should shape what you choose to show.
You will not use every detail of your career. A good CV is selective. If a job or a course does not support the direction you are heading, give it less space.
A structure that is easy to scan
Readers skim first and read second. A familiar order helps them find what they need without hunting.
Contact details and a short profile
Put your name, phone number, email address and city at the top. A link to a professional online profile is useful if it is up to date. You do not need a photograph, your date of birth or a full home address.
Follow with a short profile of three or four lines. Say who you are professionally, what you are good at and what you are looking for. Keep it specific and free of empty phrases.
Work experience
List roles in reverse order, with the most recent first. For each one, include the job title, the organisation, the dates and a few bullet points. Spend most of your words on your most recent and most relevant roles.
Skills, education and anything else that supports your case
Add a short skills section that mirrors the language of the roles you are applying for, but only list skills you could talk about in an interview. Then add your education, training and any registrations or certificates that matter for the work.
Write what you achieved, not just what you were given
Many CVs list duties: what the job description said. A stronger CV shows what you did with those duties. For each bullet point, try to answer one of these questions:
- What did you change, improve, build or keep running?
- Who benefited: customers, colleagues, patients, students or a manager?
- What tools or methods did you use?
- What was the result, in as concrete a way as you honestly can describe it?
Use figures only when you can stand behind them. If you do not have a reliable number, a plain description of the outcome is better than an estimate you cannot defend. Begin bullets with strong verbs such as led, organised, reduced, trained or delivered, and keep each one to a line or two.
Keep the design calm
A simple layout is a kindness to the reader. Choose one readable font, use consistent spacing and keep headings the same size throughout. Avoid text boxes, graphics and decorative columns, which can look neat to you but can confuse software that reads your file.
Most CVs work well at one to two pages. If yours is longer, ask of each section whether it helps with the role you want. If not, shorten it.
Check it as if someone else wrote it
Spelling and consistency mistakes are easy for a reader to notice and hard for them to forgive. Read your CV aloud, check dates and job titles against your records and ask a friend or colleague to read it. Ask them one question: "What do you think I want to do next?" If their answer is not what you intended, your profile and your top bullets need work.
A quick checklist before you send it
- Your contact details are correct and your email address looks professional.
- The profile tells the reader what you do and what you want.
- Your most relevant experience has the most space.
- Each bullet describes an action and an outcome, not just a duty.
- The layout is plain, consistent and easy to scan.
- There are no spelling errors, and the file name includes your name.
- You have tailored it a little for this particular role.
Where to go from here
Writing about yourself is difficult, and it is normal to find it hard to see your own strengths. If you would like a second pair of eyes, our team offers CV writing to help you present your experience clearly. Once your CV is written, it is worth checking how it will be read by software too, which we cover in CV optimisation: how applicant tracking systems read your CV.
We cannot promise interviews or job offers, because those depend on many things outside a CV. What a clear CV can do is make sure your experience is understood. If you are ready to start, browse our services or get in touch.