Curriculum Vitae (CV) Format Guide - 21+ Tips & Templates

28 May
14 min read
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You’re on the hunt for your dream job so – normally – you’re preparing your CV.

You think you have all the necessary information to write the perfect one, but something doesn’t look quite right.

The problem? Your CV isn’t formatted correctly, and you have no idea how to fix it.

Don’t worry! We’re here to help.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

  • How to Format Your CV
  • What To Include In Your CV
  • What Your CV Layout Should Look Like
  • 6 Great CV Examples

And more!

So, let’s get started.

What Is a CV?

A CV is a formal document you submit as part of a job search or college application.

The word CV comes from the Latin termcurriculum vitae, meaning “course of life," and around most of the world,it functions the exact same way as a resume.

In fact, in Europe and Asia, you can find the words CV and resume used interchangeably across different job advertisements.

However, if you’re applying for a jobin the United States, a resume is a one-page summary of professional experience and relevant skills.

On the other hand, a CV is a completely different document. In North America, this document is meant to include all of your experience so far, which means all levels of education, any publications, projects you’ve been part of, and more.

While a resume should beone or two pages at most, a CV can be much longer.

That’s why a CV, in this sense, is usually only required when you’re applying for an academic or research position.

Our article will focus on how to format a CV for a regular job search. If you need help writing anacademic CVfor a position in academia, we recommend checking out that article instead.

Not sure if you need a resume or a CV? Learn what thedifferences between a CV and a resumeare with our detailed guide!

Why Does Your CV Format Matter?

Your CV format can determine whether your CV reaches a hiring manager or not.

That’s because most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan through hundreds of candidates in seconds and discard applicants that don’t meet certain criteria.

And a big part of making an ATS-optimizedCVis the formatting.

Unless your CV format is on-point, the ATS won’t be able to read it, and it will automatically reject it, even if you’re the perfect candidate.

Reverse Chronological vs. Functional

When formatting your CV, you can choose between two popular CV formats:

Usually, we recommend sticking to the reverse-chronological CV format. It’s the most popular format worldwide, so it’s what hiring managers expect to see.

The reverse-chronological format has a standard structure that includes all the main CV sections, such as:

  • Contact Information
  • Personal Statement
  • Work Experience
  • Educational History
  • Skills
  • Other Optional Sections

While the functional CV format includes an extra section - the Skill Summary.

So, if you want to emphasize your varied skills or if you’re aiming for acareer change, you might want to opt for the functional CV format.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

Want to learn more about the different ways you can structure your resume? Check out our guide toresume formats.

What to Include In Your CV

Once you’ve decided on your CV’s format, it’s time tostart filling in each section.

Here are the must-have sections for any professional CV:

If you have any leftover space, you can also add any of these optional sections:

  • Languages
  • Volunteering
  • Personal Projects
  • Certifications
  • Awards and Recognitions

Let’s go through each of these sections one by one and explain how to get each of them right.

#1. Contact Information

The first section is yourcontact information. While it’s easy enough to fill out,  you must get it right.

If you have any mistakes in your contact details, such as a single typo in your email or phone number, for example, the hiring manager won’t be able to reach you.

So, start by neatly placing your contact information in a designated CV header at the very top of your CV.

What to Include in Your CV’s Contact Information Section:
  • Full Name.Write your first and last name at the top of the header.
  • Job Title.If applicable, include your professional title beneath your name. Avoidjob-title buzzwordsand write it down as the job you’re applying for, word for word.
  • Email Address.Use a professional email address that’s easy to spell. We recommend a combination of your first and last names. (E.g.: john.smith@novoresume.com)
  • Phone Number.Add a phone number where the hiring manager can contact you. If you’re applying abroad, include your country’s dial code.
  • Location.Your city and state/country are enough. If you’re ready to relocate for the job oryou want a remote position, be sure to specify that on your CV.
  • Social Media.You can add any relevant social media or websites that can boost your application, such as a complete andoptimized LinkedIn profile.
  • Portfolio.If applicable to your field, add a link to your portfolio. Writers,illustrators, and other creatives should link to a dedicated website, but a software developer could include a link to their GitHub account instead.

Here’s an example of a perfect CV contact information section:

Not sure if you shouldadd a picture to your CV? This article will tell you everything you need to know.

#2. CV Headline

On average, hiring managersdon’t look at CVs for more than six seconds.

This means that if you don’t make a good impression in six seconds, it’s likely that the hiring manager won’t even read your CV in depth.

This is why it’s crucial to have an eye-catching bit of information at the top of your CV.

Your CV headline (also known as a personal statement) is a short (2-4 sentences) pitch about your professional experience and expertise, and it goes right on top of your CV, like this:

There are two approaches you can take for your CV headline:

  • CV Summary.This highlights your experience, achievements, and skills.
  • CV Objective.This focuses more on your educational background and aspirations.

If you already have some work experience, we recommend you stick to a CV summary. Your professional journey will be a better selling point than your knowledge andcareer goals.

You should only go for a CV objective if you eitherdon’t have any work experienceor if you’re in the midst of acareer change.

Here’s a great CV headline in practice:

CV Headline Example:
  • Digital marketing professional with 4+ years of experience in media buying, seeking a position as a Facebook advertiser at Company X. Notably managed a monthly ad spend of over $200k and maintained a 2x-3x return on ad spend during my time at Company Y.

#3. Work Experience

Next comes the most essential section of your CV - yourwork experience.

You should start this section by listing your most recent job first and working your way back.

What to Include in Your Work Experience Section:
  • Job Title.Start each entry with the name of the position you were employed in.
  • Company Name.Include the name of the employer. You can also add the general location, such as the city and state/country, or even include a brief description if it’s not a well-known organization.
  • Dates Employed.State the period that you worked at each company using the mm/yyyy format.
  • Achievements and responsibilities.This is the core of every work experience entry, so list your achievements in four to six bullet points so that the hiring manager can skim through them easily. If your job doesn’t include a lot of achievements, list responsibilities instead. Make sure to list fewer bullet points for older jobs, unless they’re super relevant to what you’re applying for now.

You don’t need to go all the way to yourpart-time jobs as a teenager. We recommend listing only your last three to four positions, not your entire career history.

Here’s an example of what a great work experience section looks like on a CV:

3 Work Experience Tips

Your work experience section can make or break a successful CV, so you have to do it perfectly.

Here are some tips you can apply:

  1. Focus on Achievements.A role’s responsibilities tend to be the same across different companies. If you want to stick out, list your achievements instead - the times you went above and beyond will impress the hiring manager a lot more than your daily tasks.
  2. Add Concrete Data.Whenever you can, include numbers to quantify any achievements listed on your CV. Percentages, budgets, or the amount of time specific projects took can all back up your accomplishments.
  3. Include Keywords.If you want to make sure you beat the ATS, you need to go the extra mile. Carefully read the job ad to find the most important keywords and strategically include them throughout your CV.

#4. Educational History

Next, it’s time to work on youreducation section.

What to Include in Your CV’s Education Section:
  • Degree Name.List your major and degree type, and you can optionally include any minor you took.
  • University Name.State the name of the institution you attended.
  • Location.Include the city and state/country where your university is located.
  • Dates Attended.Specify the time period with the mm/yyyy format.
  • Optional Information.Your GPA, honors, academic achievements, orrelevant courseworkcan be mentioned in this section. We recommend you only include optional information if you’re a recent graduate without much experience in the field.

Here’s what an education section looks like on a CV:

6 Education Section Tips

Your education section should be short and sweet, but you can still make the most of it.

Here are some tried-and-tested tips to perfect it:

  1. If you’re arecent graduate, list your education before your work experience. It’s better to lead with relevant education than work experience that isn’t related to the job you want.
  2. Whenmaking a CV as a student, you can add your expected graduation date.
  3. List your educational history in reverse chronological order, and always start with your highest degree on top.
  4. If you don’t have a lot of space on your CV, you can list only your highest and most recent degree. So, if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your Bachelor’s degree.
  5. Similarly, don’t add yourhigh school degree to your CVif you’ve already graduated from a university. It’s not as relevant, and you can use that space for something else.
  6. If your GPA isn’t above 3.5, don’t add it to your CV. You should only include it if it’s impressive; otherwise, it could undermine you.

Are you getting ready to apply to college? Learn how to write acollege application CVwith our detailed guide!

#5. Skills

The skills section of your CV is relatively straightforward. You just need to create a designated section where you can list the skills you have that are most relevant to the job.

For example:

That said, the skills you list on your CV can becrucial to the hiring decision. So, you want this section to show the hiring manager that you’re the right person for the job.

For starters, make sure you include both types of skills:

  • Hard Skills. These are learned skills and measurable abilities. They can range from knowing a specific coding language to baking, and they’re directly related to your role.
  • Soft Skills. Sometimes calledinterpersonal skills, these include personality traits, career attributes, and more. Examples include critical thinking,time management, communication, and many others.

When listing skills on your CV, we recommend that you focus more on hard skills.

Specific hard skills are what hiring managers are usually looking for, so be sure to tailor yours according to the job advertisement.Soft skillsare nice to have, but your “critical thinking” or “teamwork” won’t have as much weight as the specific technical skills the employer wants.

And, when listing your hard skills, consider adding experience levels so that employers can see your proficiency and know what to expect from you.

Now, if you have a lot of relevant skills you want to list, you can put them in subsections. This can help keep your CV neat and easy to navigate, like this:

Most hiring managers evaluate soft skills during job interviews. Prepare ahead of time by learningwhat the most common interview questions are and how to answer them.

#6. Other Optional Sections

Now that you know what the most important sections on your CV are, it’s time to talk about other, nice-to-have sections.

Optional sections for your CV include:

  • Languages.List any foreign languages you know and write down your level of proficiency.
  • Professional Organizations.Are you part of a club, guild, union, or other association in the field you’re applying for? Add it to your CV.
  • Volunteer Experience.Listing volunteer experience is proven to impress hiring managers, and it’s especially useful if you don’t have a lot of work experience. Employees who volunteer enjoy meaningful work, and that tells hiring managers you’re likely to be a loyal employee.
  • Projects.If you worked on anything relevant to the job you’re applying for, either during your studies at university or in your spare time, include it on your CV. Whether you created an app or did product reviews on a personal blog, it shows hard work and dedication.
  • Certifications.Hiring managers love employees who work on their skills and knowledge. Even if you don’t have work experience in the specific field yet, certifications can show that you’re genuinely interested and willing to learn.
  • Awards and Recognitions.There’s no harm in showing off a little on your CV. If you’ve received any awards or acknowledgments, like a prestigiousscholarship, add them.
  • Hobbies and Interests.This bit of extra information about yourself gives the employer insight into your personality and helps you stand out. We recommend listing hobbies that can back up your listed skills, such as team sports, which proves you can collaborate.
  • Extracurricular Activities.If you have a lot of leftover space on your CV but don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, any clubs and activities you were part of can show potential employers how you managed your time effectively or gained certain skills.

Want to make sure your job application catches the hiring manager’s attention?Write an impressive cover letterand send it along with your CV!

How to Format Your CV’s Layout

Now that you know what to include in your CV, it’s time to pay attention to yourCV’s layout.

You need to make sure your CV looks good when you put all your sections together. If the hiring manager sees a messy, unorganized document, they might skip reading it altogether.

So, follow these tried and tested tips to make sure your CV’s layout looks good:

  • Stick to One Page.As a rule of thumb, your CV shouldn’t exceed one page unless you have decades of experience. The hiring manager only wants to read the most important details about why you’re the right person for the job, not your entire life story.
  • Set the Page Margins.To make your CV look neat, set the margins on all four sides of your CV to one inch. This way, you can maximize the white space between sections without having a stretched-out or empty-looking document.
  • Adjust the Line Spacing.Your text should be easy on the eyes instead of making your CV look cluttered. Set the line spacing to 1.0 between text and 1.15 between double lines and after subheadings.
  • Use a Consistent Font.Choose a professional font and use it consistently throughout your CV. We recommend picking something easy to read but not overused. So, instead of Times New Roman, use something like Roboto, Lora, or Overpass.
  • Set the Font Size.Make sure the hiring manager doesn’t have to squint to read your CV. Use 11-12 pt for most of your CV’s text, and 14-16 pt for section titles or headers.
  • Use Bullet Points.When describing your work experience, education, or any other experiences you want to elaborate on, avoid paragraphs. Use between three and six bullet points, depending on how relevant the experience is, to make it easier to read.

Use a Professional CV Template Instead

Getting your CV format and layout right can be a hassle.

You might end up spending hours tweaking the margins, adjusting the headings, and fixing the line spacing – all while making sure nothing spills over to page two.

Why not just skip all that?

Instead, use one of ourCV templatesand create your CV in minutes.

Each of our professional templates is designed in collaboration with leading HR experts from around the world to make sure that your CV is ATS-friendly, formatted to perfection, and visually appealing.

Just take a look at how one of our templates compares to a standard text editor CV:

6 Well-Formatted CV Templates

Ready to work on your CV? Check out these different CV templates for inspiration!

#1. College CV Template

#2. Creative CV Template

#3. Professional CV Template

#4. Modern CV Template

#5. Minimalist CV Template

#6. Skill-Based CV Template

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these75+ CV examples for different jobs.

FAQs about CV Formatting

Do you still have some questions? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions about CV formatting.

Q — 

#1. How Do You Write a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

How you write your CV greatly depends on the industry you work in or the region you’re based in. For example, an academic CV should always lead with education, while anexecutive CVshould focus on your extensive work experience.

That being said, most CVs include key sections such as contact information, a CV headline, work experience, educational history, and skills. Additional optional sections, like languages, publications, or certifications, may be included if they’re relevant.

Overall, your goal is to create a comprehensive document that highlights your full range of qualifications and experience for the job you want.

Q — 

#2. What’s the Difference Between a CV and a Resume?

In Europe, a CV and a resume are almost the same thing, so the two words are used interchangeably.

In the US andCanada, however, a CV refers to a much more detailed document that lists all your professional and academic achievements, not just a brief summary.

While in Europe, a CV should be between one andtwo pages, in North America, a CV can be as many pages as you need it to be.

Q — 

#3. What Is a Good CV Format?

The reverse-chronological format is the best CV structure because it places your most recent and relevant experiences first. This format lets hiring managers quickly find your latest skills and employment history and see how your career has progressed so far.

This format is also the most popular CV format around the globe, so it’s what hiring managersexpectto see when you submit your application. That makes it easiest for hiring managers to navigate, and it’s a solid choice for most job applications.

Q — 

#4. Is It OK to Send a CV as a PDF?

Unless specifically stated otherwise, you should always send your CV as aPDF file.

The PDF format ensures that your CV’s layout and formatting stay consistent, so if the hiring manager opens it on a different device or software, all your design efforts will be intact.

PDF files also pass most applicant tracking systems out there, so you won’t have a reason to worry about the ATS.

However, if a company requests that you send your CV as aWord document, it’s probably because their ATS is older and can’t read PDFs. In that case, always stick to the instructions in the job ad and save your CV appropriately.

Q — 

#5. How Can I Write a CV as a Beginner?

If you’re creating a CV as a beginner, you probably don’t have a lot of work experience to list. So, start by highlighting your education first, then include any relevant internships or volunteer work.

Keep the overall document concise and tailored to the specific job you're applying for. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs to increase readability, anduse powerful action wordsto make your skills and experience stand out.

And don’t forget to proofread your CV multiple times to make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes. You want to create a polished, professional document that shows you in the best light possible, even with no experience.

Q — 

#6. How Can I Write an International CV?

To create an international CV, research the preferred style for the country you're applying in. For example, aCV for a job in Australiawill be different from a CV for the same job in China.

Start writing your CV by adding a header with your contact details and a professional summary at the top. Then move on to your work experience or education section first, depending on your level of experience.

Include skills relevant to the job and the languages you can speak, and be prepared to translate your CV into the local language or dialect if necessary.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

At this point, you know everything there is to know about formatting your CV.

Now, let’s do a quick recap of the most important things we’ve covered in this article:

  • Your CV’s formatting is important if you want to make it through the ATS. Be careful when crafting your CV and don’t use quirky names for the CV sections.
  • The most important CV sections include contact information, a CV headline, work experience, educational history, and skills. If you have space, you can add optional sections like languages, certifications, and volunteering.
  • Always use standard practices when formatting your CV. Stick to a single font, use 1.0 or 1.15 line spacing, and set the margins to one inch on all sides of your document.
  • Consider using a professional CV template to make sure your formatting is flawless and gets past the ATS with no hassle.