CV tips and structure: Download your guide

Making sure your CV is tailored to the role you want for is an absolute necessity when applying for jobs, but there are general steps you can take when building the structure of your CV to make sure it always looks good and reads well. Our free Securing an interview guide will help you with preparing your CV.

Do you know how to structure your CV?

Not knowing how to structure their CV is one of the most common problems jobseekers face, so we’ve laid out a simple structure to help you.

CVs should be tailored to each role you apply for, but to save time first create a general CV which can be easily adapted for each employer, based on the job description.
 

Contact details

Make sure to use the phone number and email address that you use most often. You don’t want to miss an opportunity by failing to respond to their invitation to an interview in a timely fashion.

Personal Summary

Ensure the first area at the top of your CV is a summary of your experience and includes specific applicable experience in relation to the job ad as opposed to generalities.

Skills

Include a skills section to capture the reader's attention by making it clear what you can offer. Use a brief bulleted list of the skills and key strengths that you possess that are relevant to the role, such as software packages you have worked with.
 

Experience

This section should include your work history and any relevant volunteer or work experience placements. Talk about business or project successes and showcase your skills and experience.

Your other considerations should be:

• Work backwards from your most recent job and don’t leave any gaps (if you travelled, say so)
• If you are a graduate without much experience, highlight the relevant skills that you gained in your course
• List your highest qualifications by institution, course name and grade achieved
• Make sure to include any training courses or professional/industry standard qualifications
• Include any memberships to chartered institutes or relevant organisations.

References

Actual references are rarely included on CVs. It is usually fine to simply say 'References are available on request'.
 

If you need any guidance on this (or any aspect of your job search) then find your nearest office and get in touch with an expert consultant.