Free CV Builder

Your CV is the first impression a hiring manager sees, and most spend fewer than seven seconds scanning it before deciding whether to read on. A strong CV is not about cramming in every job you have ever held. It is about presenting relevant experience clearly, concisely, and in a format that both humans and Applicant Tracking Systems can parse without friction.

What Every CV Must Include

Start with your name, contact details, and a two-sentence professional summary that highlights your strongest selling point and career direction. Follow with work experience listed in reverse chronological order. Each role should include your job title, the company name, dates of employment, and three to five bullet points describing measurable achievements rather than generic duties. Instead of writing "responsible for sales," write "grew regional sales revenue by 34% in twelve months through targeted outreach." Numbers give hiring managers concrete evidence of your impact.

Education comes next. Include your highest qualification, the institution, and graduation year. If you graduated more than five years ago, you do not need to list module details. A skills section rounds out the CV. List hard skills such as programming languages or certifications alongside soft skills like stakeholder management or team leadership. Keep it to eight or ten of your strongest skills rather than a long unfocused list.

ATS-Friendly Formatting

Most large employers filter applications through Applicant Tracking Systems before a human sees them. These systems struggle with tables, columns, headers in text boxes, and unusual fonts. Stick to a single-column layout with clear section headings. Use standard heading names such as "Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Avoid images, icons, or graphics embedded in the document. Save your CV as a PDF to preserve formatting across devices.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Typos and grammatical errors are the fastest way to land in the rejection pile. Read your CV aloud before submitting. Avoid including a photograph unless the role specifically requests one, as it introduces unconscious bias. Do not list references on the CV itself. A simple "References available on request" is sufficient. Finally, tailor your CV for each application. A generic document sent to fifty employers will underperform a version customised to match the job description and mirror its keywords.

Keep your CV to two pages maximum. If you have fewer than ten years of experience, one page is ideal. Every line should earn its place.