How to write a CV that gets you interviews

A strong CV is a marketing document, not an autobiography. Its only job is to get you an interview — so every line should earn its place. Recruiters spend roughly six seconds on a first pass, which means the most important information must be obvious at a glance. Start with clear contact details: your name, professional title, email, phone, location and a link to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile. Keep them at the top so a recruiter can reach you in one motion.

Follow with a two-to-three sentence professional summary that positions you: who you are, what you specialise in, and the value you bring. Avoid generic buzzwords like "team player" or "results-driven". Instead, be specific: "Senior designer with 8 years shipping fintech products used by 200k people." A tailored summary tells the recruiter, in seconds, why you are worth reading on.

Your work experience is the heart of the CV. Lead with achievements, not duties. Use action verbs and quantify results wherever possible — "increased activation by 34%" beats "responsible for onboarding". For each role, give the job title, company, location and dates, then list three to five bullet points that describe the impact you had. If you can tie a number to the outcome, do it: revenue, time saved, users reached, error rate reduced.

List your education, skills and languages clearly. Include certifications, projects or volunteer work if they strengthen your case, especially early in your career. Group skills by category (languages, frameworks, tools) so a recruiter can scan them quickly, and be honest about your level.

Most CVs today are first read by an applicant tracking system (ATS) before a human ever sees them. Use a simple, single-column layout with standard section headings — Experience, Education, Skills — and avoid putting critical information inside images, headers or complex tables that parsers struggle with. Mirror keywords from the job description naturally; never stuff them into a hidden block.

Keep the design clean and readable. One or two pages is enough for most careers; a recruiter reviewing junior applications expects concise, focused CVs. Choose a template that fits your field — restrained for finance, a little more expressive for design — and export as PDF unless the employer specifically asks for a Word document. Then proofread, tailor the CV to each role you apply for, and send it.