You need a curriculum vitae (CV), stat. But you have…no…idea…where to start.
Don’t worry! If you are wondering how to format a CV, look no further. You can follow the step-by-step process below to create a knockout CV in no time. We’ll also talk about the three main types of CVs – reverse-chronological, functional, and combination CV formats.
CV Basics
At its core, your CV should be attractive and easy to read. Your hiring manager should be able to find the information they need quickly and easily.
How does your CV stack up to this checklist?
- Use a standard font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. DON’T use something that looks like cursive handwriting or text from a comic strip.
- Use a font size of 10 to 12.
- Use the same typeface throughout your CV and its accompanying cover letter.
- Have ample margins (white space) around the document edges.
- Align the texts on the left side of the page.
- Use the same line spacing throughout, whether you choose single-spaced, 1.5 spaced, or double spaced lines.
- Use subheadings such as “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Core Competencies.” These will break up the text and help readers find the information they seek.
- Use bullet points to break up descriptions.
- Proofread your finished CV, looking for mistakes. Use a program such as Grammarly any you might have missed.
Choose Your Format
There are three basic types of CV formats.
The reverse chronological CV format is the most common and the most universally recognized. It focuses on work experience, listing them in reverse-chronological order – that is, starting with the most recent and working backwards in time.
Because hiring managers are familiar with it, they may be most comfortable with this format.
A functional or skills based CV format, as its name suggests, focuses on your unique skill set. It displayed your “functionality” as a job candidate by proving that you have the skills and qualities needed, even if your career experiences seem lacking.
Work experiences are listed without descriptions, including dates. For this reason, it is sometimes used by those who have experienced long career gaps. Employers are aware of this, however, and will likely ask about it at your interview.
This type of CV is often used by those seeking a change of field mid-career. Students often favour it as well, since they may have plenty of know-how but little or no experience.
The combination CV format blends elements of functional and reverse-chronological CVs. One part focuses on your skills, qualities, and achievements (like a functional CV) while the other lists your experiences in reverse-chronological order.
Typically, this format is ideal for workers with little experience, including recent graduates and people seeking entry-level positions.
Writing Your CV
Perhaps you’re still feeling a bit uneasy about writing your CV. Don’t worry! Simply make sure it contains all of the following parts.
- Contact information – begin your CV with your full name, a professional email address, and a telephone number (a mailing address is no longer necessary).
- Objective/personal statement/professional statement – two to three sentences highlighting your qualities most relevant to the position you are applying for.
- Education – each entry should contain the dates (month, year) of training, degree/certificate/qualification name, school or organization, and your grades. If you have university degrees, it is not necessary to list your secondary school – it will be assumed.
- Work experience – each entry should contain your job title, company name, location, dates, and a brief description.
- Optional sections – depending on your needs and the job to which you are applying, you may choose to include additional sections such as Hobbies, Skills, Conferences, Publications, Volunteer Experiences, Languages, or Internships.
If you decide to use an online CV maker, the program will do all the hard work for you. It will promote you to enter each bit of information, arrange it in the correct order, and give it the right format.
Key Takeaways
- Most professionals use reverse-chronological CVs to highlight their experiences. Entry-level workers may benefit from combination CVs.
- Format your CV so that it looks nice and is easy to read.
- Check for errors.
- Include, at minimum, your contact information, a statement, your education, and your work experience.