CV Writing Guide

Contact Details & Personal Profile

Keep your contact details simple and professional. Include:

• Your full name
• Town, city or general location
• Mobile telephone number
• Professional email address
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio link, where relevant

There is no need to include your National Insurance number, marital status, date of birth or photograph. Your full home address is not usually necessary either.

Your personal profile should be a short introduction explaining your professional background, relevant experience and what you can offer an employer.

Aim for approximately three to six lines. Focus on facts and experience rather than generic descriptions such as ‘hard-working’ or ‘enthusiastic’.

Key Skills & Achievements

This section should quickly demonstrate why you are suitable for the role. Use concise bullet points to highlight the skills, knowledge and achievements most relevant to the position.

• Relevant expertise: Highlight your specialist knowledge and areas of responsibility.
• Systems and software: Include relevant packages, platforms and technical skills.
• Commercial achievements: Demonstrate improvements in revenue, profitability, efficiency or cost savings.
• Management experience: Include team sizes, budgets and operational responsibilities where relevant.
• Measurable results: Use figures, percentages and specific outcomes wherever possible.

Rather than simply listing what you were responsible for, explain what you achieved and the difference you made.

Career History & Qualifications

List your employment history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position.

For each relevant role, include:

• Company name and industry: Briefly explain what the business does.
• Business size: Where appropriate, include turnover, employee numbers or operational scale.
• Job title and employment dates: Make your career progression clear.
• Role overview: Summarise your responsibilities and reporting structure.
• Key achievements: Use focused bullet points showing your contribution and results.

Why does company information matter? Understanding whether you have worked within an SME, a growing owner-managed business or a large corporate organisation helps employers assess the scale and relevance of your experience.

Give the most detail to your recent and relevant positions. Earlier roles can usually be summarised, particularly where they are less relevant to the job you are applying for.

Education, Professional Qualifications & Training

Include relevant degrees, professional qualifications, certifications and training. Prioritise qualifications that support your application. You do not need to list every school subject or grade if you have substantial professional experience.

Final Checks & Download Your CV Template

Before sending your CV, take a few minutes to make sure it presents you at your best.

• Tailor your CV: Prioritise the experience and achievements most relevant to the vacancy.
• Keep it clear: Use consistent headings, readable formatting and concise bullet points.
• Check accuracy: Make sure dates, job titles, qualifications and contact details are correct.
• Proofread carefully: Check spelling, grammar and formatting.
• Keep it relevant: Include hobbies and interests only where they add something meaningful to your application.
• Choose the right format: Follow the employer’s instructions when submitting your CV. A PDF is often useful for preserving formatting, while a Word document may be requested by recruiters.

Need a starting point? Download our CV template and adapt it to reflect your own career, experience and achievements.

Download Your Free CV Template →