Use a standard structure
Contact details → two-line professional summary → experience → education → skills → certifications → languages.
Careers
Resume & CV Writing
Write a one-page, ATS-friendly CV built on achievements — the document that decides whether you are read at all.
Introduction
What this covers
A CV has one job: to convince a busy person, in under a minute, that you are worth interviewing. Everything on the page should serve that.
Most medium and large employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that read your CV as text before a human sees it. A clean, standard layout is not boring — it is what makes you findable.
Why it matters
- Recruiters typically scan a CV for well under a minute before deciding.
- ATS software rejects files it cannot read: images, text boxes, columns and unusual fonts.
- Achievements with numbers are remembered; lists of duties are not.
Step by step
How to do it, in order
Make it ATS-friendly
One column, standard headings, a common font, no tables, no text in images. Save and send as PDF unless a DOCX is requested.
Write achievements, not duties
Use: verb + what you did + result. "Taught 45 students weekly and raised average exam scores by 18% in one term."
Mirror the job advert
Reuse the advert's own words for the skills you genuinely have — that is what the ATS searches for.
Cut to one page
Two pages only after several years of relevant experience. Remove anything older or unrelated.
Proofread properly
Read it aloud once, run a spellchecker, then ask another person to read it before you send it.
Common mistakes
- A photo, date of birth or marital status where they are not required.
- Decorative templates with columns and icons that ATS software cannot parse.
- Generic phrases like 'hard-working team player' with no evidence.
- Inconsistent dates and formats between sections.
- One CV reused for every application.
Best practices
- Keep a long master CV privately, then cut a tailored one-page version per role.
- Quantify wherever honest: people reached, hours saved, percentage improved.
- Name the file clearly: Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.
- Match your CV dates and job titles exactly to your LinkedIn profile.
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Next steps
What to do after this page
1
Write the cover letter that goes with this CV.
2
Copy your CV summary into your LinkedIn headline and About section.
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