Choose a simple structure
Use familiar headings and a clean one- or two-page layout. An applicant tracking system should be able to read the text without confusion.
- ✓ Name and contact details
- ✓ Professional summary
- ✓ Education
- ✓ Internships or experience
- ✓ Academic and personal projects
- ✓ Skills, certifications and achievements
Write a focused professional summary
Use two or three lines to state your academic background, strongest relevant skills and target role. Avoid broad claims such as “hard-working” unless the rest of the CV demonstrates them.
Turn responsibilities into achievements
Begin bullet points with clear action verbs and show the result when possible. For example, replace “responsible for social media” with a sentence explaining what you created, which platform you used and what improved.
- ✓ Use numbers when they are accurate
- ✓ Mention tools and methods
- ✓ Keep each bullet focused on one result
- ✓ Use present tense for current work and past tense for completed work
Make projects count
Projects can provide evidence of practical ability. State the problem, your contribution, the tools used and the outcome. Include only projects relevant enough to discuss confidently in an interview.
Select skills carefully
Separate technical or job-specific skills from general strengths. Do not list software or languages you cannot use in practice. Match terminology to the genuine requirements in the job description.
Keep the CV ATS-friendly
Use standard headings, readable fonts and consistent dates. Avoid placing essential information inside images, complex tables, text boxes, headers or footers.
- ✓ Use a descriptive PDF filename
- ✓ Check that copied PDF text remains readable
- ✓ Avoid rating skills with stars or percentages
- ✓ Proofread contact details and links
Final CV checklist
Tailor the CV for each important application rather than sending one generic version everywhere.
- ✓ Target role is clear
- ✓ Most relevant information appears first
- ✓ Bullets show evidence, not only duties
- ✓ Formatting is consistent
- ✓ There are no spelling errors
- ✓ All information is accurate