Create a professional CV now!


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Are you ready to embark on a new adventure? What’s more exciting than finding a new job—one that offers an opportunity to develop as well as provides satisfaction?
The pursuit of your dream career starts right now, with a CV that will serve as your vehicle. And we’re here to help you build it.
Read on and learn how to write a CV that will take you where you want to be in 10 years.
Create an effective CV in minutes. Choose a professional CV template and fill in every section of your CV in a flash using ready-made content and expert tips.
Create a professional CV now!
The LiveCareer online CV maker lets you build a professional CV fast and download it as a PDF or DOC.
Freya Gardner
PR Manager
+447975333333
freyagardner@lcukmail.co.uk
linkedin.com/in/freya.gardner
Personal Statement
Creative PR Manager with 6+ years of experience in the restaurant industry. Eager to bring the Gourmet Taste to the forefront of vegan dining in London through innovative PR campaigns. Achieved national recognition for The Barn restaurant in 2020 through a unique PR strategy.
Work Experience
PR Manager
The Barn, Canterbury
January 2018–Present
Key achievement:
PR Assistant
Oak Restaurant, Canterbury
September 2016–December 2017
Key achievement:
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations
London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
September 2013–June 2016
Skills
Certifications
Memberships
Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations since January 2020
Publications
This example shows what you’re aiming for. Now, read on to learn how to get there:
Table of contents
You can jump to the part that interests you the most or read the full guide to gain as much knowledge on CV writing as possible.
A CV (abbreviated from curriculum vitae) is a job application document promoting your relevant qualifications for the desired position to your prospective employer. Typically, it’s a written summary of your experience, skills, and achievements.
While various countries use different application documents, a curriculum vitae is a standard format in the UK. Therefore, you must know how to write an effective CV to get a job.
A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.
Before you get down to writing, start by carefully reading the job advertisement and making notes about the job requirements, position and company. You’ll use this information to write each section of your curriculum vitae.
Make notes about the following:
To compile such detailed information, look into:
Now, it’s a good idea to research the company’s website and social media to learn more about its objectives and culture. Your research should provide a first-light answer to the question: “What problem could the company be facing and trying to solve?”
The above question is just a preface to how you’ll construct your CV. Because you need then to decide how you’ll solve the problems you’ve identified in the job posting. And you can do that by determining if either experience or skills speak in your favour. Once you have your answer, see which of the three most common CV formats you should be aiming at:
Here’s a quick comparison of all the differences between these three formats:
Type of CV format | Chronological CV | Functional CV | Combination CV |
Order of sections |
|
|
|
Who is it for | All types of applicants | It’s best for creative professions, career changers, military transitioners, and candidates with gaps in work history | It’s best for senior-level applicants as well as career changers |
If you haven’t a strong preference for any of these styles, go with the chronological CV. Recruiters prefer this format, and it’s suitable for candidates of all experience levels. It’s also best suited for applicant tracking software used to scan job applications.
Start filling out your CV by creating a header at the top of the document. The placement will depend on the template you’re using. Use the header space for your name, job title, and personal details.
How to make a CV header:
Here’s a sample:
Freya Gardner
PR Manager
+447975333333
freyagardner@lcukmail.co.uk
linkedin.com/in/freya.gardner
Be careful when typing your email and phone number; always re-read them. A typo can make it impossible to reach you.
The next section of your curriculum vitae should summarise your qualifications for the desired position. Writing a personal statement is the best way to introduce yourself on a CV. But only when you tailor it to the role you want.
How to write a personal CV profile:
See an example:
Creative PR Manager with 6+ years of experience in the restaurant industry. Eager to bring the Gourmet Taste to the forefront of vegan dining in London through innovative PR campaigns. Achieved national recognition for The Barn restaurant in 2020 through a unique PR strategy.
That might sound overwhelming if you’re writing a CV without work experience, but chin up! Instead of employment history, mention your academic background, volunteer work, or transferable skills. Show your understanding of the job and that you can handle it. Just like the applicant in the example below:
Driven Marketing graduate applying for a Digital Marketing Assistant position. Eager to apply content creation and social media marketing management knowledge to bring more traffic and build brand recognition at Leaf Flowering. Ran the university rowing team's Instagram and YouTube channels in 2020-2023. Gained hands-on content writing experience while volunteering at Cat Rescue & Rehome Fund in 2022.
If you want to make your job easier, leave this part of your CV blank, and move on to other sections. Fill it out after you complete the rest of your CV. You can later combine bits and pieces of information from different parts of your application.
You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.
In the chronological format, your work experience section is vital. But it’s far from the truth that you need a simple listing of your previous jobs and responsibilities. To make the most out of this section, you should include specific details about your experience, such as the accomplishments you achieved and the skills you developed. Additionally, you should emphasise the impact of your work and how it helped to improve the company's bottom line.
Knowing how to write a CV work history well is priceless. So this is how:
Here’s a sample job description:
PR Manager
The Barn, Canterbury
January 2018–Present
Key achievement:
So, what makes this example work so well? Several factors: it includes measurable achievements that prove the applicant’s expertise, names awards they received, and uses action words to highlight the candidate’s initiative.
The next step on your way to a great CV is the education section. No job application is complete without it. But adding information about your educational background is more than a formality. If you know how to make the CV education section well, this part of your curriculum vitae can become a real asset.
The amount of information you should provide depends on your professional experience:
Look at a sample:
Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations
London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
September 2013–June 2016
Employers want skilled workers, and that’s a fact. But the skills they expect depend on the job—a university professor needs different abilities than a financial advisor. Do you know what skills are expected of you? You can verify that using your job posting.
Here’s how to make a skills section:
Find an example below:
What if the job posting doesn’t mention the required skills? Here’s a tip: Check the National Career Service job profiles. They include detailed descriptions of various professions and list the most common skills for the role.
You’ve completed the essential sections, so now it’s time for the extras. Bonus sections help make your CV more personal and allow you to provide more details about relevant skills and experience.
The most common additional sections are:
Choose 2–3 sections from the list above that you believe will bring you benefits. Describe relevant accomplishments just like you would mention in the work history part. And use action verbs to highlight your initiatives.
Certifications
Memberships
Member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations since January 2020
Publications
In business, first impressions matter. Make the most of it by creating a curriculum vitae that looks perfect.
If you want a quick and easy solution, try an online CV builder or find free CV templates that are already pre-formatted. But you can also design your curriculum vitae yourself using Word, Google Docs, or a similar app.
If you opt for the second solution, here’s how to create a CV layout:
Are you thinking of adding colour to your CV to stand out from the crowd? Be careful. Resources such as the London School of Economics Careers CV manual advise against it. If you wish to use colour, be subtle: use it to highlight your name, headings, or bullet points, and stick to one colour only.
It looks like your CV is ready to win you the job you want. But before you send it, read it once again. Check for typos and misspelt words, and make sure you include all the information that matters. Once done, save your CV in a PDF format, write a cover letter, and craft the email you will send.
A cover letter alone simply won’t be enough—you need an impactful CV, too. Create your CV in minutes. Just follow our wizard and fill in every CV section with ready-made content. Get started by choosing a professional CV template.
The LiveCareer online CV maker lets you build a professional CV fast and download it as a PDF or DOC.
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide. Now that you know how to write a CV, maybe you’d like to share tips for other applicants? Or do you need to clarify any of the steps outlined above? Let us know in the comments below.
Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.
A CV (short for curriculum vitae) is a job application document that presents your professional background, including relevant work experience, education, and professional skills. An effective CV proves your value to a potential employer using targeted information, such as quantifiable achievements.
Reverse-chronological CV format is the best one, according to career experts. It focuses on work experience and lists jobs from the most recent to the oldest, highlighting professional accomplishments. The chronological CV is best for experienced candidates, but it’s easy to adapt for all candidates.
A good CV is easy to follow, concise, and visually appealing. It has the necessary CV sections, such as a header with contact information, personal statement, work experience, education and skills, and a few additional sections—all packed in a good CV layout.
Here’s how to ensure your CV looks professional in 2023:
The five main parts of a CV include the header with your name and contact details, personal statement, work experience, education, and skills. In the reverse-chronological format, the work experience section is the most extensive part of a CV.
You can make your CV using a free CV builder where hiring professionals will guide you or create a document in a word-processing application. If you want to create a perfect CV from scratch, follow the steps below:
To make an effective teenager CV, consider your achievements at school and from other extracurricular activities relevant to the job you want. Use them to demonstrate your skills and knowledge that you can translate to success at work.
Here’s how you can write a CV for a 16-year-old:
1. Choose a professional CV template or create a good CV layout from scratch.
2. Make a CV header with your name and contact information.
3. Write a personal statement saying what you want to achieve for the employer.
4. Add information about your education, including extracurricular activities, scholarships, awards, and the coursework you excel at.
5. Give examples of educational accomplishments that show you’ve got the skills needed for the job.
6. Make a CV skill section matching the job ad's skills.
7. Select additional sections such as volunteer work, language skills, and personal projects to provide more relevant information.
8. Proofread your CV to make sure everything is correct.
About the author
Since 2005, the LiveCareer Team has been helping job seekers advance their careers. In our in-depth guides, we share insider tips and the most effective CV and cover letter writing techniques so that you can beat recruiters in the hiring game and land your next job fast. Also, make sure to check out our state-of-the-art CV and cover letter builder—professional, intuitive, and fully in line with modern HR standards. Trusted by 10 million users worldwide.
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