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A Curriculum Vitae, commonly referred to as a CV, is a comprehensive document that highlights an individual’s academic and professional accomplishments. It particularly serves as a detailed overview of an individual’s educational background, work experience, skills, achievements, and other relevant qualifications.
How to make a CV
Creating a CV involves several key steps to ensure it communicates your qualifications effectively. Here are the steps:
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Start by adding your personal information, including your full name, contact information, and professional title.
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Write a concise and clear personal profile that summarizes who you are, your skills, and what you can bring to the company.
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List your education history in reverse chronological order, with the most recent items first.
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Showcase your work experience, including roles, companies worked for, and main duties or achievements in each role. Please ensure they are in reverse chronological order.
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Add any relevant skills, certificates, publications, or additional sections that would strengthen your CV.
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Proofread and edit the CV for errors or unclear information. Make sure it is professional and polished.
How to use a CV template
A CV template can ease the process of creating a CV. Here’s how to use one:
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Select a CV template that suits your needs and career field. Make sure it is professional and easy to read.
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Follow the sections provided in the template, replacing the placeholder text with your personal information, experience, skills, and qualifications.
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Edit the template to add or remove sections as necessary. Not every section in a CV template may be applicable to you.
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Format your information consistently and check for errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.
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Review the CV to ensure it clearly and effectively communicates your career story and qualifications.
CV FAQ
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What is the primary purpose of a CV? The primary purpose of a CV is to provide detailed information about your career journey and serve as a tool to market your skills, experience, and knowledge to potential employers.
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How long should a CV be? A CV should be between 2 to 3 pages in the United States, where it is primarily used to document your entire academic and professional life, or a single page in Europe, where it serves as a job-specific resume. However, CVs in any location can vary depending on your experience and the amount of relevant information you have to include.
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What’s the difference between a CV and a resume? The difference between a CV and a resume is that a CV is typically longer and more detailed, focusing on a comprehensive overview of your career, education, and accomplishments, while a resume is typically a brief, 1-2 pages long snapshot of your skills and experiences relevant to the position you’re applying for. Both documents are used in job applications.
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Should I include references in my CV? No, you shouldn’t include references in your CV in most cases. Whether to include references in your CV or not depends on the employer’s requirements or the norms in your industry. If not specifically asked to, it’s generally acceptable to write “References available upon request,” although this practice is falling out of favor, since employers assume that you’ll provide references if and when they ask for them.
Author
Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.
