Search phrases to target: how to write a CV, CV tips, resume tips, job application CV, CV for online applications
Meta
description: A practical guide to writing a clear
CV that shows achievements, passes basic screening and helps employers
understand your value quickly.
Article
A CV is not meant to tell your whole life
story. Its main job is more modest: it should help an employer see, quickly,
whether you are worth interviewing. That sounds simple, but many CVs fail
because they try to include everything. The result is a long document with
duties, certificates, workshops, old short courses and vague claims that do not
help the reader make a decision.
Start with the job advert. Before editing
your CV, read the advert slowly and underline the skills, experience and
qualifications the employer repeats. If the role asks for project coordination,
donor reporting and stakeholder engagement, those words should appear naturally
in your CV where they are truthful. This does not mean copying the advert or
stuffing keywords into every sentence. It means helping both a human recruiter
and an Applicant Tracking System understand that your background fits the vacancy.
The top of the CV should be clean. Put your
name, phone number, email address and location where they can be found
immediately. A short profile can help, but only if it is specific. A sentence
such as experienced legal and project officer with background in access to
justice, training coordination and donor reporting says more than hardworking
professional with excellent communication skills. The second version sounds
pleasant, but it could describe almost anyone.
The experience section should focus on evidence. Instead of writing responsible for trainings, write something closer to coordinated training sessions for legal practitioners, prepared materials and supported participant follow up. Even better, add numbers where they are accurate: coordinated five training sessions for one hundred and twenty participants. Numbers give shape to your work. They also make your achievements easier to remember.
A strong CV uses action words, but it does
not need to sound exaggerated. Words such as drafted, coordinated, reviewed,
trained, supported, analysed and managed are useful because they show what you
actually did. Be careful with words like transformed or revolutionized unless
you can prove the result. Employers may appreciate confidence, but they also
notice when a CV feels too polished or too big for the real experience behind
it.
Formatting matters more than many
applicants think. Use a simple layout, one column, consistent spacing and a
readable font. Avoid photos, colourful boxes, icons and complicated tables
unless the employer specifically asks for a creative portfolio. Many online
systems read plain text more reliably than visual designs. A CV that looks
beautiful but cannot be read by the system may never reach a person.
The order of sections depends on your
stage. A recent graduate may place education near the top because the degree,
dissertation, internships and academic projects are still the strongest
evidence. A professional with several years of work experience should normally
lead with professional experience and keep education shorter. Skills should be
practical and believable. Instead of listing every software program you have
ever opened, mention the tools you can genuinely use in a work setting.
Before sending the CV, proofread it in a
boring, careful way. Check dates, spelling, phone number, email address and the
name of the organisation. Read it once on a computer and once on your phone,
because small errors show up differently. A CV does not have to be perfect, but
it should feel considered. That small impression can be the difference between
being skipped and being invited to explain yourself in an interview.