SEO Title: How to Write a CV for a Job: 7 Sections, Format Rules, and ATS Tips (2026) Meta Description: Write a CV for a job in 7 sections: contact details, personal statement, work experience, education, skills, achievements, and references, with format rules and ATS checklist.
A CV for a job requires 7 sections: contact details, personal statement, work experience, education, skills, achievements, and references. According to InterviewPal’s August 2025 study of 4,289 resume reviews, recruiters spend an average of 11.2 seconds on the initial scan. A clear structure determines whether the CV survives that window.
What Is a CV?
A CV (curriculum vitae) is a document that summarises a candidate’s work history, education, skills, and achievements for a job application. The term originates from Latin and translates as “course of life.”
A CV serves 2 functions. First, it demonstrates professional qualifications to a recruiter. Second, it passes through an applicant tracking system (ATS) before a human reviewer reads it.
What Is the Difference Between a CV and a Resume?
A CV is a full career document with no page limit. A resume is a shorter, 1 to 2-page summary tailored to a single job. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and most of Europe, “CV” refers to both documents. In the United States and Canada, “resume” is the standard term.
The table below compares the 2 documents across 4 key features.
| Feature | CV | Resume | |—|—|—| | Length | 2 or more pages | 1 to 2 pages | | Content scope | Full career history | Tailored to each job | | Common regions | UK, Europe, Australia | US, Canada | | Academic use | Standard for research roles | Less common |
What Are the 7 Sections of a CV?
A CV contains 7 sections: contact details, personal statement, work experience, education, skills, achievements, and references. Each section follows a defined order that recruiters and ATS platforms expect.
The 7 sections in order:
- Contact details: Full name, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile URL, and city of residence.
- Personal statement: A 3 to 5-sentence summary of professional background, core skills, and career goals.
- Work experience: Roles listed in reverse chronological order, from most recent to oldest.
- Education: Degrees, qualifications, and institutions in reverse chronological order.
- Skills: A list of technical and transferable skills relevant to the target role.
- Achievements: Quantified accomplishments that demonstrate measurable impact.
- References: Contact details for 2 professional references, or the phrase “Available on request.”
How Do You Write a Personal Statement for a CV?
A personal statement for a CV is a 3 to 5-sentence paragraph that states the candidate’s profession, years of experience, core skills, and career objective.
The 3 components of a strong personal statement:
- Who you are: State your job title and years of experience in the first sentence.
- What you do: List 2 to 3 core competencies directly relevant to the role.
- What you seek: State the type of position or company you are targeting.
An example reads: “Marketing manager with 7 years of experience in B2B content strategy and paid acquisition. Specialist in lead generation campaigns that reduced cost per acquisition by 34%. Seeking a senior marketing role in a technology company.” The statement is under 40 words, factual, and role-specific.
How Do You Write Work Experience on a CV?
Work experience on a CV lists each role in reverse chronological order, with a job title, company name, employment dates, and 3 to 6 bullet points per role that quantify responsibilities and outcomes.
Each bullet point follows this structure:
- Start with a strong action verb. Examples include managed, reduced, increased, developed, and delivered.
- State the task or responsibility clearly.
- Add a measurable result. Examples include “increased revenue by 22%,” “managed a team of 12,” and “reduced onboarding time from 6 weeks to 3.”
According to Enhancv’s 2025 study of 25 recruiters, 52% of reviewers look for achievements backed by measurable results. Generic bullet points such as “responsible for managing accounts” fail this standard. Specific ones such as “managed 14 enterprise accounts with a combined value of £2.4 million” pass it.
How Do You List Education on a CV?
Education on a CV lists the highest qualification first, followed by the institution name, graduation year, and grade or classification. Candidates with over 5 years of work experience place education below work experience.
Entry-level candidates with under 2 years of experience place education directly below the personal statement. This prioritises the most relevant information for the reviewer.
How Do You List Skills on a CV?
Skills on a CV fall into 2 categories: technical skills and transferable skills. Technical skills are job-specific. Examples include Python, AutoCAD, and Salesforce. Transferable skills apply across industries. Examples include project management, stakeholder communication, and data analysis.
The skills section lists 6 to 10 items in a clean, single-column format. This format achieves a 94% parse success rate in ATS platforms, according to EDLIGO’s 2025 analysis of 1,000 rejected resumes across Workday, Taleo, and Greenhouse.
What Format Does a CV Use?
A CV uses a single-column, reverse chronological format saved as a .docx or clean PDF file, with consistent fonts, standard section headings, and no tables, images, or text boxes. This format maximises ATS compatibility across all major platforms.
The table below compares formatting choices by ATS compatibility.
| Formatting Choice | ATS Compatibility | Recommendation | |—|—|—| | Single-column layout | 94% parse success | Use | | Two-column layout | 86% parse success | Avoid | | Tables or text boxes | 50% content loss | Avoid | | Images or photos | Causes parsing errors | Avoid | | .docx file format | 4% failure rate | Use | | PDF file format | 18% failure rate | Use only if specified |
Standard section headings increase ATS accuracy. Labels such as “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills” parse correctly. Creative alternatives such as “My Journey” or “Where I’ve Been” do not.
What Is the Ideal Length for a CV?
A CV is 2 pages for candidates with under 10 years of experience, and 3 pages for candidates with over 10 years of experience. Academic CVs extend beyond 3 pages to include publications, research, and conference presentations.
The average job posting receives 250 or more applications, according to Glassdoor. A concise 2-page CV communicates prioritisation and respect for the reviewer’s time.
How Do You Make a CV Pass an ATS?
A CV passes an ATS by using standard section headings, single-column layout, job-specific keywords from the job description, and a .docx file format. According to Jobscan’s 2025 ATS Usage Report, 97.8% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS in their hiring process.
The 5-step ATS optimisation process:
- Match keywords: Copy exact phrases from the job description into the CV. Examples include job titles, required tools, and listed qualifications.
- Use standard headings: Label sections as “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills.” Non-standard headings confuse ATS parsers.
- Choose a clean format: Single-column layouts with standard fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman parse correctly.
- Include both acronyms and full terms: A CV for a digital marketing role includes both “SEO” and “Search Engine Optimisation” to match varied keyword searches.
- Save in the correct format: Submit .docx files unless the application requests a PDF.
According to Jobscan’s 2025 report, Workday alone handles 39% of Fortune 500 hiring. A single-column .docx file performs consistently across all major platforms including Workday, Taleo, Greenhouse, and iCIMS.
What Are the 3 Most Common CV Mistakes?
The 3 most common CV mistakes are generic bullet points without measurable results, poor ATS formatting, and a personal statement that does not match the job description. These 3 errors reduce interview rates across all experience levels.
- Generic bullet points: Phrases such as “responsible for sales” provide no evidence of impact. Recruiters discard them in the first scan.
- Poor formatting: Tables, columns, and images cause content loss in ATS parsing. EDLIGO’s 2025 data confirms complex layouts lose 50% or more of parsed content.
- Mismatched personal statement: A statement copied from one application to another fails the keyword match threshold in ATS platforms.
A 4th error applies specifically to digital applications: placing contact details in the document header or footer. EDLIGO’s 2025 analysis confirms 25% of ATS platforms skip headers and footers entirely. Contact details in the main body parse correctly across all systems.
People Also Ask About Writing a CV
What is the best font size for a CV? The best font size for a CV is 10 to 12 points for body text and 14 to 16 points for the candidate’s name at the top.
Do CVs require a photo? CVs in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States do not require a photo. Photos cause ATS parsing errors and introduce bias risk in shortlisting.
What action verbs work best on a CV? Strong action verbs for a CV include managed, delivered, reduced, increased, developed, led, negotiated, and launched.
Is a cover letter required with a CV? A cover letter is required when the job posting requests one. According to ResumeGo’s 2024 survey of 418 hiring professionals, 66% of recruiters spend under 30 seconds reviewing a cover letter.
How often is a CV updated? A CV is updated before each job application to reflect the most recent role, align keywords with the job description, and tailor the personal statement to the target position.
What Makes a CV Stand Out to Recruiters in 2026?
A CV stands out in 2026 by combining ATS-compatible formatting, quantified bullet points, a role-specific personal statement, and relevant keywords from the job description. These 4 elements address both the automated and human stages of the review process.
According to Enhancv’s September to October 2025 study, 92% of recruiters value a clear, skimmable structure. 76% appreciate natural keyword use without stuffing. A CV that passes the ATS filter and reads clearly in 11 seconds addresses both requirements simultaneously.
The 7 sections, the single-column .docx format, and the measurable results in each bullet point form the complete framework for a competitive CV in the current hiring environment.
For another writing guide, see How to Write a Reference Letter: 5 Sections, 3 Types, and Format Rules.
