11+ Proven CV Tips to Help You Land a Job in 2025

A well-written CV can make all the difference in the job-hunting process, as it’s more likely to impress recruiters and help you secure several interviews. However, writing one can be difficult if you have no experience with it, so it’s best to rely on tried-and-true CV tips instead of improvising.

In this article, we will share the most common CV tips, teach you how to structure your document, and show you what information to include. We will also help you optimise your application for application tracking system (ATS) scans, which have become a standard practice across all industries.

Why Is a Good CV Important?

A good CV is important because it is your introduction and first contact with recruiters, who may invite you for an interview if you impress them. In other words, it’s a crucial step towards securing a job, and its impact can’t be overstated.

In a way, a CV is an ad designed to help you sell yourself to employers. It highlights your relevant skills and experiences, emphasises your achievements and positive traits, and simultaneously draws attention away from your weaknesses. When employers read it, they should have an idea of who you are and what you can contribute.

To achieve that, you need to follow specific rules of structure and content. These aren’t absolute, but they exist to help you maximise the impact of your application and improve your success rate. So, while you can improvise a little, it’s best to master the most common ways of writing a CV first.

4 Powerful CV Formatting and Structure Tips

Crafting a strong CV isn’t just about what you include—it’s also about how you present it. The right formatting and structure can make your CV clear, professional, and easy to read.

Now, let’s take a look at how to format and structure your CV in more detail:

#1. Choose the Best CV Format

Before you start writing your application, consider the appropriate CV format for your needs. The three most commonly used ones include:

Though all three have their strengths, we recommend sticking to the reverse chronological format, unless there’s a particular reason to use one of the others. Recruiters typically favour it and are used to its overall layout.

#2. Keep It Clean and Scannable

Submitting a long wall of text as your application will hurt your chances of securing a job; in fact, your CV likely won’t even reach a recruiter. Most applications nowadays must pass an ATS scan before they can be reviewed by a human.

In other words, you need to optimise your CV structure so that it’s easily scannable and still appealing to the recruiters.

The best way to do that is to break the content into paragraphs, use bullet points, and include clearly visible headings. White space is as important as the text; use it wisely to maximise the impact and create an application where the relevant information immediately stands out.

#3. Select Professional Fonts and Consistent Styling

Selecting a font is another aspect of CV formatting that mustn’t be overlooked; a professional font can help your application stand out, while an inappropriate one can hurt your chances.

Generally, it’s best to avoid being too creative; instead, stick to commonly used fonts for professional correspondence, such as Arial, Times New Roman, Calibri, or Helvetica. These will give your application a clean, modern look, and their scannability helps with ATS scans.

On the other hand, fonts like Comic Sans or Papyrus have no place in professional documents, since they may make you come across as unserious. Similarly, you shouldn’t use any overly complicated and stylised fonts, as they may be difficult to read.

Finally, once you pick a font, be consistent with it. Use it throughout the entire document and keep the size within the 10–12pt range. The only exceptions are headings; they can be a bit larger. 

#4. Adjust CV Length

Your CV should contain all the most important information, but it shouldn’t be overly long. Most application documents are 1–2 pages long, but we advise limiting your submission to one page. An exception can be made if you have an extensive professional background that’s likely to improve your chances of getting hired.

Otherwise, trim the excess and include only the most crucial experiences, skills, and achievements. Don’t add irrelevant details to make your application look more impressive; they will only serve as filler and may make it more difficult for recruiters to find the information they are looking for.

5 Effective CV Writing Tips

The best CV writing tips include starting with a powerful personal profile statement, highlighting measurable achievements, tailoring your CV for each job, using active verbs, and matching your skills to the job description.

Let’s examine more closely how to write a CV:

#1. Start With a Powerful Personal Profile Statement

The personal statement goes at the top of the document and highlights your key skills, achievements, and work experiences. Essentially, it functions like a preview of your CV and the first introduction to recruiters.

As such, it needs to be impactful enough to make them want to read more. After all, recruiters spend only about 6–8 seconds on the initial screening of a CV, and if nothing stands out to them in that time, they’re likely to discard it.

So, here are some practical CV tips on how to write a professional summary:

Let’s apply this in an example:

#2. Highlight Measurable Achievements

Measurable achievements add substance to your CV, as they demonstrate that you do, indeed, possess the skills you claim to have. Anyone can say they are creative or a good leader, but you sound far more convincing if you can back it up with actual examples.

As we’ve seen earlier, one place to highlight your measurable achievements is your CV summary, but it shouldn’t be the only one. Use the work experience section to add a few more in the bullet points under each entry.

Here’s what this CV tip might look like in practice:

#3. Tailor Your CV for Each Job

Your CV should never be a one-size-fits-all document; that will make it sound generic and decrease its impact. Instead, tailor it for each job, focusing on the skills and experience that are most relevant to that specific position.

That doesn’t mean you have to write a new CV from scratch every single time. The basics can remain the same, and you can just rewrite certain parts to make them more relevant for the job you’re applying for.

#4. Use Action Verbs

When talking about your achievements and responsibilities in past positions, make sure to use action verbs and highlight your contributions. Action verbs present you as a proactive individual who knows how to take charge of the situation and can, therefore, be considered reliable.

Here’s a brief list of action verbs to include in the CV summary and the work experience section:

If you need more, check out this extensive list of action verbs.

#5. Match Your Skills to the Job Description

Read the job description carefully, as it will tell you exactly what you need to include in your CV. This is particularly true for skills; job descriptions always list the soft and hard skills an ideal applicant should possess, so simply adding those will make you stand out.

Additionally, aligning your skills with the job description helps with ATS scans, as they search for the precise words used in the ad. That improves your application’s chances of passing the scan and being seen by a recruiter.

3 Tips to Make Your CV ATS-Friendly

To make your CV ATS-friendly, use job-specific keywords naturally, avoid complex formatting and graphics, and save the document in an ATS-friendly format.

Here are more detailed CV tips on ATS optimisation:

#1. Use Job-Specific Keywords Naturally

Job-specific keywords can usually be found in the job description, although you can also figure out some of them on your own. For example, keywords such as “SEO” or “website traffic” are relevant to digital marketing positions, while “database” and “SQL” are commonly used in data-related fields.

Once you decide which keywords to use, incorporate them naturally into your CV. That means you shouldn’t insert them just to say you did or put them in contexts they don’t fit; instead, add them in places where they make sense, such as the CV summary or work experience.

#2. Avoid Complex Formatting and Graphics

A common CV mistake to avoid is overcomplicating the formatting or adding unnecessary graphics. Even if you think this makes your document look more engaging or professional, it’s best not to experiment too much. When it comes to CVs, less is more, and sticking to the tried-and-true is the safest option.

So, here are some CV tips on what you should avoid specifically:

#3. Save It in ATS-Friendly Formats

Finally, it’s essential to save your CV as an ATS-friendly file to ensure the scan can read it properly. The safest bets are PDF and .docx formats, as they are the most commonly used ones.

Bonus: CV Tips for University Graduates

University graduates may find it particularly challenging to write a CV, as they often don’t have enough experience to fill it out. However, as long as you highlight your other strengths, your lack of professional background won’t significantly impact your application.

Here are some of the best CV tips for university graduates:

Build a Job-Winning Application Within Minutes

If you need extra help creating a compelling application, use our CV builder for help. All you need to do is enter the required information, follow the instructions, and pick your preferred format; you’ll have a submission-ready document in no time.

Our CV maker also features a cover letter builder. Once you create a CV, you can generate a matching cover letter with a simple click; the AI assistant will use the provided information to write one.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, our CV tips will help you write a job-winning document and land an interview in no time. The best advice we can offer is to remember to consider what your potential employer would want to see in your document and include that; no more and no less.

CV Tips FAQ

#1. What is the best CV format for my first job?

The best CV format for your first job might be functional if you lack experience and want to focus on your skills instead. Otherwise, reverse chronological is always a safe bet, even when your professional background is fairly limited.

#2. What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

The difference between a CV and a resume is non-existent in the UK. Both terms refer to the same type of document, but the former is far more common. However, these two documents differ in other countries; for example, in the US, a CV is far more comprehensive and may be several pages long, while a resume is concise and straightforward.

#3. How long should my CV be?

Your CV should be 1–2 pages long, though one page is preferable due to the scannability. It’s important not to write more than that, as employers are unlikely to appreciate extra reading. 

#4. What are the 5 things I should include in my CV?

Five things you should include in your CV are contact information, a professional statement, work experience, education, and skills. Everything else is optional and should only be incorporated if you believe it adds value.

#5. How many key skills should be on a CV?

Ideally, you should include 5–10 key skills on a CV, though you can add more if they are relevant. List these competencies as bullet points, starting with hard skills and then moving on to soft skills.