CV Writing Guide from Resumeble

A curriculum vitae (CV) is an important professional job hunting tool. ­

Though it can be challenging to write, a CV writing guide can be a good place to start to learn more about the process. Let this guide to writing a CV assist you in achieving a basic understanding of what a CV is and how it should be written. With a little CV writing help, you can put yourself in a better position to succeed when applying for a job.

What is a curriculum vitae?

Curriculum vitae is a Latin term that loosely translates to “the course of (one's) life.” It is widely defined as an application document that showcases a person’s educational and professional accomplishments. In many regions around the world, the CV is the first document that recruiters and hiring managers examine to determine an applicant’s qualifications aptitude for employment.

How is it different from a resume?

A resume is basically a concise overview of your work experience and qualifications, and its contents are designed to be brief and to the point. A CV on the other hand, usually includes all of your career experiences, education, scholarships, honors, awards, projects, publications, and so on. Thus, while resumes are often one to two pages long, a CV can be as many pages as needed. And while both a resume and CV can be used for job applications, a CV is often used for applying to industries related to research, science, education, and academe.

Step by step guide to writing a CV: What to include?

A CV will typically have the following sections. For the best results, make sure to follow the order of the sections written in this CV writing guide.

1. Contact information - Your full name, address, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile.

2. Educational/Academic History – List down the name of the college/university and high school you attended. Write this in reverse chronological order.

3. Work experience – Aside from your job titles and the names of the companies/organizations job title, make sure to include dates of your employment period. Accompany each job title with a summary of your experience and achievements with the company.

4. Honors and awards – Medals, accolades, and certificates are a more important aspect of CVs than resumes because they demonstrate your ability to excel in your qualifications. In this section, you can list any type of substantial award you’ve earned such as “Salesperson of the Year 2015,” or “Best Performer of 4Q 2019.” Listing any honors you’ve received during your time in school is also beneficial because these serve as proof of your ability to perform well academically. For each honor and/or award, add the name of the award, the award-giving body, the month and year received, and any other potentially relevant details.

5. Publications – As CVs are more academically inclined than resumes, any published work of yours that has appeared in academic journals, newspapers, and various other forms of media can be useful. When listing publications, provide a full citation including your date, volume, page, Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and possible co-authors. In some cases, you may also include blogs and web articles you may have written, especially if they have been referenced by peers.

6. Presentations – Presentations to include in your CV can range from something as minor as a speech given out during a company conference, or one that’s as substantial as delivering a research paper to a scientific body. Provide the title of your presentation, date, name of the event, and venue where you presented.

Need help with your CV?

A professional CV writing service can go a long way toward ensuring a successful application. Resumeble writers serve as your CV writing guide and work with you one-on-one to develop a CV that's truly tailored to needs. Get in touch with us today to get a CV that delivers results.

CV Writing Guide frequently asked questions:

How long should a CV be?

Unlike a resume which has to be limited to one page at least and two at most, it’s okay for a CV to exceed three pages, especially if an applicant has plenty of career experience to speak of.

Should you include a photo with your CV?

There’s no need to add a photo to your CV unless explicitly stated by the employer.

Should you include all of your work experience?

Again, CVs are designed to be more comprehensive than resumes, so you should include all of your work experiences for completeness and transparency. However, to save space, you can summarize your old and/or irrelevant roles.