How to write a better CV
Short, practical guides with examples you can use today.
How to Write a CV With No Experience
Write about what you have done, and stop worrying about what you haven't. Class projects, part-time shifts, clubs and things you made on your own all count, as long as you describe them the way you would describe a job.
CV Summary Examples for Every Situation
A good CV summary is two sentences long. The first says who you are and the best proof you have. The second says what you are looking for or what you offer next. Below are before and after examples for seven common situations, all with fictional details, so change them to fit your own facts.
How to Write Strong CV Bullet Points
A strong CV bullet point starts with an action, says what you did, and ends with what came of it, all in about one line. If a line could also describe the last person in your job, it lists a duty. Rewrite it until it describes you.
CV vs Resume: What's the Difference?
It depends on where you are applying. In the US and Canada, a resume is a short document for job applications, and a CV is a long record of an academic or research career. In much of the rest of the world, “CV” simply means the short job document, and there is no separate resume.
Should You Put a Photo on Your CV?
Follow the place you are applying to. In the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Australia, the usual advice is to leave the photo off. In Vietnam and much of Asia, and in parts of Europe, a photo is common. If the job ad asks for one, include it. If it says not to, leave it off. If you can't tell, look at what that employer normally expects.
How Long Should a CV Be?
One page if you are a student or in your first few years of work. Two pages for most people with more experience. Academic and research CVs can run longer. There is no fixed law here, so what matters more is whether every line earns its place.
Which Skills to Put on a CV, and How to Show Them
Put the skills the job asks for and you can really use, and name them specifically. List tools and languages in a short skills section. Show qualities such as teamwork or leadership through what you did in your experience section, because a list can't prove them.
How to Write a CV for Students and Internships
Keep it to one page, put your education near the top, and treat your projects and part-time work like real experience. Say exactly when you can start and how many days you can work. For an intern, that detail is often as useful to the employer as your grades.
10 Common CV Mistakes, and How to Fix Them
The mistakes that hurt most are simple: sending the same CV to every job, listing duties with no results, and leaving errors in your name, dates or contact details. All of them can be fixed in an evening. Here are ten to check for, roughly in order of how much they matter.
Writing a CV in English as a Vietnamese Speaker
Don't translate your Vietnamese CV line by line. Rebuild it for an English reader: settle your name order, write dates and numbers the English way, use natural job titles, and replace set phrases with things you did. It is written for Vietnamese speakers and anyone helping one.