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CV guide

How to write a CV for a job

Employers want to see quickly that you have what their advert asks for. The same CV sent to every job rarely shows that. These eight steps show you how to match your CV to a specific job, without adding anything that is not true.

Eight steps to a CV that fits the job

  1. 1

    Read the advert closely

    Note every requirement, and whether it is essential or desirable. Note the main duties, and the words the employer uses for them. These are what your CV needs to show.

  2. 2

    Start from one complete CV

    Keep one CV with your full work history, qualifications and skills. Make a copy of it for each application, so nothing is lost when you leave something out for one job.

  3. 3

    Aim your profile at this job

    Rewrite the three or four lines at the top so they lead with the experience and skills this advert asks for most, as long as you genuinely have them.

  4. 4

    Put the most relevant points first

    Keep your jobs in date order, newest first, but within each job move the duties that match the advert to the top. A recruiter may only read the first few lines.

  5. 5

    Use the employer's words where they are true

    If the advert asks for “stock control” and your CV says “looked after the stock”, use their words. Many employers and agencies use systems that search CVs for the words in the advert.

  6. 6

    Show evidence, not just duties

    Add numbers and results where you have them: the size of your team, the number of sites, a target you met. They show the employer what you can do.

  7. 7

    Be honest about gaps

    Never add a skill or qualification you do not have. If something essential is missing, show the closest experience you do have, or training you are doing, and explain it in your cover letter.

  8. 8

    Check it and send it as asked

    Check the spelling, the dates and your contact details, keep it to two pages, and send it in the format the advert asks for. Name the file clearly, for example “Firstname-Surname-CV”.

Check your CV against a job

Free Job Match Analysis

Paste the job advert and see how well your CV matches it: a match percentage, your strengths, what to improve and what the employer asks for that your CV does not show yet. It is free and uses no credits.

Check my CV against a job

Want it done for you? One Application Credit gives you a tailored CV and cover letter for that job, written only from what your CV already says, plus the interview questions you are likely to be asked. See credits and pricing.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Sending the same CV to every job
  • Copying whole sentences from the advert
  • Claiming skills or qualifications you do not have
  • Burying the most relevant experience at the bottom
  • Going over two pages
  • Spelling mistakes and wrong dates

Questions about writing a CV for a job

Should I change my CV for every job?
Yes, if the jobs ask for different things. Keep one complete CV with your full history, then make a copy for each application and adjust the profile, the order of your bullet points and the wording so it answers that advert.
What if I do not meet every requirement in the advert?
Look at which requirements are marked essential and which are desirable. If you meet the essential ones, it is usually worth applying. Never claim experience you do not have; show the closest experience you do have instead, and explain it in your cover letter if it helps.
Should I copy the words from the job advert?
Use the advert's words where they truthfully describe what you have done, because recruiters and the systems many employers use look for them. Do not copy whole sentences from the advert, and do not add anything you cannot back up at interview.
Do I need a cover letter as well?
Send one when the advert asks for one or gives you a way to. It is your chance to explain, in a few short paragraphs, how you meet what the employer is looking for.