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How to Write a CV: The Complete 2026 Guide

Learn how to write a CV section by section — structure, content, formatting, and examples that pass ATS screening and win recruiter attention.

PN

Priya Nair

Head of Career Content · · 16 min read

Knowing how to write a CV is one of the highest-leverage skills in a job search — and one of the least taught well. Most advice is either too generic ("use action verbs") or too focused on design over substance. This guide walks you through every section, what recruiters and screening software actually look for, and how to put it together for the role you want next.

What a CV is for

Your CV (curriculum vitae) is a structured record of your professional history designed to get you shortlisted. It is not your life story, your design portfolio, or a list of every task you have ever done. It is evidence that you can do the job you are applying for — written for two audiences: screening software and a human who may spend only about 7 seconds on a first scan (a commonly cited recruiter figure).

If ATS filtering is your main concern, start with our complete guide to beating applicant tracking systems.

Recommended structure

For most roles, use this order:

  1. Contact details
  2. Professional summary (2–3 lines)
  3. Work experience (reverse chronological)
  4. Education
  5. Skills
  6. Optional: certifications, projects, languages

Use a chronological CV unless you have a specific reason for a functional or combination format (career gaps, major pivots). Recruiters and parsers both prefer clear timelines.

Contact details

Include:

  • Full name
  • Phone number
  • Professional email address
  • City and country (full address is optional in 2026)
  • LinkedIn URL (customised slug)
  • Portfolio or GitHub if relevant to the role

Place contact details in the main body of the document, not in a header or footer — parsers often skip those regions.

Professional summary

Your professional summary is the hook. Two to three lines: years of experience, domain, standout achievement, and target role language from the job description.

Example: Marketing manager with 6 years in B2B SaaS. Grew inbound pipeline by 140% in 18 months through content and paid search. Seeking a senior growth role in a product-led company.

Deep dive: how to write a CV personal statement.

Work experience — the core of your CV

Each role entry needs:

  • Job title
  • Employer name
  • Dates (month and year)
  • 3–5 bullet points focused on outcomes

The bullet formula: action verb + what you did + measurable result. Read how to write CV bullet points that get noticed and how to quantify achievements on your CV for examples.

Before and after

Before: Helped with customer support tickets.
After: Resolved 40+ customer tickets daily with 96% satisfaction, reducing average handle time by 18% over six months.

Education

List degree, institution, graduation year. Include relevant modules, dissertation title, or honours only if they strengthen your candidacy. Recent graduates: education can sit above experience if that is your strongest evidence — see our graduate CV guide.

Skills

Split hard skills (tools, languages, certifications) and soft skills where useful, but prioritise skills the job description names explicitly. Avoid rating yourself with stars or bars — parsers and recruiters both ignore them.

Optional sections

  • Certifications — especially in tech, project management, nursing, finance.
  • Projects — essential for career changers and juniors without long employment history.
  • Publications / speaking — for academic or thought-leadership roles.
  • Languages — with honest proficiency levels.

Explaining gaps? See how to explain employment gaps on your CV.

Formatting and ATS

Single column, standard headings, text-based PDF, no tables-for-layout. Full checklist: ATS-friendly CV checklist. Length guidance: the ideal CV length in 2026.

Tailoring per application

Keep a master CV, then customise for each role in about 15 minutes: adjust the summary, reorder bullets, and align skills to the job description. Process: tailor your CV to a job description in 15 minutes.

Role-specific guides

Once the basics are solid, go deeper for your field:

When your draft is ready, run your CV through Cvaluate's free analysis for an ATS-style score and specific line-by-line rewrites.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a CV be in 2026?
One page for early career, two pages for most experienced professionals. Three pages only when every line is relevant senior-level evidence. See our dedicated article on CV length for role-by-role guidance.
Do I need a personal statement?
A two-to-three-line professional summary at the top helps both ATS keyword matching and the recruiter's first scan. Skip it only if you have zero space and a very linear career.
CV or résumé — which should I use?
In the UK, Europe, and Australia, CV is standard. In the US, résumé usually means a shorter document. The structure advice in this guide applies to both.
Should I include a photo?
UK and US norms: no photo unless the employer asks. Some European markets expect one. When in doubt, follow local convention for the country you are applying in.
How often should I update my CV?
After every significant project, promotion, or skill gained — not only when you are actively job hunting. A current master CV makes tailoring fast.

See how your CV scores — free

Once your CV is drafted, run it through Cvaluate to see what an ATS would flag — free, in under a minute.

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