

By finding this article, you’ve struck gold. Mine it for all it’s worth and learn how to write a CV that turns every prospect into a roaring success!
Did you know employers don’t want to know what you did at your previous jobs?
They really don’t.
That’s the issue with most CVs I saw get flushed down the drain.
What if I told you that you’d no longer have to fear being rejected? What if you’ll no longer be writing about responsibilities?
Ace!
You’re about to learn how to write a CV and fill it with achievements to the brim.
Grab your speedos and read the article to get:
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Sample CV made with our builder—See more templates and create your CV here.
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Amy Holyman
Phone: (03) 5307 1228
Email: amy.holyman@email.com
Personal Statement
Organised leader and IT project manager with 2 years of experience. As a junior at ITaurus collaborated on a project to be rewarded with the 2020 award for Top UX.UI Design. Owned and met 100% deadlines. Seeking to explore and deliver excellence to the scope of IT project management at Burning Agency.
Employment History
Junior IT Project Manager
ITaurus, Melbourne
December 2019–July 2021
Responsibilities and Achievements:
Software Development Internship
ITaurus, Melbourne
October 2018–March 2019
Responsibilities and Achievements:
Education
Bachelor of Software Engineering
RMIT University
2015–2019
Volunteer Placement
Project Manager Volunteer
StudiOS, Melbourne
November 2016–February 2019
Placement as an award granted by the RMIT University for performance in 2016/2017
Personal Attributes and Key Skills
Programming Skills
Languages
Now—
You must be thinking about whether a CV is the same thing as a resume.
It is indeed.
Employers use the terms interchangeably in Australia, with the majority leaning towards “resume.” But, since you’re here, some are still using the word CV to bamboozle you unintentionally.
No worries, though.
Find out how to write a CV for a job application, and she’ll be right:
First things first.
Checkmate the Applicant Tracking Software with flawless formatting. With only a few moves, you’ll be able to get into the next round.
How so?
Well, recruiters don’t see your CV until the ATS gives it the green light. Literally. It’s because recruiters and hiring managers have to see hundreds, if not thousands, of applications. And to make the process efficient, they use CV parsers to help them out.
See what to do to make your CV look good and pass the ATS test:
Now it’s time to pick a chessboard. White and brown or white and green?
I say chronological.
It’s the most common CV format, and both ATS and recruiters know it inside out. Which means you’re more likely to pass the test.
Oh, and did you know that it takes only 6 to 7 seconds, tops?
Crikey.
The chronological format is all about the structure of things. You’d better know how to make it right!
See how to order your pawns and knights when writing a chronological CV:
Ace!
Let’s now give each a burl.
Read more: What is a CV in Australia?
No contact details on your CV? You’ve got Buckley’s chance to get the gig.
Give the recruiter a good CV example with just the right header. Don’t make them look for a number to phone you.
Oh, sorry.
They won’t even bother to look elsewhere.
Here are examples of professional CV headings:
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Amy Holyman Phone: (03) 5307 1228 Email: amy.holyman@email.com |
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Alex Thorby 56 Auricht Road MOUNT LIGHT SA 5271 (08) 8728 2495 alexthorby@email.com |
Beaut!
The above are the simplest examples of a header.
You can achieve such an effect by following the below dos and don’ts:
Koalas.
They do have great PR agents, don’t they. People all over the world take them as the cutest bears there are.
To the bears’ (and people’s) surprise…
That’s exactly the level of craftsmanship you’ve got to show in your personal statement. It’s the first thing employers read on your CV, so it needs to be gooood.
But a dinkum oil too!
If you’re writing a CV without work experience, you can talk about your aspirations, skillset, and your personality traits that you can transfer to get closer to your and your employer’s goals. So what you’re writing is actually called a career objective.
It’s also applicable if you’re changing careers. You indeed have a work history, but it’s not transferable if it’s a different industry. The only transferable thing, in that case, are your skills.
On the other hand, if you have years of relevant experience, you’re more likely to write a career summary. It’s a 3 to 4-sentence paragraph where you describe your past professional achievements and how they translate to the needs of a potential employer.
Let’s see how to write either of them.
Use this CV summary template:
[Adjective(s)/strong character trait(s)][your job title][your experience]. Eager to support/help/assist/etc. [company name][what you want to help the employer achieve and how you want to do it]. [your key achievement(s)].
Yes, you can use this template, but I know you.
You won’t remember which folder you saved it in next time you apply for a job, so have a go at remembering only a few rules:
It isn’t so tricky, is it?
Let’s give it a fair go.
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Organised leader and IT project manager with 2 years of experience. As an intern and junior at ITaurus collaborated on a project to be rewarded with the 2020 award for Top UX.UI Design. Owned and met 100% deadlines. Seeking to explore and deliver excellence to the scope of IT project management at Burning Agency. |
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IT project manager with a couple of years of experience. Hope to join Burning Agency. I’m a challenge seeker who delivers 100% of their scope no matter the cost. |
See?
That came good, eh!
Apart from the daring example number two.
Someone just risked their career to write the most boring although cheeky piece of a summary of their past jobs I’ve ever seen. That’s just rooted.
Let’s shake it off, and move on to inexperienced candidates. I also have a template for you.
Find a CV objective template below:
[Your strong trait(s)][position to which you’re applying for]. Seeking to support/gain/etc. [your offer][company name]. [2-3 skills].
The most important thing to remember is to tailor it again to the job description. You want to display characteristics your employer is looking for in a candidate. You can find all of them in the job ad.
See a real-life example of a CV objective:
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RMIT graduate ready to take on the responsibility of an IT project manager at Burning Agency. Agile-savvy. Software development intern and project manager volunteer continuously growing skills in the IT field, Python and Java programming, among others. |
Right.
Tailored? Check. Clear objective? Check. Strong adjectives and verbs? Check, check, check!
Well done you.
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I’m a recent RMIT graduate with a software engineering degree, seeking a job at your agency. No real experience yet, but excited to get some. |
Never (with a capital N) write about things you don’t have.
Instead, focus on what you do have and tell the recruiter what you want to accomplish together. Align it with the company’s objectives, and she’ll be apples!
Pro Tip: Write this CV part last. You’ll have a better chance to pick the most significant achievement you’ve made on your career path with employment and education sections completed.
In a chronological CV format, work experience is most prominent. The whole CV template structure is built around this section to make it the centrepiece of your application.
So what does it mean, then?
Reckon!
It needs to stand second to none.
Not literally, though. It’s placed right below the personal statement on your CV, making a very smooth transition from your elevator pitch to evidence.
Smart, huh?
To make sure you use the words your employer wants you to, reread the job description and mark all the keywords about qualifications, responsibilities, skills, and qualities—but don’t underestimate the power of nice-to-haves.
They are there for a reason, so consider using the keywords from this section in your application, too. You can make up for lacking in the must-have departments if you use them!
Once you’re ready, let’s get down to writing!
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Junior IT Project Manager ITaurus, Melbourne December 2019–July 2021 Responsibilities and Achievements:
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ITaurus 2019–2021 Responsibilities and Achievements:
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Get out!
Writing the experience section isn’t a piece of cake, but you made it with a cuppa and tastes bloody delicious!
How did you do it?
Writing a great CV means not leaving out important details.
One of them is your education. Even more so if you’re writing a student CV, in that case, you should use all that this section can give you. Don’t let anybody intimidate you with your lacking or underperforming employment history.
There are two rules to writing an education section in a CV:
Now let’s check it out in practice:
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Bachelor of Software Engineering RMIT University 2015–2019
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BSE, RMIT 2019 |
Gee…
What does it mean! Bush Saltie Ekka?
Always write your full degree—don’t expect the recruiter to guess what you mean. They aren’t game.
Pro Tip: If you’re writing a CV without work experience, move the education section ahead of the work history, right below the career objective. That way, you’ll let the recruiters focus on what’s important, which is your educational background and employability skills, instead of little experience.
When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional CV template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Imagine you want to show off in front of your friends who get to hang out with your crush, and you fail miserably.
That heart-twisting pain in your chest and flash red face.
Priceless.
As long as they aren’t the ones that give you a job, you’re safe. You still have a chance to redeem yourself.
But if you lie to the hiring managers, you’re ruined.
They’re professional lie detectors, making Ms Fisher a nobody.
So whenever you’re writing a skills section, be truthful. Pick the keywords from the job ad, but never add too many because you want to get the interview.
Here’s a list of sample CV writing skills:
The skills above are soft skills—they refer to your personal abilities. To speak about your professional skills, you’d instead mix these with hard skills that give hints about your proficiency and performance, such as CSS or Java for software developers or general ledger and journal for accountants.
You can, but don’t have to, create a separate section for each.
See how it’s done:
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Personal Attributes and Key Skills
Programming Skills
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What type of people do you find most interesting?
Those who prefer to talk about what they saw on the Crocodile Hunter the other day, or who were actually there experiencing it all?
So do I!
People who do more than necessary are the ones that recruiters look at. Their additional interests and engagement outside work-life make their entire application worthwhile. The reason is they’re more likely to walk an extra mile at work, too.
And bring more benefit to the employer, of course.
To show off your additional skills and capabilities, consider writing about these CV sections:
Having said that, see how you can apply some of these to your CV:
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Languages
Awards
Internship
Software Developer ITaurus, Melbourne October 2018–March 2019 Responsibilities and Achievements:
Volunteer Placement
Project Manager Volunteer StudiOS, Melbourne November 2016–February 2019 Placement as an award granted by the RMIT University for performance in 2016/2017
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Don’t be surprised if you’ll have to name two persons who can vouch for your integrity and work ethic.
Employers need that to make sure they’re letting in a trustworthy and sensible person.
So think twice before choosing your ex or a boss you didn’t get along with.
This is the part where you yield the power, so pick an employer, manager, or a higher-situated colleague from your most recent position, plus someone outside your closest friends and family circle.
See how to write a CV with the references section:
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List the names and addresses only if the people agree to it. If they do not, write “References available upon request.” The recruiters know what it means and how to proceed. So don’t you worry.
Well—
Although you may mistakenly think they went to bygones with Lind Hunt, writing letters is still a thing.
With a rising number of companies in the labour market, the number of applicants grew alongside.
To be a Hemsworth, you need to write a cover letter to send with your CV. It’s the thing that’ll make your application perform a Thor landing on Marvel’s desk.
Here’s how to write a cover letter for a CV:
Last thing—
If you think you’ve got to stick to the professional side of things, you’re wrong. That’s reserved for the CV. Try to get a grip in the cover letter, but emotions ultimately make you human. They highlight your character, which employers want to see in the cover letters.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Let’s recap what you’ve learned today:
And that’s it.
Done deal!
But before you call it a day—
Please tell us:
Do you have questions about how to write a CV? Are you now sure about the difference between a CV and a resume? What do you think of writing a CV and corresponding cover letter?
Give us a shout in the comments! Let’s get the conversation rolling.
By finding this article, you’ve struck gold. Mine it for all it’s worth and learn how to write a CV that turns every prospect into a roaring success!