Your CV gives a full picture of who you are as a professional, not just the highlights. A CV, or curriculum vitae, shows your experience, education, skills, and achievements. But how do you decide what information is essential and what’s just nice to have?
Knowing what goes on a CV can make all the difference in getting your application noticed by hiring managers. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the must-haves, optional sections, templates, examples, and tips to help your CV stand out.
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What Should a CV Include?
A CV is a detailed document that describes your full career history. It shows employers your background, skills, and professional growth. While every CV is different, most include these core sections:
- Contact information
- Personal statement
- Professional experience
- Education
- Skills
Because employers who ask for a CV often want a complete view of your professional story, you can also include optional CV components to highlight your strengths and achievements. For example:
- Certifications
- Professional memberships
- Languages
- Publications
- Projects
- Teaching experience
- Research experience
- Conferences
- Awards and honors
- Volunteer experience
- Hobbies and interests
Let’s break down the core sections one by one.
Contact Information
To help hiring managers contact you for an interview, include these crucial details in your CV header:
- Full name
- Phone number
- City and state
You can also add the following to boost your CV:
- Job title or headline
- Networking profile
- Online portfolio
Pro tip: Should you include a headshot in your CV? We recommend against it if you’re applying in the U.S. or Europe. If applying in South Asia, employers may request a biodata document that includes a photo of yourself. When in doubt, check the country’s standard practices.
Personal Statement
Your personal statement is a three- to four-sentence paragraph at the top of your CV that introduces you, explains what you do, and highlights what you bring to the table. Think of it as your professional elevator pitch: clear, concise, and compelling.
Include these key elements:
- Your current role
- Core skills or areas of expertise
- One or two achievements or strengths that make you stand out
Here's an example:
Accomplished university professor specializing in 20th-century American literature with over 10 years of teaching and research experience. Developed and delivered undergraduate and graduate courses, supervised student theses, and contributed to curriculum design. Published extensively in peer-reviewed journals and presented research at national and international conferences. Seeking a faculty position to continue advancing literary scholarship, mentor students, and contribute to interdisciplinary academic initiatives.
Professional Experience
Your work experience section is the heart of your CV. Start with your most recent job and work backward, listing each position with the job title, employer, location, and dates of employment.
For each role, add two to three bullet points that describe your responsibilities in concise, results-focused sentences. Highlight accomplishments that demonstrate your skills and the value you added, not just your day-to-day tasks.
Whenever possible, use metrics or specific examples.
For example:
Associate Professor
University of Chicago – Chicago, IL
Aug 2015 – Present
- Design and teach 8 undergraduate and 5 graduate courses per year, improving student course evaluation scores by 15%.
- Supervise 12 master’s theses and 4 doctoral dissertations, guiding students to successful defense.
- Lead a curriculum redesign committee that has updated 3 core programs, increasing enrollment by 10%.
Pro tip: The research and teaching experience sections follow the same format as the work experience section. Simply add the key details and list your responsibilities and achievements in bullet points.
Education
In your education section, list your degrees in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent. Include the degree title, field of study, institution, and graduation date.
Only add the completion date if you graduated within the past decade. If you're currently enrolled, use "Expected in: [Month, Year]" for your graduation date.
For academic or research-focused roles, you can also include honors, thesis titles, or relevant coursework to highlight your expertise.
Here’s how it might look:
PhD in English Literature
Harvard University – Cambridge, MA
- Dissertation: Narratives of Identity in 20th-Century American Fiction
- Awarded the Graduate Research Fellowship for outstanding scholarship
MA in English Literature
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI
- Thesis: Modernism and the American Short Story
- Graduated magna cum laude
BA in English
Boston University – Boston, MA
Professional Skills
The skills section of your CV highlights the abilities that make you qualified for the role. When listing skills, be selective and relevant.
Add six to eight soft and hard skills that are most important for the position you're applying for. Avoid generic terms like "hardworking" or "team player" without context.
Opt for specific, teachable skills like software proficiency, lab techniques, or research methods. For soft skills, abilities such as leadership, communication, or collaboration can have an impact if you align them with your achievements.
Additional CV Sections
Your CV can run several pages long, so feel free to include additional information that highlights why you're the right fit for the role. For example, you can add:
- Certifications: Professional or academic certifications relevant to your field, including the issuing organization and date earned
- Professional memberships: Professional associations or academic societies that demonstrate your engagement with your industry
- Languages: Languages you speak and your proficiency level, especially if relevant to the role or research collaborations
- Projects: Significant academic, research, or professional projects, including your role and measurable outcomes
- Publications: Peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, or other publications, with full citations in a consistent APA or MLA format
- Teaching experience: Courses taught, student supervision, or curriculum development to showcase instructional expertise
- Research experience: Research projects, lab work, or field studies, emphasizing results, publications, or presentations
- Conferences: Conferences you've attended, presented at, or organized, especially those relevant to your field
- Awards and honors: Scholarships, fellowships, teaching awards, or professional recognitions that demonstrate achievement
- Volunteer experience: Volunteer work that shows leadership, mentorship, or community engagement
- Hobbies and interests: Personality traits or unique skills, especially if relevant to teaching, leadership, or research
Use this handy steps list when writing your CV to make sure you cover all the essential details and create a compelling document:
Professional CV Template
No need to guess what to put on a CV. Simply copy and paste this CV template to get it right the first time.
[Full Name]
[Job Title / Professional Headline]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
[City, State]
[LinkedIn / Website (optional)]
Personal Statement
Write 3–5 sentences summarizing who you are, your expertise, and what you bring to the role.
- Current professional identity and area of expertise
- Core skills and notable achievements
- Career goals or the type of position you’re seeking
Professional Experience
List your most recent roles first. Focus on measurable achievements and results.
[Job Title]
[Employer] – [City, State]
[Start Date – End Date]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
[Next Job Title]
[Employer] – [City, State]
[Start Date – End Date]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
- [Action verb + responsibility + measurable result]
Education
List your degrees in reverse-chronological order. Include optional details like honors or thesis titles, if relevant.
[Degree & Field of Study]
[Institution] – [City, State]
[Graduation Year (optional)]
- Thesis or dissertation title (optional)
- Honors, distinctions, or awards (optional)
- Relevant coursework, certifications, or projects (optional)
Skills
Include 6–8 skills that are most relevant to the position.
- [Skill]
- [Skill]
- [Skill]
Optional Sections
- Certifications: [Certification name, issuing organization, date]
- Professional memberships: [Organization, membership type, dates]
- Languages: [Language + proficiency level]
- Publications: [Title, journal/book, publication date in APA or MLA format]
- Projects: [Project name, role, measurable result]
- Teaching experience: [Course name, institution, role, dates, responsibilities or achievements]
- Research experience: [Project or lab, role, dates, outcomes]
- Conferences: [Conference name, role, date]
- Awards & honors: [Award name, organization, date]
- Volunteer experience: [Organization, role, dates, contribution]
- Hobbies & interests: [Relevant personal or professional interests]
Pro tip: Zety’s CV templates have built-in formatting and design options to ensure your resume looks professional and passes applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Creating a CV with our builder is incredibly simple. Choose a CV template and follow our step-by-step guidance to have a professional CV ready in minutes.
When you’re done, Zety's CV Checker will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.
How to Structure Your CV for Your Career Stage
While the core sections remain consistent, your CV format should reflect your career stage. Follow these guidelines depending on your years of experience:
Entry-Level
If you’re starting your career or have limited professional experience, focus on your education, internships, projects, and transferable skills. Place your education section above work experience if it is more impressive than your professional history.
Use a skills-based CV to highlight abilities over professional tenure, drawing attention to what you can do rather than what you have done.
Mid-Career
For those with several years of experience, emphasize work experience and measurable achievements. A chronological CV works best here to showcase your professional growth.
Skills can be included as a separate section to complement your experience, but your career trajectory should take center stage.
Senior-Level
Executives, senior researchers, or established academics should focus on results, high-level responsibilities, and contributions to organizational goals.
Use a chronological CV and consider including optional sections like publications, awards, and professional memberships to add credibility.
Pro tip: Always tailor your CV structure to the role and industry. For academic or research positions, sections highlighting publications, research, and teaching may take priority over work experience.
CV Examples to Get Inspired
Check out these CV examples to see how other job seekers showcase their strengths.
Graduate CV
Art Lecturer CV
Associate Professor CV
How to Format Your CV
Formatting your CV properly makes it easier for hiring managers and ATS to read and quickly find the information they need.
Follow these formatting tips:
- Choose a professional font. Use Calibri, Arial, or Georgia to keep your CV easy to read.
- Set consistent font sizes. Make headings 12–14 pt and body text 10–12 pt for clarity.
- Maintain uniform spacing and margins. Use 0.5–1 inch margins and even spacing between sections and bullet points.
- Label each section clearly. Opt for standard headings like "Professional Experience" or "Skills" to keep your CV ATS-friendly.
- Use bullet points for readability. Start each bullet with a strong action verb to convey initiative and save valuable CV space.
- Align dates and locations consistently. Place them on the right side to create a clean, organized layout.
- Order sections strategically. Place the most relevant sections first, depending on your career stage.
- Format optional sections evenly. Present publications, conferences, awards, and certifications in a uniform style with proper citations.
- Save as PDF. Save and send your CV as a PDF to preserve your formatting across devices, unless the employer requests a different file type.
What Not to Include in Your CV
Including irrelevant, outdated, or unprofessional information could hurt your chances of securing an interview.
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Disclosing personal information that isn't required (e.g., marital status, date of birth, social security number)
- Including unprofessional email addresses
- Adding outdated skills
- Writing long paragraphs instead of bullet points
- Listing salary history or expectations
- Including references—employers assume you will provide them if asked
- Using graphics, tables, or overly complex designs that ATS can't read
Key Takeaways
Before you go to create your CV, remember these key points:
- Every CV includes five main sections: contact information, personal statement, professional experience, education, and skills.
- Since CVs can run several pages long and detail your full career history, you can include additional sections such as certifications, languages, publications, projects, and more.
- Consider your career stage when structuring your CV, and choose between a chronological or skills-based format to showcase your strengths.
- Use clean, consistent formatting to make your CV easy to scan and visually professional.
- Avoid including irrelevant, outdated, or overly personal information, as this can weaken your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are 5 things you should include in your CV?
Five things you should include in your CV are:
- Contact information
- Personal statement
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
These sections provide employers with a comprehensive overview of your qualifications and career background.
Your contact details allow recruiters to reach you, while your statement introduces your strengths. Work experience and education show your credentials, and skills highlight what you bring to the role.
What are the 5 main parts of a CV?
The five main parts of a CV are:
- Contact information: Enables communication with employers
- Personal statement: Summarizes your most impressive strengths
- Professional experience: Shows your achievements and career growth
- Education: Lists your credentials and expertise
- Skills: Highlights your key abilities
Together, these sections present your professional identity, background, and qualifications.
What can I include in a CV?
Your CV should include your full career history. Start with your essential sections:
- Contact information
- Personal statement
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
Then, you can add optional sections that showcase a comprehensive view of your experience. For example:
- Certifications
- Publications
- Projects
- Awards
- Volunteer work
- Languages
- Professional memberships
These additions help highlight your expertise, accomplishments, and professional involvement, especially for academic, technical, or specialized roles.
What must I not to put on a CV?
You should not put personal details, irrelevant experience, unprofessional content, or outdated information on your CV. Avoid including your age, marital status, salary history, social security number, or personal photos unless required.
Also, skip generic statements, long paragraphs, typos, and unrelated hobbies that distract from your qualifications.
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