Copywriter CV Examples & Guide (20+ Tips)

Why did the woman dump her copywriter boyfriend?

Lack of engagement.

Oh God. I know. You’re better than this, right?

So let your copywriter CV prove it. Like the one below does:

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Copywriter CV made with our builder—See more CV examples here.

Copywriter CV Sample

Targetting other jobs? See our guides:

• Cleaner CV
• Graphic Designer CV
• Web Developer CV
• Warehouse Operative CV
• Teacher CV
• Marketing CV
• Business Analyst CV
• Bartender CV
• Architecture CV
• Academic CV

Now, here’s how to make a copywriter CV step by step:

1. Pick a Proper Format for Your Copywriting CV

Your job is to pick the right words to make the brand heard.

But you know no copy is good enough to make up for poor UX and sloppy design, right?

Sure, the words on a CV for copywriting jobs matter, but good formatting is just as important.

Here are the most important CV layout rules to keep in mind:

• Create a legible CV heading with your personal details. Include the link to your online portfolio.
• Divide your CV into sections with headings that stand out.
• Pick one of the standard formats for your CV: usually, the reverse-chronological format is the one that works best.
• Choose a nice, elegant CV font. Stick to the classics, such as Arial, Verdana, Georgia, Helvetica, or Bookman Old Style.
• If you’re a freelancer, learn how to list freelance experience on your CV. If you’ve only done freelancing gigs and no full-time jobs, you might want to consider writing a functional CV instead of the reverse-chronological classic.

Pro Tip: For creative jobs, such as those in copywriting, your portfolio is just as important as your CV. Add links to your professional website with the portfolio of your samples in the contact information section. Don’t have one? Create it as soon as you can.

2. Write a Copywriter CV Profile

Also called a CV summary, a CV profile or personal statement is that short blurb at the top of your CV, just below your contact information. 

Its purpose is to provide the hiring manager with a snapshot of your career and explain why you’re perfect for the job.

And the easiest way to write it is to answer these simple questions:

• Who are you? 
• What can you offer to the employer? 
• What are your career goals? 

The way you answer will be different depending on your experience. So if you’re an experienced copywriter, use this approach:

• Make a list of your professional strengths, considering all of the experience and skills you have that make you a master of your trade.
• Then read the job advert and match 3–4 points from your own list to the skills and experience set out in the job requirements.
• Use these points to write a CV summary targeted to the job in question.

And if you’re just starting out and lacking in experience then use this approach.

• List any experience and skills you already have and highlight anything that’s relevant to a copywriter role. Consider previous jobs of any kind and your education too.
• Then combine this existing experience and skill set with passion for the job, and some knowledge of the employer to show you’ll be a good fit.

Pro Tip: Struggling to come up with the perfect narrative for your CV profile? Skip it for now. Write the rest of your CV first, then pick the best bits and compile them into a good CV introduction.

3. Create the Perfect Copywriter Work Experience Section

Here comes the crucial part of your copywriter CV: the work history section.

See, hiring managers want to review your CV pretty much for the sole purpose of reviewing your employment history.

The trick? Don’t just write up what you did. Show how well you did it. Highlight achievements over dull responsibilities.

Here’s how to write your copywriter CV work experience section:

• Start with your current or most recent job, then list previous positions chronologically-descending.
• Include: your professional title, company name, dates worked, and 4–6 bullet points describing your duties and achievements.
• Open each bullet with an action verb: created, led, boosted, developed, owned, etc.
• Quantify your achievements whenever possible. Numbers grab attention!
• Tailor every CV you send to match the job requirements. Show what a great fit you are.

Pro Tip: Need a way to punch your copywriting CV up a notch? Boost your video and visual skills! It will also increase your value on the job market: this study shows that the content distribution channels most companies plan to add to their marketing communication areas next year are: YouTube, Facebook Video, and Instagram.

4. Make Your Copywriter CV Education Section Speak Volumes

Listing education on a CV isn’t too complicated. Just follow these basic rules:

• Have more than 5 years of experience? Only list: your degree, university name, dates of study.
• Barely starting out in a copywriting career? Include extra details such as academic achievements, extracurricular activities, relevant coursework, or favorite fields of study.

5. Highlight Your Copywriting Skills

Just looking for some inspiration for your CV’s skills section? Check out this skills list:

Key Copywriter Skills

Technical Skills:

• SEO editing skills
• Web design skills
• UX skills
• Excel skills
• HTML
• CSS
• JavaScript
• A/B testing
• CRO
• Keyword research
• Target audience analysis
• Content strategy, development, planning
• Image optimization
• Photoshop, Indesign, Illustrator
• Typography
• Print Design

To see more hard skills related to copywriting and marketing jobs, read this guide: Marketing Skills to Master in 2019

Transferable and Soft Skills:

• Creativity and Problem Solving
• Taking Criticism
• Research
• Conceptual Skills
• Time Management
• Critical Thinking
• Teamwork Skills

The twist?

Raw lists of skills are pretty useless. Don’t just dump some skills you think you have in a random order on your CV. Do this instead:

How to Put Copywriting Skills on a CV

• In a spreadsheet, list all key job skills you have: both soft skills and hard skills, plus industry-specific technical skills.
• Read the job ad. Identify skills-related keywords.
• See which of these key competencies match your skills listed in the spreadsheet. Quite a few, right?
• Put those copywriting skills in a separate skills section of your CV.
• Don’t stop there: provide evidence for those skills in other parts of your CV such as the CV summary and work experience section.

Pro Tip: What are the most sought-after creative skills today? Let’s consult it with data! Recent studies by LinkedIn and HubSpot have shown these are the hottest skills creative workers should have: UX Design, Video Production, Audio Production, Social Media Content Design.

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add “Other” Sections to Your Copywriter CV

Want to make your CV stand out? Prove you’ve got that extra gear.

Add extra sections that show your versatility and verify your skills.

Some examples include:

• Activities
• Professional or personal projects
• Volunteer work
• Conferences
• Honors
• Certifications
• Awards
• Compliments from employers
• Publications
• Sports
• Hobbies and interests
• Language skills

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Copywriter CV

Cover letters are still important!

Almost half of recruiters and hiring managers think so.

Plus, is there a better way to provide employers with a sample of your writing skills than a captivating, flawlessly-phrased copywriting cover letter?

Write your cover letter following these steps:

• Pick a professional cover letter format.
• Open your cover letter with a catchy first paragraph.
• Don’t focus on yourself. Instead, show how your skills and experience can help the employer.
• Finish your cover letter with a reader-oriented offer and a call to action asking for a meeting or a call.

And, presto. Everything you need to know to land that copywriting gig you’re after.

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.

Got any questions? Need help writing your CV for copywriting jobs? Drop me a line in the comments, I’ll do my best to help!