
How to Write a Cover Letter for Any Application in 2023
Sat down to writing a cover letter and your mind’s gone blank? Check these tips and tricks and write your cover letter in no time.
What to include on a CV is like a recipe. The CV sections are your ingredients. And this guide? The cooking instructions for a job-winning CV meal.
Whether you’ve just left school or you have decades of experience, writing a CV can be enough to make you break out in a cold sweat. You have to know exactly what to include in a CV, there are rules after all.
But you also need to put it in such a way that it’ll knock the socks off the employer and guarantee you a job interview. It’s nerve-wracking. If you miss out a crucial element your application is rubbish bin fodder.
Luckily, it’s time to relax and wipe that sweat off your brow. You’re about to learn what to put on a CV to do both.
This guide will show you:
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Sample CV made with our builder—See more templates and create your CV here.
Want to discover even more about CV writing? Read more here:
This example shows you what each CV section is called and where it should be included.
No matter what job you’re applying for, there’s a set CV order of sections you have to follow if you want your application to be taken seriously. First the must-haves to create the best CV template.
That’s the bare minimum. Fail to include those sections and your CV will be rejected without a second thought. But if you want the best chance of getting the job you should aim higher than the bare minimum. Additional sections are a great way of making your job application stand out.
The following sections are all good things to put on a CV:
So what order should you put your CV sections in? That depends on what stage you’re at in your career.
So the sections of a CV, education and work experience, can change places depending on your circumstances. And both situations above are applicable to a chronological CV format only. For a skills-based CV the rules are slightly different.
Now for a quick look at what to put in every CV section.
Read more here to find out all about the two main types of CV format: CV Format: Best Examples for Job Hunting Success
Every CV should include the following sections:
Include the following information in your CV contact section:
Details you should never include on your CV:
You’re probably wondering why you shouldn’t include your postal address. The answer’s simple. It’s unnecessary. Job applications aren’t done via Royal Mail anymore. Leave off your postal address and give yourself more room for the important stuff.
Your CV personal statement (also known as a CV personal profile) is a brief 2–4 sentence paragraph that follows your contact info. In a nutshell, the sole purpose of your personal statement is to get the hiring manager to read the rest of your CV.
In short, your CV profile is an answer to these three questions.
Your approach will be different depending on your experience. If you’re applying for a job where you do have relevant experience, then do this.
If you’re applying for an entry-level role or you’re a career changer then do this instead.
Whatever your level of experience, ensure your personal statement is targeted to the job you’re applying for. Don’t just use the same old profile for every application. Here’s a sample.
Highly motivated receptionist with 5+ years experience in busy front desk roles. Immaculately presented with highly developed communication skills and pride in giving an outstanding first impression to clients and visitors. Looking to take on new challenges that enable my calm and focused approach to shine.
This section is much easier to write if you leave it until last. You’ll find it really helps to have your experience, skills and education already in front of you and ready to refer to.
Read more: How to Write a CV Personal Statement: CV Personal Profile Examples
This is the most important section of your CV. It’s no surprise that 92% of recruiters say previous job experience is the most important hiring factor to consider. But you can’t just include work experience in your CV and hope for the best. You’ve got to do it right.
Each entry in your work experience section should:
Customer Service Advisor
Senco Systems, Greater Manchester
November 2018—Present
The structure of this section depends on your level of professional experience.
If you’ve got more than two years of work experience and you’re a university graduate, only list your degrees and include the following.
BA (Hons), 2:1, History, September 2014–June 2017
University of Manchester, UK
If you’re a uni graduate with less than two years of work experience or you’re still studying, then you can include some extra info. Add a sub-section containing coursework, if it’s relevant, and include an expected graduation date if you’re still studying.
Economics BSC (Hons), September 2019–June 2021 (Expected graduation date)
University of Manchester, UK
Relevant Coursework: Econometrics, Mathematical Economics, International Trade & Finance
If you’re a school leaver then simply list your A-levels and GCSEs. Include individual subjects for your A-levels, but for your GCSEs you only need to list Maths and English. Many employers look for passes in these subjects as a minimum requirement. No need to include grades for individual subjects unless you’re specifically requested to do so.
A-levels: Business, Computer Science, English Literature. September 2016–June 2018
Stockford Academy, London, UK
9 GCSEs including Mathematics and English, September 2014–June 2016
Stockford Academy, London, UK
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.
This rounds up the last of the must-have sections. Last it may be, but certainly not least. A massive 93% of hiring managers rate soft skills in particular as an ‘essential’ or ‘very important’ factor in hiring decisions.
The most important skills to include are? You guessed it, skills that are relevant and targeted to the job you’re applying for. So—
So that’s the last essential section dealt with. But you need to stand out from the 118 other applicants who want the job too. So let’s see what else you should include on your CV.
Read more: Key CV Skills: Best List of Top Skills and Examples
The bare essentials aren’t going to cut it if you want to be one of the few candidates who score an interview. If you’ve got something extra then make good use of it. You’ve already seen some examples of what to include as additional CV sections.Now let’s look at a few potential choices in more detail.
Hobbies
An underappreciated CV section, it’s a great way of setting yourself apart as an individual. Just don’t choose hobbies that are too off the wall. Psychokinetic fork bending isn’t relevant to many careers.
Volunteering
Including volunteering on your CV has a particularly powerful effect. 8 out of 10 hiring managers prefer to hire people with volunteering experience.
Languages
Foreign language skills are another brilliant thing to put in your CV. Language skills are required at all levels of the workforce and the most in-demand languages are German, French and Spanish.
So when you’re considering what to put on a CV don’t forget to consider including these extra sections. Some other suggestions are:
Remember, you’re applying for a job, not putting together a puzzle. There’s more to it than simply fitting the sections together. So what else do you need to put in a CV?
The recruitment process is becoming more automated and data-driven. 90% of major companies use ATS software to scan job applications. Applicant Tracking Systems scan your CV for keywords and reject any that don’t include what’s required. All before a human even sees them.
CV keywords are words and phrases that describe desired experience, skills or traits. The job title is also a keyword. Thankfully, you’ll find them laid out for you in the job advert.
Suncom Systems seeks an accomplished office manager with 5+ years experience. Must be proficient in supplier contract management and have experience managing a team of office assistants.
Everything in bold is a CV keyword. So use them, but do it well. Don’t just string keywords together. Make sure your CV remains grammatical and easy to read.
Your CV has to look great and be readable too. The best way to achieve that is with effective CV layout. Here’s what to do.
To learn more about how to write a CV read more here: How to Write a CV: Professional Examples for the UK
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.
Here’s what to include in a CV:
Now you know exactly what to put in a CV. Thanks for reading. Are you still not sure what do you need to include in a CV? Want to know more about optional sections on a CV? There’s a comments section just for you. Ask and I’ll be happy to answer.
Sat down to writing a cover letter and your mind’s gone blank? Check these tips and tricks and write your cover letter in no time.
Getting your cover letter format right gives your job application an instant boost. Read this guide and learn how to create an expertly formatted cover letter recruiters will love.
Drawing a blank isn’t always a bad thing. If you're looking for a blank CV template we’ve got 18 brilliant examples. Ready for you to fill with job-winning content.