Bottom line: You need a professional and well-crafted CV to win the recruiter and to be invited for an interview.
We’ve been sharing our free CV templates that are editable in MS Word however they don’t really outline the important sections to include and exclude when writing the content of your CV.
So below, we outline the most significant sections to include/exclude from your CV to boost its presence, even if you don’t have a lot of experience.
Without wasting your time, let’s get started.
Professional Summary / Career Objective
Your CV MUST always include a professional summary or career objective, regardless of whether you have experience or not.
Briefly describe and summarize your personal profile in 2-3 sentences highlighting your experience and key skills, and how you’ll fit for the job post. This should be customized for each of the different posts you’ll be sending your CVs.
Creating a “perfect” CV or resume will depend on individual circumstances, including the specific job you are applying for, the industry, and your personal experiences and skills.
Here, I’ll give you a template that you can adapt whether you have experience in your field or not:
For an Experienced Individual:
Contact Information:
- Phone: (Your phone number)
- Email: (Your professional email address)
- LinkedIn: (Your LinkedIn profile URL)
- (Optional) Portfolio/Website: (URL to your professional portfolio or website)
Professional Experience:
(Job Title 1) – (Company/Organization Name 1), (Location)
- (Start Date) – (End Date)
- Achievement or responsibility 1
- Achievement or responsibility 2
- Achievement or responsibility 3
(Job Title 2) – (Company/Organization Name 2), (Location)
- (Start Date) – (End Date)
- Achievement or responsibility 1
- Achievement or responsibility 2
- Achievement or responsibility 3
Education:
- (Degree) in (Major) from (Institution), (Year of graduation)
- Relevant coursework: (list a few relevant courses if applicable)
Skills:
- List of relevant skills
- (e.g., Project Management, Data Analysis, Python, etc.)
Certifications:
- List of relevant certifications
Professional Memberships:
- List of professional organizations of which you are a member
References:
- Available upon request
For an Individual Without Experience:
Contact Information:
- Phone: (Your phone number)
- Email: (Your professional email address)
- LinkedIn: (Your LinkedIn profile URL)
Education:
- (Degree) in (Major) from (Institution), (Year of graduation)
- Relevant coursework: (list a few relevant courses)
Projects/Portfolio:
- Title of project 1: (brief description of the project)
- Title of project 2: (brief description of the project)
Skills:
- List of relevant skills
- (e.g., Research, MS Office, Basic Understanding of Python, etc.)
Volunteer Experience: (Role) – (Organization), (Location)
- (Start Date) – (End Date)
- Achievement or responsibility 1
- Achievement or responsibility 2
Extracurricular Activities:
- Activity 1: (brief description of your role and achievements)
- Activity 2: (brief description of your role and achievements)
Certifications:
- List of relevant certifications
References:
- Available upon request
Most importantly, you must tailor your CV to your personal experiences and the job you are applying for, using keywords from the job posting where appropriate.
Always proofread your CV or resume to ensure it is free of errors and is professionally presented, otherwise, it won’t pass the ATS assessment.