From Personal Details to References: Building a Professional CV in 7 Easy Steps

First impressions last, and when submitting a CV for a potential job, you need sure you make it count. Crafting a professional CV that highlights your qualifications, experience, and skills is essential for making a positive impression on potential employers.

Here is a step-by-step guide to building an impactful CV, covering each section from personal details to references.

Key CV Sections

1. Personal Details: Include your full name, contact information, and location.
2. Professional Summary or Objective:
   • Summary: A brief overview for experienced candidates.
   • Objective: For recent graduates or career changers, outlining career goals.
3. Work Experience: Job title, company, dates, and key achievements or responsibilities.
4. Education: Degree, institution, graduation date, and optional honors or relevant coursework.
5. Skills: List technical skills and job-relevant soft skills.
6. Certifications & Additional Qualifications: Relevant certifications, courses, or workshops.
7. References: “References available upon request” is usually sufficient.

These sections create a clear structure that allows employers to quickly assess your qualifications.

Let’s Build a Professional CV

Step 1: Personal Details

What to Include:

• Full Name: Use your full name as it appears on official documents.
• Contact Information: Include your phone number, professional email address, and optionally, your LinkedIn profile.
• Location: Only list your city and country—no need for your full address unless required by the job application.

Tips:

• Use a professional email address, ideally one with just your name and a minimal amount of numbers.
• Keep this section clear and concise at the top of your CV.

Step 2: Professional Summary or Objective

What to Include:

• Professional Summary (for experienced candidates): A brief (2-3 sentences) overview of your experience, key skills, and what you bring to the role. Focus on the unique value you offer.
• Objective (for recent graduates or career changers): A statement that summarizes your career goals and your enthusiasm for the industry or role you are applying to.

Tips:

• Tailor this section for each job you apply for by aligning your skills and goals with the job requirements.
• Avoid vague phrases; be specific about your experience, skills, and what you’re seeking.

Step 3: Work Experience

What to Include:

• Job Title, Company, and Dates of Employment: List each role starting with the most recent.
• Key Responsibilities and Achievements: Use bullet points to outline your primary responsibilities and quantify achievements whenever possible (e.g., “Increased sales by 20%”).
• Skills Applied: Mention skills relevant to the position you’re applying for, like “Project Management,” “Data Analysis,” or “Customer Relations.”

Tips:

• Focus on achievements over duties—describe how you added value to the company.
• Keep descriptions succinct and relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Step 4: Education

What to Include:

• Degree(s) and Institution(s): List your degree, major, and the name of the institution.
• Graduation Date: Include the year of graduation.
• Honors, Certifications, or Relevant Coursework (optional): Mention any honors, key certifications, or courses that are particularly relevant to the role.

Tips:

• Recent graduates should place this section before Work Experience.
• Only mention GPA if it’s required or if it’s particularly impressive.

Step 5: Skills

What to Include:

• Technical Skills: List any technical skills relevant to the role, such as software proficiencies, programming languages, or industry-specific tools.
• Soft Skills (optional): Highlight skills like “Team Leadership,” “Effective Communication,” or “Time Management,” particularly if the job description emphasizes them.

Tips:

• Use a combination of soft and hard skills tailored to the job description.
• Avoid generic terms; instead, be specific about the tools, software, or techniques you are proficient in.

Find More Here: 5 Microsoft Office Skills to Highlight on Your CV

Step 6: Certifications and Additional Qualifications

What to Include:

• Certifications: List industry-recognized certifications relevant to the position, such as “PMP” for project managers or “Certified Public Accountant” for finance roles.
• Courses or Workshops: Mention any additional training, online courses, or workshops that demonstrate your commitment to professional growth.

Tips:

• Include expiration dates if relevant (especially for certifications that require renewals).
• Prioritize qualifications that directly relate to the job role.

Read: Top Certifications to Boost Your CV in 2025

Step 7: References

What to Include:

• It’s often sufficient to simply state, “References available upon request” instead of listing individual contacts on your CV.
• If requested, provide the name, job title, company, phone number, and email for each reference on a separate document.

Tips:

• Make sure to get consent from your references before listing them.
• Choose references who can speak to your professional achievements, work ethic, and reliability.

Font Sizes and Layout Formatting Tips

A professional CV should be clean, clear, and easy to read. Here’s how to ensure your formatting meets those standards:

Fonts

• Recommended Fonts: Use standard, readable fonts like Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman. These fonts are commonly used in professional documents and are universally compatible.
• Font Sizes:
  • Header/Name: 18-22 pt.
  • Section Headings: 12-14 pt, bold.
  • Body Text: 10-12 pt, depending on the font.

Margins

• Margins: Keep margins at around 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides. If you need more space, adjust to a minimum of 0.75 inches (1.9 cm).
• This keeps the content visually centered and prevents overcrowding on the page.

Spacing and Layout

• Line Spacing: Set to 1.0 or 1.15 to maintain readability without taking up excessive space.
• Section Spacing: Leave space between sections (around 6-12 pt) to create a clear distinction between different parts of your CV.
• Bullet Points: Use bullet points for lists, especially for responsibilities and achievements in the Work Experience section. This helps highlight your key points and improves readability.

Additional Layout Tips

• Consistency: Ensure font sizes, bullet styles, and spacing are consistent throughout.
• Bold and Italics: Use bold for headings and job titles, and italics for company names or dates to create a clear hierarchy of information.
• Alignment: Align text to the left for easy readability. Keep headings and contact information at the center or top-left corner of the page.

These formatting guidelines create a polished CV that is visually appealing and easy to navigate, helping you make a strong first impression with potential employers.

Final Checklist: Before You Submit Your Professional CV

1. Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV matches the job description by incorporating keywords from the job post.
2. Proofread Thoroughly: Look for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors.
3. Format for Readability: Use a clean layout with consistent fonts and spacing to ensure it’s easy to read.
4. Save as a PDF (unless instructed otherwise): PDF format preserves your CV’s format and is generally preferred.

With these seven steps, you’ll be ready to submit a professional, polished CV that effectively showcases your qualifications and readiness for the role.