As they say, “the first impression is the last impression,” and since your CV or résumé is probably the first thing your potential employer will look at, you have to make sure that it has a good impact.
The key is to find the perfect balance between putting down the appropriate amount of information and, at the same time, making it an easy read.
So it’s worth giving it enough thought, effort and time to formulate the perfect CV and make it look as presentable as possible.
A top-quality CV example will have all the basics about you, including different statements highlighting your expertise and skills related to the job. It shouldn’t downplay your potential, nor should it be too long that no one wants to read it.
It’s truly a rat race; in that, your CV is the only thing standing in the way of getting a step closer to your dream job. However, it’s not the easiest to get to the top with thousands, sometimes millions of applicants.
But don’t worry. Below, we have listed 20 best CV examples to help you look professional, impress your employer and stand out among the other fish in the sea.
Traditional
This type of résumé or CV is the most common. You might learn how to make these types of résumés in school, where you add content to a page in the most straightforward manner. In this type, you typically follow a chronological order to list your qualifications, education and experience.
There’s no creative layout followed in these types of CVs. Instead, it’s usually as black and white as it can get. It’s a safe play, and some employers prefer the simplicity of traditional CVs to modern ones.
However, there are some drawbacks to this type of résumé because of its simplicity.
Without following color palettes, or interesting layouts for your CV, it can look boring or like any other résumé that comes through your employer’s office. Hence, it can get discarded as your regular old Joe.
So to make your CV stand out, you must add more effort to your content. Use short bullet points and simple sentences that are easy to understand. Try to make it as unique as possible so that you can grab the recruiters’ attention.
Student
No matter if you are an adult looking for your first job or if you’re still a student who is looking to work part-time for extra pocket money or experience, you will still need to have a good CV.
If you’re wondering how to create a student CV without work experience, don’t worry because there are many things you can add. There’s no hard and fast rule about what you can and cannot add to your résumé.
Recollect your talents and skills and add them to your CV. This can be your involvement in school extracurricular activities, any achievements and laurels you have received from school, special courses you have taken, and even volunteer work you’ve down outside your school life.
Try to highlight your responsibilities under each of the skills you have mentioned. Clearly define what you have done, so the recruiters know what you can do. Remember to make it look as neat as possible and follow an orderly format, so it’s easy to read.
Career Break
Many people think that a gap between your working years can be detrimental to your professional CV, which is why candidates tend to lie about their work experience. However, it’s always better to be honest from the get-go. This includes mentioning it in your CV.
You don’t have to go into all the minute details of why you have taken the break, but you can explain the reason behind the employment gap in a sentence or two.
You also don’t have to worry about coming up with a legit excuse because whatever it is, you probably did it in your best interest.
On the other hand, if you have done anything during your gap year, like volunteering or opening your own start-up business at home, freelancing, etc., you can mention them. Additionally, if you’ve been busy with online courses, these can also be mentioned here.
The bottom line is not to feel like you have to lie about your circumstances. It is always better to be honest because leaving such things unaddressed can only cause more problems for you in the future.
Career Changer
It takes a lot of courage and a decisive leap of faith to change courses in your professional life. A change in your career is not simple, especially if you are considering starting a job completely different from the one you currently hold.
So before you decide to send in your résumé for the new job application, make sure you ask yourself, “will your experience in the current field translate to the skills you need for this new job?”
When it comes to résumés for a career change you need to have a strong and convincing content that will persuade the recruiter to consider your application.
One of the top skills you have to portray is that you are a fast learner. Give assurance to the recruiters that you have what it takes to apply your current skills to learn the new job’s responsibilities and excel in the field.
For example, suppose you’re considering applying for a marketing job after working as a content writer. In that case, you can add your research skills and creativity to your resume in coming up with new ideas that align with the skills you need for a marketing firm.
Executive
Landing an executive job is perhaps more challenging than other job roles. For this type of résumés, you need an airtight list of skills and qualities that perfectly align with the job you are applying for.
The goal is to impress the recruiters with your list of achievements, which will highlight your entire CV. In most cases, the most effective format for executive résumés is a hybrid format where you have a summary of your expertise in the field.
This covers your experiences and skills relative to your current job. Also, mention all the achievements you have made throughout your career in a clear and simple format.
Follow a systematic format of providing an overview of your career at the top and continue the rest of the page with your notable achievements. Since this type of résumés requires the inclusion of summaries, try to make it as readable as possible.
Academic
For academic résumés, the central focus should be placed on education. Because the job is focused on academia, whether for research or an educational role, you have to understand that the recruiters will pay close attention to your qualifications.
Some essential aspects you need to cover are your educational qualifications, experience in teaching, publications, research work, etc. You can mention your qualities and skills, but they aren’t nearly as important as the rest of the aspects.
Internship
Since internships tend to have a lot of competition, it’s worth spending the time to customize the resume per the internship program’s requirements.
For example, if you are applying for a marketing internship program, make sure you mention your skills, experience and qualifications related to marketing.
Because internship programs are typically short-term, they usually recruit people who tick all the boxes for the position. There’s not as much freedom for the candidate to learn and adapt to the work environment as a full-time job offers.
So always focus on your key skills, mention your qualifications in reverse chronological order in a clear section of the page and provide details about your work experience if you have any.
Your grades might also play a huge role in determining if you get the position or not, so you can also add the grades you have achieved throughout your experience in the field.
Graduate
Graduate résumés are typically meant for freshers in the world of jobs. Like you, there will be plenty of other freshers looking for a job in similar fields as yours, so your goal with the résumé should be to make a strong impression and get the upper hand.
Make an excellent first impression by providing a brief but interesting profile at the top and following that with your experience and qualifications.
You can also include your grades, extracurricular laurels and achievements and any other qualifications you have under your belt.
Since a graduate résumé is typically for your first professional job, try to include as much information as possible about your skills and qualities but follow a systematic format so that information doesn’t get lost in print.
Sales Manager
Similar to other job role résumés, you have to start with the specifics of your experience and qualifications for a sales manager job post CV. Tailor the résumé to fit the job role requirement and summarize your industry experience.
It is also helpful to add a list of all the different experiences you’ve had in the field, ideally in reverse chronological order, so that your latest job is at the top of the list. Don’t forget to briefly describe your responsibilities under each job, highlighting more of your skills and talents.
Military To Civilian Transition
Transitioning from the military to an ordinary workplace is more daunting than you think. Likewise, creating a CV to translate your experience in the military to a job role is far from a walk in the park.
The military is such a different industry to our everyday commercial and private companies that it’s difficult to imagine what skill set a military veteran can offer in such a field.
However, many people don’t know what goes on in the military. So your job as an applicant is to write down your experience and qualifications so that it’s easy for ordinary citizens to understand.
Military language and jargon can be difficult to understand. If you list your qualifications and achievements, try to add a short description that explains in simple words so that the recruiters understand what you are offering to the company.
Receptionist
Contrary to popular belief, the role of a receptionist is much in demand in the industry. Hence, there will be thousands of résumés like yours, claiming their achievements and strengths to prove their worth for the job.
The trick is to write compelling content that distinguishes your skills from the rest of the applicants. Keep it simple and straight to the point, and highlight the aspects of your experience most relevant to the job you are applying for. Industry-specific skills give you a higher chance of getting recruited.
Customer Service
The customer service sector is also one of the industries requiring a specific skill set. So your résumé should include a section that explains all your skills related to the job. It would be helpful if you have certification in various professional courses that cater to your role in the customer service department.
You can also jot down your qualifications to further your claim to the position with absolute proof of your eligibility. Consider CVs that have a simple yet interactive layout which makes the recruiters eager to read them.
Civil Engineer
When it comes to civil engineering résumés, the most common route to follow is a simple format. Try to avoid fluffy words and straightforwardly write your qualifications.
The most crucial section for civil engineering résumés is the educational qualifications section. Make this section as detailed as possible. You can go the extra mile and add your grades under every achievement, course or degree.
If you already have experience in the field, mention your roles and responsibilities. If you’ve been part of professional assignments or projects, mention them. You can also make use of bullet points to place more emphasis on your content.
While the look you’re going for is minimal, don’t forget to keep it as professional as possible. You can also list your skills, qualities, and attributes that will help your case.
Teacher
The role of a teacher is restricted to the academic and educational fields. Hence, your résumé should reflect the basic and professional skills required in such a setting.
The main focus should be on your experience in the field as a scholar or a teacher. Explain in brief the responsibilities you carried under those roles as well.
It would help if you also considered adding a section that explains your educational background in the most detailed way possible.
Minute details like the year and month of every qualification and experience should be mentioned so that the recruiters have a clear idea about your professional life up until now.
Take it a step further and add skills and qualities about you that make you the perfect candidate for the role.
An excellent example of a teacher’s CV includes a brief profile at the top of the page that defines your personality and what you can bring to the table. This gives your résumé an edge, which might be precisely what your recruiters are looking for.
Actor
Perhaps the most different out of all the résumés we have mentioned so far is the actor résumé. Unlike the other résumés where you have to mention in detail all your qualifications and educational background, an actor résumé should be more focused on your expertise and experience.
Your skills and training in the field are also essential aspects that recruiters look into.
Get your creative juices flowing and create a dynamic résumé that will easily catch recruiters’ attention. An additional requirement when you create an actor CV is to mention your biography in detail.
This includes height, weight, hair color, eye color, etc. These details are not necessary for any other professional CV but are very important regarding actor résumés.
Hire a professional photographer and get some headshots taken for your portfolio. This will help the casting directors determine whether you are the right fit for the specific role they are looking for.
Make it more engaging by adding your recent or previous projects, the achievements through these projects and your unique skills that make you an asset to the company.
Graphic Designer
Résumés for graphic designers mainly serve two purposes- the first is to showcase your qualifications and your experience in the field, and the other is to display your talent. Like the actor résumés, graphic designer résumés also include a portfolio to go along with the résumé.
You don’t have to get too technical about your qualifications but mention the professional experiences and achievements under your name.
Also, when you choose your portfolio demonstration, pick the ones that you deem are your best work but also unique and show off your creativity.
As a graphic designer, even the layout of your résumé will act as a judgment piece, so make sure you put in the effort for this.
IT Manager
An IT manager post will include the requirement of specific skill sets like finance and accounting. Hence, your résumé should reflect these skills in detail.
Start with your educational background and what you’ve done in your professional life related to the industry.
Don’t hold back from using industry jargon to explain your qualifications in detail. Additional detail for IT Manager posts is to add your expertise in different types of software.
Because the job is strictly focused on such aspects, making your CV as distinct and intentional as possible is good.
Show off your IT knowledge and skills by listing them in bullet points in one section. The recruiters are probably looking for these details that will determine whether you make the cut or not.
Nurse
Come up with a professional summary that details what qualifies you to get the job. Mention your speciality and back it up with proof through educational background and professional qualifications.
Another vital aspect to consider is your certifications. To practice as a professional nurse, you must qualify for specific exams and get certified and registered under the authority board. Make sure to add these details to your CV.
Use medical terminologies to show off your proficiency in the subject matter. Since you are catering to a specific industry, it’s okay to narrow down your CV to your specific skill set, which is helpful for the job you are applying to.
Pharmacist
As with any other role in the medical industry, start by mentioning your specialty. Back up your claims by listing your educational background, details of your achievements and, most importantly, your professional journey in all your previous roles.
Include industry-specific details like your pharmacy license number and your registration as a certified pharmacist to boost your CV.
International
Like any other CV, international ones also serve the same purpose. The only difference is that these résumés are aimed at international job searches rather than local job positions.
For your CV to stand out, you have to spend time on research and mention not only your qualifications for the job, but also a set of qualifications that make you eligible to work in the country where you are applying for the job.
Different countries have different CV requirements, so research them and add all the necessary details. For instance, UAE requires adding details like your nationality, date of birth and marital status when applying for a job.
Gather as much knowledge as possible to reach the conventions of the country where you want to work.
Final Thoughts
It’s always a good idea to customize your CV to the jobs you are applying for; instead of making it general. Recruiters are typically more interested in knowing what specific skills and talent you can contribute to their industry apart from the more generic aspects.
It would help if you also considered checking out different CV formats and layouts, depending on what suits your industry the most. Get as creative as you can, but also keep it professional!
If you want to know more tips on formatting, writing or designing your résumés, be sure to check out that section on our website.
We also have our team of professional CV writers, so don’t worry if you don’t feel confident coming up with content. We got it covered for you.
Land the job of your dreams with the perfect résumé!
FAQ:
How Can I Create My CV?
You can go the old-school way and create a CV from scratch. That means designing your layout and adding your creative flair to the résumé.
However, if this seems like a huge task for you, you can find many résumés and CV designing websites online. These websites help you choose the type of CV you want to create from a range of different layouts.
What Are The Critical Things To Include In A Résumé?
The content of a CV depends greatly on what kind of job you are applying for. However, in most cases, CVs generally consist of the following:
- Your personal information (name, address, age, gender)
- Educational background
- Skills
- Work-related achievements
- Previous experience
- Contact information
- References
Which Is The Best CV Format?
The best format for a CV is to follow the traditional method and go for the reverse-chronological format. This means that your educational background and work experience is written in reverse order so that your latest experience or qualification is at the top, followed by the previous ones.
This is the most commonly used format and has proven to work with many recruiters.
What Do Recruiters Look For In A Résumé?
The first thing that most recruiters look for in a resume is your qualification and work experience. It tells them what you are already equipped with; including what you bring to the table, should they decide to hire you.
What Is One Thing You Should Never Put In A CV?
The one thing you should never put in your CV is unnecessary information. Many people forget that recruiters probably go through thousands of CVs daily. And if your CV is lengthy and filled with irrelevant information about yourself, completely unrelated to the job position, you will most likely get sidelined.
What Is The Reason For My CV Rejection?
If your CV has a lot of gaps and misleading information, it could get rejected. For example, if you have a few months or years of employment gap without explanation. The incompleteness of your CV will cause the recruiters to doubt your application and will most likely end up in the reject pile.
Which Is Most Important When Designing A CV Layout?
When you’re coming up with a layout for your CV, make sure you put all the different sections together in a systematic manner. Try to keep it as coherent as possible so as not to have the recruiters struggle to find where which section is. Keep it organized and make proper sections with subheadings indicating what the section covers.
What Should My Résumé Look Like?
Apart from the content of your résumé, the look should also be appealing to the recruiters. First of all, use a simple and readable font. The typeface you use should not be so fancy that it’s challenging to determine what the words are.
Secondly, make sure that the spacing and margins are all equally distributed. Try to keep it as consistent as possible from the beginning of the page till the end.
Last but not least, be sure to give your résumé enough white space so that the content is not all grouped into what looks like one long paragraph. Use proper headings for each section so that it’s easy to read.
How Many Pages Is Recommended For A Good Résumé?
Typically, the ideal number of pages for a résumé is 1-2. If possible, try to bring it down to one page but if you have a lot of qualifications and experiences to mention, keep it at a maximum of 2 pages. Your recruiters probably don’t want to go through pages of information.
Should I Add Some References To My Résumé?
Unless stated in the job recruitment requirements, try to refrain from adding references to your résumé. If you do, add them in a separate section towards the end of the résumé.
