How to write a clear, honest CV that employers can read quickly

A CV, or curriculum vitae, is a short summary of your skills, work and education. It should help a busy reader decide to call you.

What to include

1. Contact details: your name, phone number and a professional email address.
2. Short profile: two or three lines about who you are and the work you want.
3. Experience: your recent jobs, volunteering or projects, with dates and what you achieved.
4. Education and training: schools, courses and certificates.
5. Skills: such as typing, customer service, languages or software you can use.
6. References: "Available on request" is fine.

Make it easy to read

• Keep it to one or two pages.
• Use a simple font and clear headings.
• Use bullet points, not long paragraphs.
• Put your most recent and relevant items first.

Show results, not only duties

Instead of "Responsible for sales", write "Sold to about 20 customers a week and kept a record of orders". Use numbers where you can, but always stay honest.

If you have little experience

Include school projects, volunteering, apprenticeships and any small business or online work. Focus on what you learned and the skills you used.

Before you send

Check spelling, make sure dates are right, and save it as a PDF with a clear file name, such as your name and the word CV. Change the first lines to match each job.

Never include lies, since they are easy to discover and can cost you the job later.

Written by the EarnNaija team at EarnNaija Digital Technologies.

This article is general information, not financial or legal advice. Earnings are never guaranteed. See our fees page for the exact costs.