How To Write a CV in 2024

What is a CV?

A curriculum vitae (CV) is Latin for ‘course of life’. It is a detailed document which summarises your career history, qualifications, education, and skills. It is an opportunity to demonstrate what you can offer an employer, showcase your achievements, and to influence the employer or recruiter to interview you.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a document submitted with your CV to strengthen your application and express your enthusiasm about working for an organisation. It is an opportunity to emphasise your achievements and why you are the right person for the role. A cover letter may not be necessary for all job applications, and some job ads will specify if a cover letter is required

What to include on your CV

Page 1

On page 1, you will want to include your:

 - Full name and contact details with a minimum of two forms of contact (both a phone number and email address). Also ensure that you include your suburb ( if in a City). This is helpful for recruiters, as they can consider positions available in your local area.

 - You will want to include a link to your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters or hiring managers will Google your name or search for your profile on social media and a LinkedIn profile can depict you in a professional manner and definitely strengthen your application. I would advise to create one if you haven’t already, and ensure that it is up to date, and roles and dates are aligned with your CV.

 - On Page 1, you would also want to include a professional summary. This is a short introduction to your CV and can be a few sentences, outlining what you specialise in, your years of experience, what you can offer, and what you are looking for in your next position.

 - Finally on the first page, I would recommend including a career summary. This can be presented in bullet points, to outline your positions, employers and dates of employment. Having this information on the first page allows the recruiter or hiring manager to understand the industries you have worked in, before scrolling through the entire document.

Page 2 and onwards

On page 2, here you will be including information about;

 - Your work experience. It is important to include your key responsibilities in each role, and your key achievements. An example of a key achievement could be that you are the top performing Sales Agent in your organisation. Highlighting your key achievements allows a recruiter to detail your profile to a hiring manager.

- Next, you will want to include your education and qualifications, for example if you have a tertiary education or completed any certificates.

 - I would then go on to list your skills and ensure that they are relevant to the position. You can list skills such as communication, time management, teamwork, attention to detail, or organisational skills.

 - Finally, you can include your referees. If you don’t feel comfortable listing them on your CV at the application stage of the process, you can write ‘referees available on request’, and disclose this information at a later stage. Please note that people2people will always request your permission before conducting any reference checks, even if they are listed.

Additional sections to include on your CV

 - You can include any internships or apprenticeships you have completed.

 - You can include endorsements; for example, if you have a previous manager who has provided a quote about your work ethic.

 - You can include any volunteer work and any extracurricular activities; for example, if you are involved in any community groups or sports. Team sports can highlight to an employer that you are able to work well in a team environment, and it also demonstrates the personal side to your profile.

 - If your background is in marketing or digital, you may also want to include a link to your portfolio.

My Useful Tips

​1. Tailoring your CV

You will want to use keywords and phrases that are relevant to the role for which you are applying. Note any relevant experience, skills, or education that is aligned with the role and organisation. If you are applying for multiple positions, ensure that you have created multiple versions of your CV. For example, if you are applying for an Executive Assistant role and Customer Service Consultant position, one CV should highlight your administrative and secretarial experience and skills, whilst the other should highlight your customer service experience.

2. Formatting

Firstly, use a font which is easy to read, for example Calibri and Arial. You don’t want to use any cursive writing that is difficult for the reader. I would also recommend using bullet points over paragraphs, and to use headings throughout your CV.

When listing your work and education history, ensure to list this in reverse chronological order, therefore you want your most recent experience at the top of your CV.

Keep it concise! Your CV isn’t an essay and should only be at maximum 4-5 pages long.

You may choose to include a photo. This is entirely optional, and some job seekers would prefer not to. If you are using a photo, ensure that the photo you select depicts you in a professional manner, such as a professional headshot or you can have a friend take one for you against a wall or with the background blurred. Keep it corporate and natural, and don’t use any filters or special effects.

If you have a background in marketing or design, you can showcase your skills and present your CV in a stylish and polished manner.

Ensure that you have checked for spelling and grammar, and you can consider having a friend check it over for you. This is particularly important if you are applying for a position which will require written communication.

Finally, when you save the document, I would recommend saving in both a Word Doc and PDF format. Some job ads will specify what format is required, therefore it is handy to have both.

3. Using keywords

We spoke briefly about keywords earlier, but to give you some context, keywords are important for recruiters or hiring managers when searching databases. Keywords can include skills, industry, or software programs eg if you have used Salesforce or Xero.

Keywords can also be used if you speak multiple languages. For example, if a recruiter is looking for someone who can speak Arabic, they would search the word Arabic on their database.

Finally, use key words that relate to any duties you are responsible for which may be niche. For example, if you work in an accounting firm and are responsible for ATO or ASIC lodgements, then include the terms ATO and ASIC in your responsibilities

4. Listing temporary roles

It is important to list any temporary or contract roles, as hiring managers may question why you were in a role for a short period of time.

A tip is to use the heading ‘Temporary Roles’, and list the roles, organisations, and dates underneath the heading. If you have been working on temporary roles with one recruiter, for example with Petrogate Global Recruitment, then use Petrogate Global Recruitment as your heading and then you can note all your assignments below that. I would also advise you to include the reason for the contract ( ie parental leave replacement) and note if the contract was extended.

Overall, your CV is a tool which you can use to showcase your skills and experience and stand out to employers. A recruiter or hiring manager may only glance over your CV, so you need to stand out!