How to Write Perfect English CVs and Land Your Dream Job

Having a good CV can make or break a career. And given the current situation in the job market, it's never been more critical to have the best resume possible and stand out from other candidates. Your CV is your primary marketing document.

But time and again, so many people get it wrong.

There's nothing worse than a poorly structured and written CV full of typos and grammatical errors. It shows that you're careless with a lack of attention to detail– qualities employers look for in candidates.

So, how do you write the ideal CV and give yourself the best chance in the competitive job market?

Read on to find out more.

1. Get the format right

Your level of work experience should influence the CV format you choose. A chronological CV emphasizes your career history and is excellent for showcasing your work experience. If you don't have any work experience, opt for a skills-based CV (see section 2).

2. A clear structure with clear words

The ideal CV is 1-2 pages long, so choose your words carefully. Make sure you emphasize your achievements, experience, and skills, along with the following information.

Here is an example of a skills-based CV's sections.

Header
Summary
Skills
Work experience
Education
Hobbies and interests
References
Contacts

Include your website and LinkedIn profile, but avoid mentioning your gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, as this opens you up to potential discrimination. And forget about photos, they are not necessary.

3. Let the job description guide you

How can you make the hiring manager fall in love with you as a candidate? By echoing the language used in the job description. Try to identify the keywords in the job ad and weave these words into your CV. For example, if you need communication skills for a position, then find a way to underline examples of how well you can communicate.

4. Personal summary

Your summary section is a short description highlighting your professional goals and your USPs as a candidate. It's up to 200 words long – if there's more to write about, save it for your cover letter. You've got just a couple of short sentences at the start of your CV to make a good impression and answer the recruiter's million-dollar question: Why do I want to hire you?

So, please think carefully about the top 3 attributes the recruiter will be looking for and show you have them.

5. Skills

Skills are transferrable, so highlight them and match them to the job requirements. It's not just what you've learned at work, either. You can mention any professional and life skills you have picked up to show you can do the job. For example, doing housework demands planning and organization skills, so why not mention that? Think carefully about what you can include as you've probably learned a ton of stuff in life you can use in the workplace.

6. Work experience

Here's where you list past and current jobs, internships, volunteer work, and anything else you've done in your professional life. That said, only list experiences that are relevant to the job you're applying for. We usually start with our most recent position and work backward. Make sure you include these details for each job you've had.

Job title
Dates of employment
Company name and location
Key responsibilities and achievements

7. Education

Start with your university qualifications (Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees) and work backward. You can list any honours or awards you received at school and list any other institutions you attended.

Don't forget to add professional development courses, certifications, and licences, and you can organize your information as follows:

Education in reverse chronological order
College/school name
Dates of study
Qualifications

8. Hobbies and interests

Listing unusual hobbies can help you stand out from the crowd. For example, if you enjoy travelling alone, you could mention this on your CV and use this to show that you are 'independent and not afraid of challenges' or 'comfortable working alone.' That said, be careful not to list hobbies that could be considered controversial (I'll leave that to your imagination!) and stay away from politics and religion as you never know the views of the person reading your CV!

9. References

A references section is optional. Put down no more than three referees and include the following details:

Referee's name
Their job title and company name
Their address
Their phone number
Their email address
Their relationship to you

As you can see, there's a lot to think about, but hopefully, these tips will get you started. Of course, writing a CV in English is not easy, and you only get one small chance to impress, so make sure you get it right!

For more information on writing CVs and interview skills in English, get in touch with us @ BBLC today.

Anthony Kent is the owner/director of BBLC and has 22 years of experience teaching business English programmes in Moscow to the biggest Russian and multinational companies.

Anthony's email: director@bblc.ru