curriculum vitae in business plan

The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Curriculum Vitae (Example Included!)

For most job seekers, creating a resume is one of the most important steps in the search process. But for folks in certain industries, a curriculum vitae (more commonly known as a CV) is the essential document that opens doors not just for jobs, but for fellowships, grant applications, and more.

A curriculum vitae “is a really industry specific, very extensive listing of achievements,” says Muse career coach Tara Goodfellow , founder of Consult Athena . It’s similar to a resume, but longer and much more detailed.

Whether you need to update an existing CV, want to build a new curriculum vitae from scratch, or maybe are still asking “what is a curriculum vitae?”, we’ve got the answers for you. Read on for a curriculum vitae example, how to write your own curriculum vitae, how to format your CV, and how to make sure you’re never scrambling when asked for your CV again.

What Is a Curriculum Vitae?

Who really needs a curriculum vitae, how do i write a cv, what else do i need to know about formatting a curriculum vitae, an example curriculum vitae.

A curriculum vitae is an exhaustive listing of all of the significant achievements in your career. This includes education, research, work experience, publications, presentations, and anything else you’ve done in your professional life. Think of a CV as a complete account of everything that qualifies you as an expert in your field, Goodfellow says.

If you’ve only ever made a resume, you’re probably used to cutting down your skills, experience, and education to one page —or in rare cases two pages . That’s because you’re trying to focus on only the things that are most relevant to the job you’re applying to.

With a CV, on the other hand, you don’t take off and add details as you go along. You always include everything in a curriculum vitae; for folks later in their careers, that can add up to over 10 pages.

In the U.S., a curriculum vitae is primarily used in fields where research, publications, and presentations are of great importance—for example, academia. But take note: Outside the U.S., the term CV refers to something closer to a resume (I know, it’s confusing!). So you’ll want to follow the guidelines for making a resume instead. (But be sure to research what is normally included in a CV in the country where you’re job hunting, as it can vary widely.)

Despite the differences, the primary question both a resume and CV should answer is the same: What value will you bring to your new workplace?

Read more: CV Vs. Resume—Here Are the Differences

If you’re in academia or a physician (particularly one who does research) you probably do need a curriculum vitae. If you’re a researcher outside of academia or a mid-to-late-career lawyer, you might need one as well.

Here’s a list of fields where you might need a CV:

• Academia: If you’re a researcher, professor, or student who does research in academia, you definitely need a CV (and we’ve included a sample for you at the end of this article!). That’s because so much of what makes you qualified depends on your research, where you’ve presented it, and whether you’ve kept up to date as an expert in your field. Note that college librarians often also need a curriculum vitae. However, if you’re applying to a job at a university that doesn’t involve research or teaching, you likely need a resume.
• Medicine: If you’re a physician, then you also need a curriculum vitae. Even if you’re early in your career or not actively researching, CV is still the preferred terminology and formatting for doctors. If you’re a nurse or medical assistant, the term curriculum vitae or CV may still be used in job listings, but is likely there because the same organizations often hire physicians. You probably need a resume instead.
• Law: If you’re a lawyer who is working in academia—and therefore publishing, doing presentations, or teaching—you will also need a curriculum vitae.
• Research Outside of Academia : If you have a PhD or master’s degree and do research, but outside of academia, you’re still likely to need a CV and should keep one up-to-date. In this situation, listing all of your research in one place is likely to add to your value as a potential hire, especially if the person reading your application is a fellow researcher in your field.

If you are not in academia or medicine, your career is mostly judged by your performance on the job, and you’re not expected to publish or present research at conferences, then you probably need a resume. (Quick rule of thumb: If you don’t have the information for a curriculum vitae, then it’s not for you, Goodfellow says.)

Not sure if you need a curriculum vitae or a resume for a particular job application? Ask! Reach out to the job contact or HR department and ask which document they prefer. If you can’t get in touch with anyone and can’t tell from context, uploading both documents (and clearly labeling them) works in a pinch.

That said, there’s no advantage to submitting a curriculum vitae when the hiring manager is looking for a resume. Consider that the average resume gets looked at for only six seconds . If you submit a longer curriculum vitae, that window likely won’t grow. So now a recruiter will have to glean the same information about you, in the same amount of time, from a longer document.

So you’re sure that you need a curriculum vitae, but how do you write one? Start by making a comprehensive list of all of your professional and educational accomplishments that fall under the following categories:

• Contact Information: This section will be similar to what you’d include on a resume and include your name, address, phone number, and email address.
• Education: For each school you attended, include the name, location, what degree you received, and the dates you were there. If you don’t have a separate research experience section, you can add details about the research that led to each degree here. If you have more than one school or degree, list them in reverse chronological order. (Same goes for all sections of your CV—the most recent experience or information in each section goes first.)
• Teaching Experience/Work Experience/Research Experience: This could be three separate sections, or you could decide to combine them or leave one or more off. Just as you would on a resume, you should describe your past and current work, research, and teaching experience with strong, well-written bullet points that explain your duties and achievements. This is also a place where you can tailor your curriculum vitae for an ATS—that is, an applicant tracking system that often scans your application materials and compares them to a job description before a human lays eyes on them. To do so, you’ll want to add in keywords from the job description, and your experience sections are a prime place to do this since you have the most flexibility.
• Conference Presentations: Include the title of your presentation, what event it was given at, where the event was, and whether it was an oral or poster presentation. When it comes to describing the conference itself, take into account who will be reading your CV. If it’s an expert in your field, you don’t need to describe a major conference to them because they already know. However, if your curriculum vitae is going to be read by a recruiter or hiring manager first, you might want to consider giving a bit of description to the conference itself. This is also true if you’re looking to switch fields.
• Conference Attendance: This includes conferences where you attended but did not present and serves to show potential employers what you’re doing to stay up-to-date in your field outside of your own research.
• Honors and Awards: Include the name of the recognition and date.
• Grants or Funding: Make sure you include the name of the grant and the period it was awarded for.
• Publications: If you’re in academia, you’re familiar with the adage “publish or perish,” and your CV is where you can show how good you are at staying alive. For this section list out any of your publications the same way that you would cite them, regardless of what number author you were. Underline or bold your name so it stands out as part of the list of authors.
• Professional Affiliations/Memberships: Note dates and if you held any positions within these organizations. Depending on the job you’re applying for, this might be another place to expand on what your duties were.
• Community Outreach (optional): List dates and describe what you did in the same way you would describe a past job on a resume.
• Key (or Research) Skills (optional): This is another section where you can think about the ATS. If a job description is looking for a certain set of skills, and you have them, but it’s not immediately clear from the rest of your CV, a skills section can help you get past the ATS and on your way to your next job.
• Language Skills (optional): If you speak a number of languages or a language that is especially useful in your field (for example, a doctor who speaks fluent Spanish in the U.S.), you might want to add a language skills section.
• References (personal choice): A Google search may leave you questioning whether or not you should include a references section on a curriculum vitae. Goodfellow notes that once upon a time, references were always included, and that’s why you often see the section on CV examples or in advice on how to write a curriculum vitae. However, the practice is falling out of favor. You probably won’t be dinged either way—unless you failed to follow explicit instructions about references in the job listing. If you don’t include a references section, be sure to have your list of references formatted, up-to-date, and ready to send off. (But no need to say “ references available upon request ”—it’s just a waste of space.)

Not all of the sections listed above are mandatory, nor are all of the possible sections for a CV on the list. Some of them, like Research and Work Experience, or Honors and Grants, may work better if combined for some people.

As far as section order, you have some flexibility. Contact information should of course go at the top, but after that it’s whatever has the most value. When you’re a student or just out of school, your education should come first. But as your career progresses, a major award or tenure-track teaching position might move into that slot. You want to make sure the most important information you have is on page one because you don’t want anyone to lose interest in you as a candidate before they get to page two.

When it comes to formatting your curriculum vitae, you need to be meticulous. Look at where all your quotations and punctuation are and be consistent. A lot of universities will have guidelines for how you should format your CV. Follow them.

This also isn’t the place to show off your graphic design skills. While adding visual elements to a resume can be a way to stand out (depending on your field), a curriculum vitae should have no flashy formatting. “You’re not gaining points because it’s visually appealing,” Goodfellow says.

Bold, underlining, and caps for emphasis and ease of reading are OK. (And italics often have set use when writing out your presentations and publications.) But your curriculum vitae is not the place for humor or exciting graphic design. It’s where you show off your ability to be professional, thorough, and detail-oriented.

Still need to see all this laid out to get a good idea of what a curriculum vitae should really look like? Check out our example below for a student who is just completing a PhD in a research-based field and is looking for their first job in academia or a post-doctorate position:

Download a sample curriculum vitae

Think of your CV as a fluid document. “People don’t often craft a resume until they’re looking for their next job,” Goodfellow points out. In contrast, you should be updating your curriculum vitae constantly, she says.

Whenever you publish, present, or attend a conference, make a habit of immediately logging it on your CV. It may seem like a pain, but you’ll be glad you did it when it comes time to look for your next position. You won’t have to search your memory trying to recall the exact months and years everything happened—saving you a lot of headaches in the long run.

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• Resume & CV

35+ Best Professional Business Resume Templates (Company CVs 2024)

When you apply for a job, building a professional resume can seem like a huge task. 

How do you build confidence and showcase your best side? Use a business professional resume template that's got all the elements you need to land the job.

In this article, I'm going to showcase some of the most popular and effective resume templates that you can use when applying for a job. Take these starting points and add your own details to make sure that your professional resume works its way to the top of the stack.

Best Resume Templates for Business on Envato Elements (With Unlimited Use)

You can find thousands of the best professional resume design templates  on Envato Elements, with a great offer. Download as many as you want for one low price. Y ou get unlimited use of thousands of templates for resumes, logos, and more .

Swiftly add your business experience, insert your skills, showcase your abilities. You'll see how easy it is to craft exactly the CV you need to win the job with these excellent resume examples.

These ready-to-use, business resume templates have unique designs and great visuals to choose from. Use them to showcase your resume and stand out from other candidates.

Professional Resume Templates For 2024 (Envato Elements)

Don't reinvent the wheel! Instead, start with a pre-made business  professional resume template and adapt it to showcase your own strengths. Check out the projects below for some of my favorite examples of professional resumes:

1.  Professional Business Resume Template

Looking for CV templates with professional designs? This business resume template is a great option. It immediately stands out with its clean and minimalist design.

This professional business resume pack comes with a two-page resume and a cover letter. Don't worry if you don't have InDesign. You can also edit it in Word or Mac Pages. 

2.  Professional Resume CV

This is one of the best business resume templates we've got. The business CV resume format has a different layout that will help you stand out. 

The professional resume template is really easy to customize in Adobe Illustrator. It's print-ready and A4 size.

3.  Professional Resume Template Jones

CV templates with professional designs are key to get a job offer. This business resume template will catch the attention of the interviewer. Some of the best features of this professional resume are:

• unlimited color schemes
• icon pack included 
• easy to customize in Photoshop
• editable header, colors and fonts

4. Pro Resume - Colorful Professional Resume Template

This company resume template is the perfect choice for Photoshop users who need to create a sharp-looking resume. It comes in five different starter color schemes to list your credentials.

The layered PSD file is easy to customize and add your own details. With many placeholder sections, this is an ideal way to showcase your credentials.

Also included is a Microsoft Word (.DOCX) file to create the same finished product.

5. Gabriella Resume - Work Resume Template

No matter what type of work you're looking for, the Gabriella professional resume template is a good choice. The Gabriella professional resume comes in a variety of formats for Microsoft Word, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop.

Gabriella is also the right choice if you want to write up an introduction to yourself as well, as it features a placeholder paragraph in the center. I like the minimalism and ease-of-reading that Gabriella offers. The text-only approach helps the viewer's eyes scan the document easily and find your credentials.

6. Resume Anna - Clean Resume With Timeline

This is an extremely minimalist approach to a professional business resume format. It comes with clean lines and easy-to-read text.

My favorite part of this professional resume design is the timeline approach to showcasing your work history. Link your various roles and employers together to illustrate why you're applying for the current role. After a few clicks you'll see why it's one of the excellent resume examples to use.

7. Light, Modern Resume Template

This is one of the best professional resume templates on Envato Elements. It's designed to make a quick impression. This project would work great for applying for a job in retail or the service sector.

Keep in mind that you can always adjust these entrepreneur resume examples in the app that they're built for. In this case, you could use Adobe InDesign to remove elements like the QR code or tweak the color scheme to your liking.

8. Resume Brendon - Readable Professional Resume

This professional creative resume is a clean and tight project that's sure to catch a reviewer's eye. Use fonts that you can grab for free. This is one of the easiest-to-read resume's in this roundup. It makes great use of white space and is divided nicely into logical sections. This is one of the best entrepreneur resume examples to consider for your job search.

9. Hipster Resume - Customizable Creative Resume

Here's another project that's ideal for creative professionals. With beautiful typography and a focus on portfolio pieces, this suits more creative jobs.

If you're an InDesign user, this project is a great choice. Adjust the color scheme and add your own details to catch the eye of the person reviewing your professional creative resume.

10. Minimalist Resume 03 - Professional Resume

Minimalist resumes are popular because they focus on your credentials, not the design. This project is a perfect example of how less is more when it comes to graphic design.

For Adobe Photoshop users, this project is ideal. It's easy to drop in your own credentials and details to draw the reviewer's attention to what you're capable of.

11. Resume Abby - Simple, Easy-to-Use Resume

Here's a simple, one-page resume that you can adjust in both InDesign and Microsoft Word. Use your own photo and details and create your professional design resume in less than an hour.

A simple, concise resume like this is often the best approach to showing your history and ambitions.

12.  Professional Business Resume Template

Go for CV templates with professional layouts if you want to impress. This professional business resume template is a great option. This professional resume features:

• modern design with strong typography
• 300 DPI and CMYK color mode
• fully customizable using Illustrator

13.  Professional Resume CV Template

This professional resume template was made to impress. The color margin will attract the eyes. The clean and modern layout will surprise the viewer.

Edit every aspect of this professional business resume template using Adobe Photoshop.

Envato Elements (Design Without Limits)

Envato Elements has a single compelling offer.  For a low monthly price download as many business  professional resume templates and other design assets as you need. Use them in an unlimited number of projects. 

That’s right! Download as many resume templates, fonts, and stock photos as you need and customize them to fit your project needs—all for one low price. 

But if you prefer buying design items individually, stop by GraphicRiver. Check out the selection of our best professional resume templates to buy individually.

25+ Professional Resume Templates for Business (From GraphicRiver for 2024)

Need another great option for professional business resume formats? GraphicRiver offers pay-as-you-go professional resume templates .

All you've got to do is download the resume of your choice. Here's a hand-picked list of my favorite professional resume designs:

1. Colorful Professional Resume

This professional business resume template will definitely be a hit with hiring managers. It features eye-catching colors that you can customize to fit your brand or personality. This business resume example also comes with a matching cover letter so you can apply to jobs with confidence.

2. Creative Professional Resume Template

Try this business resume template if you want a simple CV with a neat layout. Despite the minimal design, it still does a great job of drawing attention thanks to the colored line and pops of color throughout. Edit this business resume format in Photoshop or Illustrator.

3. Professional Resume Template

This professional resume template is one of our newest additions. It's perfect if you're looking for the best business resume templates with clean designs.

This is a single page resume and cover letter duo. Don't worry if you don't have specialized software. You can edit this business CV resume format using MS Word, Photoshop or Illustrator.

4. Professional Black Resume

The best business resume template immediately stands out. This business resume template has a clean design. The touch of color to highlight the candidate's name is the best way to grab the attention.

This business CV format comes with a two-page resume and a two-page cover letter with references. You can edit it using Photoshop, Illustrator, MS Word or Mac Pages.

5. Professional Business Resume Template

The minimal trend in company resumes is here to stay. This business resume template features a clean design with plenty of white space.

One of the best aspects of this professional business resume is that it comes with a two-page resume and a two-page cover letter. Edit this corporate resume using Photoshop or Illustrator.

6. Clean Resume/CV

This professional entrepreneur resume template example has a modern design. Everything in this company resume template is editable from the colors to the text. Edit the business CV in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, or Microsoft Word.

7. Business Resume Template

This template has a professional business resume format that's simple and modern. Easily edit everything in the company resume template. It's got a software skills section. So, this company resume template is good if you're applying to a company that uses a lot of software.

8. Clean Resume

If you're looking for a simple and clean template, then this is the best resume template for you. You get two resume templates and a cover letter template in this bundle. One company resume template has a place to list your expertise. The other company CV template allows you to list your skills and hobbies.

9. Versatile Resume Template

First up is this versatile company resume template that comes in four color variations. Use the template with the premade color or customize any of the color schemes to match your preferences. The company resume even includes plenty of space for your profile photo to capture the attention of potential employers.

10. CV Design Resume Template

This professional resume and CV template are easy to edit and it features a classic two-column design. Share your work experience and education history in the main column. Use the narrower one to highlight your contact information or your skills. 

11. Professional Resume Template

This business resume format uses a creative color scheme to draw attention to various parts of the resume. It also comes with a matching set of business cards and cover letter. You'll look like a true professional during your job search with this corporate resume.

12. Minimal Company Resume Template

This minimal resume template has a one-column layout and plenty of white space that makes it easy to find important information. Easily add your profile photo or include your logo to quickly grab the attention of potential employers.

13. Infographic Resume - Unique Professional Resume Template

Here's a different approach to showcasing your qualifications. This company resume template has traditional elements like education and work history. And it also pulls in graphic elements that showcase what you've accomplished.

This is the best business resume for areas like sales where results lead directly to profitability. Using these infographics, catch the reviewer's eye and emphasize the results you get.

14. Stayled Resume

This professional creative resume template is easy to customize. Easily add any photo you want by dragging and dropping the photo in place. Change the background of the business resume example to give the impression you want.

15. Mono Resume - Black and White Resume Template

I love this black and white corporate resume with its timelines and infographics. You'll also get a cover letter page to drop a personalized message into.

The placeholder for an image header might suggest that this is best for creative professionals. But you can also remove those images for more traditional fields. If you want the best professional resume template, try one like this with a simple layout.

16. 3-Piece Resume With Cover Letter

This three-piece company resume includes three essentials components. A cover letter, a professional resume, and a portfolio. Whether you're using it in Photoshop, InDesign, and Word, you can use these resume business templates.

Each of these excellent resume examples comes in both a light and dark style for variety. The portfolio template is ideal if you're applying for a creative role where it's important to show your key projects.

17. CV by Generousart - Landscape Resume

These company CV templates for professionals are unique. The pack includes a landscape orientation resume template. It might catch a hiring manager's eye to provide this alternative resume style. So, try out this pack for that purpose.

Customize this clean company resume in Photoshop, Illustrator, or Microsoft Word. This pack also includes a template for a cover letter when you need to pen an introduction for yourself as part of the application.

18. Clean Corporate Resume

This clean business resume example is print-ready. With the classic clean lines, you can easily customize the template while remaining professional. You get two color schemes to choose from with these entrepreneur resume examples. This way you can have a design that matches your personal brand.

19. A4/US Business CV Resume Format

This professional classic style resume is easy to edit. Add or take away what you need to make the resume reflect what you want it to. This business resume example comes with an experience timeline making the resume easier to read for the hiring manager.

20. Resume CV - Clean Resume Template

This clean CV/resume template features a standard two-column design with a beautiful and subtle color scheme. It's suitable for any type of job application. The company CV template for professionals includes a matching cover letter.

21. Simple Resume/CV

This simple business CV template is fully editable in Photoshop and Illustrator. It's got a creative layout that does a nice job of highlighting your work experience. It includes a matching cover letter and is easy to customize. All things considered, this is one to try if you need excellent resume examples to use.

22. Trendy Resume CV Template

Consider this business CV resume format for professionals if you’re looking for a creative and unique resume layout. This template has an elegant dark color scheme. So, it’s a great choice for a job application in a high-end industry. Customize the colors and the fonts of this company CV template and easily add your own information.

23. Professional Resume Template

These company resume and CV templates are professional in their design. There's a space to add a photo. So, if you're applying to a job that requires a photo resume, there's a space for that. This best professional company resume template also highlights your work experience and skills.

24. Professional Resume with Clean Design

Do you need a clean professional resume template? This business resume template is the one for you.

This business resume format comes with a two-page CV and a cover letter template. And the best? Edit the professional business resume template using Photoshop, Illustrator or MS Word.

25. Minimal Professional Resume Template

Using bright colors to highlight areas of your company resume is a hot trend. Try this professional business resume template with this in mind!

This business resume template has a minimalist design. It comes with a two-page resume and a cover letter template. You can edit it using Photoshop, Illustrator, Word or Mac Pages. Excellent resume examples don't come much better than this one.

26. Business CV or Resume Template

Who says simple is boring? This professional corporate resume has a minimal two-column layout with lots of white space. The template has well-organized layers so it’s easy to edit. It's also print-ready, so once you're done making your tweaks you're ready to go! This company CV is one to try if you want the best entrepreneur resume examples for your work.

27. Minimal Business Resume Template

If you prefer a minimal resume design that's still corporate, look at this professional business resume template. It makes excellent use of white space to make each section stand out on its own. You can add your photo or your logo to capture the attention of potential employers. If you don't have Photoshop, you can customize this company resume in Microsoft Word.

How to Design Your Resume in Photoshop Quickly With Templates

Once you've found the perfect business resume example, it’s time to customize it in Photoshop. Here’s a quick tutorial that'll walk you through the steps. You'll see how to tweak the colors and fonts and replace the text in a Photoshop resume template. 

For the purposes of this tutorial, I'm using the Professional Resume Template  from Envato Elements. 

This template has an elegant black and white design. It's a great choice for any type of job application. 

1. Replace the Dummy Text

The first step is to replace the dummy text with your own information. To do that, open your company CV template in Photoshop and click on the folder that says Text to expand it and reveal all the text layers. 

Then, click on the eye icon next to any text layer to temporarily hide that layer. This will allow you to see which information you'll be editing. 

Once you know where your text layer is on the Photoshop document, click the T icon. Highlight the text and enter your own information. 

2. Change the Fonts

As you're editing the text, change the fonts at the same time. To do so, highlight the text and then choose a different font from the drop-down menu at the top.

3. Customize Colors

Once you’ve customized the fonts and entered your own information, the next step is to customize the colors to your own liking. In the example below, I’ve clicked on the Vector Elements group and expanded it to reveal all the layers. Then, click on an individual layer and select the shape. Change the color using the color picker tool. 

4. Add Your Own Image

Lastly, replace the dummy image with your own profile photo or with your logo. To do so, locate the image on your computer and drag it onto your Photoshop document. Press SHIFT + CMD + T to resize the image and then drag it into place.

5 Quick Tips to Make a Great Impression With Your Resume

For most jobs, companies will receive many applicants for a single opening. It's difficult to stand out in a crowded pack no matter how strong your credentials are. Here are four tips that you should use to help your business resume rise above the rest:

1. Include a Cover Letter

A cover letter is a personalized, specific message that introduces you to the reader. Not only does it help introduce you to the hiring manager. The very fact that you wrote a cover letter will typically put you in elite company.

Check out the tutorial below for a deep dive on excellent cover letters that you can use for inspiration:

2. Follow-up With an Email

Many online hiring systems will screen your application before any human sees it. But if you connect personally with the hiring manager, they'll be looking for your professional resume.

If you happen to know a key contact's email address, it always helps to send an accompanying email when you submit your resume. It can lead to your resume being pulled aside and reviewed personally. 

3. Put Your Best Foot Forward

Half of the battle of building a business resume is learning how to present your experience. There are always eloquent ways to describe your experience that shows your expertise. 

Instead of saying "I wrote grants in this job", try something more engaging that focuses on results. For example, you could say "Grants lead to $10,000 in funding for the company." You likely have the experience you need to land a new job, it's just a matter of presenting your experience. 

To learn more about phrasing your resume in the best way possible, check out Cha Mendoza's tips on dropping phrases from your resume:

4. Remember: Typos Kill Resume Success

There's no faster way to get your professional resume discarded than to have a glaring typo in your resume. Using  spellcheck  or  grammar check  is the best way to avoid this problem.

Don't have this feature in your app? Print your resume off and review a printed copy. Issues and typos have a way of really standing out when you see a printed copy.

Learn more about creating a great resume : 

5. Know the Company You're Applying For

This tip will help with the interview as well with the business resume. Research the company you're applying for. Tailor your experience to what the company is looking for. 

If you've got experience as a lifeguard, for example, but are applying to a desk job leave off the lifeguard experience. Look up the company's values too. This ensures that you'll be fully prepared for the interview and have a professional business resume to fit the position.

5 Top Professional Business Resume CV Design Trends for 2024 Jobs

Here are some popular resume design trends to help you get started on your resume:

1. Have a Field Specific Resume

Not only can you tailor the information in your professional resume template to the job, but you can also tailor the design of the resume. Having a resume that's tailored to the job you're applying for shows the hiring manager that you care about the job.

2. Use a Simple Font

The best professional resume templates have fonts that can easily be read. Most templates do have a simple font. Simple fonts are ideal because if your resume isn't easily readable then it'll be skipped over.

3. Emphasize Your Contact Information

Adding icons helps your contact information stand out more on your business resume template. Your contact information is important, so you want to visually emphasize it. Another way to emphasize it is to add color to the section. You could do this by adding color to the text with your name.

Here are some more resume writing and design tips:

4. Use Infographics

Some of the best resume templates use infographics. They're great for showing data that would be hard to express in words. Before downloading a resume template with infographics, consider the company you’re applying to. If the company is really traditional you may want to skip the infographic.

5. Add a Matching Cover Letter

There are plenty of business resume templates that include a matching cover letter. Having a matching cover letter looks more uniform. The design can reflect your personal brand. Using it on both the cover letter and resume makes that brand more apparent.

See more resume cover letters here:

Common Resume Questions Answered (FAQ)

Now that you've chosen the best business professional resume template you may have some questions about your resume. Here are some common questions and answers:

1. How Long Should a Resume Be?

Your resume should only be one page. If you do make your resume more than one page, you're risking the chance that the second page won't be read. It's better to focus on your first page and make sure that a one-page resume is perfect for the job you're applying to. For a great selection of resume templates, check out this article:

2. Do I Really Need to Edit My Resume?

If you want a professional resume, then you need to edit your resume. Having a resume that's messy and full of errors can be off-putting. It can cause the hiring director to pass on your resume. For more guidance on how to write and design a resume, review this tutorial:

3. What Should Be Included in My Resume?

Include the skills and experience that are relevant to the job you're applying to. The exception to this is if you don’t have enough experience to pick and choose from. Matching your experience and skills to the job shows the person reading your resume that you've got experience in the field already. For more guidance on writing an effective resume, study this tutorial:

4. Do I Need an Objective Section on My Resume?

Having an objective section on your resume tells your future employer what you’re looking for from the start. Having a specific resume saves your future employer from trying to guess which position you're applying to or are right for. 

This section also shows the hiring manager what your interests are and what's important to you. Your resume cover letter is also important. You can find some attractive resume cover letter formats in this tutorial:

5. What Should Be Included in the Contact Section of a Resume?

You should always have a contact section on your resume. The contact section should only include the information that you want your future employer use to reach you. This section should include your name, address, email address, LinkedIn URL, and phone number. Here are some more professional resume templates to help you create your resume:

More Professional Resume Templates

If you didn’t see a professional resume template that fits what you were looking for don’t worry. Envato Elements and GraphicRiver have thousands of templates that you can choose from. Discover more business professional resume templates in these articles:

Where to Find the Best Resume Templates in 2024 (Envato Elements vs GraphicRiver)

Envato Elements and GraphicRiver both have stylish business resume templates with high-quality designs. This may lead you to ask yourself: which one should I use?

1. Benefits of Envato Elements

Envato Elements is a subscription service where you get unlimited creative template downloads. All you need to do is pay a low monthly fee. With this service download as many templates as you want. It includes resumes, fonts, graphics, and more.

2. Benefits of GraphicRiver

GraphicRiver is a digital marketplace where you can buy a single template that you only use once. The marketplace has more than templates. It includes graphics, fonts, photos, and more. GraphicRiver is a great option if you need a template for a project that you'll only do once.

Which One Should I Choose?

If you need to make PowerPoint presentations regularly or need graphics on a regular basis, then Envato Elements is the best choice for you. It lets you download as many templates or graphics as you want as often as you want them.

If you're only making a corporate resume for a one-time deal or need images once, then GraphicRiver may be right for you. Download and pay for your design assets as you need them.

Learn More About Making Great Resumes

Creating a great resume isn't easy. But when you know what goes into making a great resume, you can create a job-winning resume each time. To learn more about creating great resumes , we've got plenty of tutorials to help you out:

Design a Winning Resume With a Professional Resume Template

Check out these best business resumes with popular and professional designs and download them now. Any of these is a great way to skip many hours of work as you prepare to apply for a job.

Find more of the best business resume templates from the Envato Elements resume selection. Remember, it's all unlimited. Or hand choose a specific resume template  from GraphicRiver!

Editorial Note : This post has been updated with contributions from Sarah Joy , Maria Villanueva , and Nathan Umoh . Sarah is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+. Maria and Nathan are staff writers with Envato Tuts+.

Curriculum Vitae (CV) Format Guide - 21+ Tips & Templates

You’re on the hunt for your dream job so – normally – you’re preparing your CV.

You think you have all the necessary information to write the perfect one, but something doesn’t look quite right.

The problem? Your CV isn’t formatted correctly, and you have no idea how to fix it.

Don’t worry! We’re here to help.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• How to Format Your CV
• What To Include In Your CV
• What Your CV Layout Should Look Like
• 6 Great CV Examples

So, let’s get started.

What Is a CV?

A CV is a formal document you submit as part of a job search or college application.

The word CV comes from the Latin term curriculum vitae , meaning “course of life," and around most of the world, it functions the exact same way as a resume .

In fact, in Europe and Asia, you can find the words CV and resume used interchangeably across different job advertisements.

However, if you’re applying for a job in the United States , a resume is a one-page summary of professional experience and relevant skills.

On the other hand, a CV is a completely different document. In North America, this document is meant to include all of your experience so far, which means all levels of education, any publications, projects you’ve been part of, and more.

While a resume should be one or two pages at most , a CV can be much longer.

That’s why a CV, in this sense, is usually only required when you’re applying for an academic or research position.

Our article will focus on how to format a CV for a regular job search. If you need help writing an academic CV for a position in academia, we recommend checking out that article instead.

Not sure if you need a resume or a CV? Learn what the differences between a CV and a resume are with our detailed guide!

Why Does Your CV Format Matter?

Your CV format can determine whether your CV reaches a hiring manager or not.

That’s because most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan through hundreds of candidates in seconds and discard applicants that don’t meet certain criteria.

And a big part of making an ATS-optimized CV is the formatting.

Unless your CV format is on-point, the ATS won’t be able to read it, and it will automatically reject it, even if you’re the perfect candidate.

Reverse Chronological vs. Functional

When formatting your CV, you can choose between two popular CV formats:

• Reverse-chronological (also known as chronological)
• Functional (also known as skill-based)

Usually, we recommend sticking to the reverse-chronological CV format. It’s the most popular format worldwide, so it’s what hiring managers expect to see.

The reverse-chronological format has a standard structure that includes all the main CV sections, such as:

• Contact Information
• Personal Statement
• Work Experience
• Educational History
• Other Optional Sections

While the functional CV format includes an extra section - the Skill Summary.

So, if you want to emphasize your varied skills or if you’re aiming for a career change , you might want to opt for the functional CV format.

Here’s how it looks in practice:

Want to learn more about the different ways you can structure your resume? Check out our guide to resume formats .

What to Include In Your CV

Once you’ve decided on your CV’s format, it’s time to start filling in each section .

Here are the must-have sections for any professional CV:

• CV Headline

If you have any leftover space, you can also add any of these optional sections:

• Volunteering
• Personal Projects
• Certifications
• Awards and Recognitions

Let’s go through each of these sections one by one and explain how to get each of them right.

#1. Contact Information

The first section is your contact information . While it’s easy enough to fill out,  you must get it right.

If you have any mistakes in your contact details, such as a single typo in your email or phone number, for example, the hiring manager won’t be able to reach you.

So, start by neatly placing your contact information in a designated CV header at the very top of your CV.

• Full Name. Write your first and last name at the top of the header.
• Job Title. If applicable, include your professional title beneath your name. Avoid job-title buzzwords and write it down as the job you’re applying for, word for word.
• Email Address. Use a professional email address that’s easy to spell. We recommend a combination of your first and last names. (E.g.: [email protected])
• Phone Number. Add a phone number where the hiring manager can contact you. If you’re applying abroad, include your country’s dial code.
• Location. Your city and state/country are enough. If you’re ready to relocate for the job or you want a remote position , be sure to specify that on your CV.
• Social Media. You can add any relevant social media or websites that can boost your application, such as a complete and optimized LinkedIn profile .
• Portfolio. If applicable to your field, add a link to your portfolio. Writers, illustrators , and other creatives should link to a dedicated website, but a software developer could include a link to their GitHub account instead.

Here’s an example of a perfect CV contact information section:

Not sure if you should add a picture to your CV ? This article will tell you everything you need to know.

#2. CV Headline

On average, hiring managers don’t look at CVs for more than six seconds .

This means that if you don’t make a good impression in six seconds, it’s likely that the hiring manager won’t even read your CV in depth.

This is why it’s crucial to have an eye-catching bit of information at the top of your CV.

Your CV headline (also known as a personal statement) is a short (2-4 sentences) pitch about your professional experience and expertise, and it goes right on top of your CV, like this:

There are two approaches you can take for your CV headline:

• CV Summary. This highlights your experience, achievements, and skills. 
• CV Objective. This focuses more on your educational background and aspirations.

If you already have some work experience, we recommend you stick to a CV summary. Your professional journey will be a better selling point than your knowledge and career goals .

You should only go for a CV objective if you either don’t have any work experience or if you’re in the midst of a career change .

Here’s a great CV headline in practice:

• Digital marketing professional with 4+ years of experience in media buying, seeking a position as a Facebook advertiser at Company X. Notably managed a monthly ad spend of over $200k and maintained a 2x-3x return on ad spend during my time at Company Y.

#3. Work Experience

Next comes the most essential section of your CV - your work experience .

You should start this section by listing your most recent job first and working your way back.

• Job Title. Start each entry with the name of the position you were employed in.
• Company Name. Include the name of the employer. You can also add the general location, such as the city and state/country, or even include a brief description if it’s not a well-known organization.
• Dates Employed. State the period that you worked at each company using the mm/yyyy format.
• Achievements and responsibilities. This is the core of every work experience entry, so list your achievements in four to six bullet points so that the hiring manager can skim through them easily. If your job doesn’t include a lot of achievements, list responsibilities instead. Make sure to list fewer bullet points for older jobs, unless they’re super relevant to what you’re applying for now.

You don’t need to go all the way to your part-time jobs as a teenager . We recommend listing only your last three to four positions, not your entire career history.

Here’s an example of what a great work experience section looks like on a CV:

3 Work Experience Tips

Your work experience section can make or break a successful CV, so you have to do it perfectly.

Here are some tips you can apply:

• Focus on Achievements. A role’s responsibilities tend to be the same across different companies. If you want to stick out, list your achievements instead - the times you went above and beyond will impress the hiring manager a lot more than your daily tasks.
• Add Concrete Data. Whenever you can, include numbers to quantify any achievements listed on your CV. Percentages, budgets, or the amount of time specific projects took can all back up your accomplishments.
• Include Keywords . If you want to make sure you beat the ATS, you need to go the extra mile. Carefully read the job ad to find the most important keywords and strategically include them throughout your CV.

#4. Educational History

Next, it’s time to work on your education section .

• Degree Name. List your major and degree type, and you can optionally include any minor you took.
• University Name. State the name of the institution you attended.
• Location. Include the city and state/country where your university is located.
• Dates Attended. Specify the time period with the mm/yyyy format.
• Optional Information. Your GPA, honors, academic achievements, or relevant coursework can be mentioned in this section. We recommend you only include optional information if you’re a recent graduate without much experience in the field.

Here’s what an education section looks like on a CV:

6 Education Section Tips

Your education section should be short and sweet, but you can still make the most of it.

Here are some tried-and-tested tips to perfect it:

• If you’re a recent graduate , list your education before your work experience. It’s better to lead with relevant education than work experience that isn’t related to the job you want.
• When making a CV as a student , you can add your expected graduation date.
• List your educational history in reverse chronological order, and always start with your highest degree on top.
• If you don’t have a lot of space on your CV, you can list only your highest and most recent degree. So, if you have a Master’s degree that’s relevant to the job, there’s no need to mention your Bachelor’s degree.
• Similarly, don’t add your high school degree to your CV if you’ve already graduated from a university. It’s not as relevant, and you can use that space for something else.
• If your GPA isn’t above 3.5, don’t add it to your CV. You should only include it if it’s impressive; otherwise, it could undermine you.

Are you getting ready to apply to college? Learn how to write a college application CV with our detailed guide!

The skills section of your CV is relatively straightforward. You just need to create a designated section where you can list the skills you have that are most relevant to the job.

For example:

That said, the skills you list on your CV can be crucial to the hiring decision . So, you want this section to show the hiring manager that you’re the right person for the job.

For starters, make sure you include both types of skills:

• Hard Skills. These are learned skills and measurable abilities. They can range from knowing a specific coding language to baking, and they’re directly related to your role.
• Soft Skills. Sometimes called interpersonal skills , these include personality traits, career attributes, and more. Examples include critical thinking, time management , communication, and many others.

When listing skills on your CV, we recommend that you focus more on hard skills.

Specific hard skills are what hiring managers are usually looking for, so be sure to tailor yours according to the job advertisement. Soft skills are nice to have, but your “critical thinking” or “ teamwork ” won’t have as much weight as the specific technical skills the employer wants.

And, when listing your hard skills, consider adding experience levels so that employers can see your proficiency and know what to expect from you.

Now, if you have a lot of relevant skills you want to list, you can put them in subsections. This can help keep your CV neat and easy to navigate, like this:

Most hiring managers evaluate soft skills during job interviews. Prepare ahead of time by learning what the most common interview questions are and how to answer them .

#6. Other Optional Sections

Now that you know what the most important sections on your CV are, it’s time to talk about other, nice-to-have sections.

Optional sections for your CV include:

• Languages. List any foreign languages you know and write down your level of proficiency.
• Professional Organizations. Are you part of a club, guild, union, or other association in the field you’re applying for? Add it to your CV.
• Volunteer Experience . Listing volunteer experience is proven to impress hiring managers, and it’s especially useful if you don’t have a lot of work experience. Employees who volunteer enjoy meaningful work, and that tells hiring managers you’re likely to be a loyal employee.
• Projects. If you worked on anything relevant to the job you’re applying for, either during your studies at university or in your spare time, include it on your CV. Whether you created an app or did product reviews on a personal blog, it shows hard work and dedication.
• Certifications. Hiring managers love employees who work on their skills and knowledge. Even if you don’t have work experience in the specific field yet, certifications can show that you’re genuinely interested and willing to learn.
• Awards and Recognitions. There’s no harm in showing off a little on your CV. If you’ve received any awards or acknowledgments, like a prestigious scholarship , add them.
• Hobbies and Interests. This bit of extra information about yourself gives the employer insight into your personality and helps you stand out. We recommend listing hobbies that can back up your listed skills, such as team sports, which proves you can collaborate.
• Extracurricular Activities. If you have a lot of leftover space on your CV but don’t have a lot of experience outside of school, any clubs and activities you were part of can show potential employers how you managed your time effectively or gained certain skills.

Want to make sure your job application catches the hiring manager’s attention? Write an impressive cover letter and send it along with your CV!

How to Format Your CV’s Layout

Now that you know what to include in your CV, it’s time to pay attention to your CV’s layout .

You need to make sure your CV looks good when you put all your sections together. If the hiring manager sees a messy, unorganized document, they might skip reading it altogether.

So, follow these tried and tested tips to make sure your CV’s layout looks good:

• Stick to One Page. As a rule of thumb, your CV shouldn’t exceed one page unless you have decades of experience. The hiring manager only wants to read the most important details about why you’re the right person for the job, not your entire life story.
• Set the Page Margins. To make your CV look neat, set the margins on all four sides of your CV to one inch. This way, you can maximize the white space between sections without having a stretched-out or empty-looking document.
• Adjust the Line Spacing. Your text should be easy on the eyes instead of making your CV look cluttered. Set the line spacing to 1.0 between text and 1.15 between double lines and after subheadings.
• Use a Consistent Font. Choose a professional font and use it consistently throughout your CV. We recommend picking something easy to read but not overused. So, instead of Times New Roman, use something like Roboto, Lora, or Overpass.
• Set the Font Size. Make sure the hiring manager doesn’t have to squint to read your CV. Use 11-12 pt for most of your CV’s text, and 14-16 pt for section titles or headers.
• Use Bullet Points. When describing your work experience, education, or any other experiences you want to elaborate on, avoid paragraphs. Use between three and six bullet points, depending on how relevant the experience is, to make it easier to read.

Use a Professional CV Template Instead

Getting your CV format and layout right can be a hassle. 

You might end up spending hours tweaking the margins, adjusting the headings, and fixing the line spacing – all while making sure nothing spills over to page two. 

Why not just skip all that?

Instead, use one of our CV templates and create your CV in minutes.

Each of our professional templates is designed in collaboration with leading HR experts from around the world to make sure that your CV is ATS-friendly, formatted to perfection, and visually appealing.

Just take a look at how one of our templates compares to a standard text editor CV:

6 Well-Formatted CV Templates

Ready to work on your CV? Check out these different CV templates for inspiration!

#1. College CV Template

#2. Creative CV Template

#3. Professional CV Template

#4. Modern CV Template

#5. Minimalist CV Template

#6. Skill-Based CV Template

Looking for more inspiration? Check out these 75+ CV examples for different jobs .

FAQs about CV Formatting

Do you still have some questions? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions about CV formatting.

#1. How Do You Write a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

How you write your CV greatly depends on the industry you work in or the region you’re based in. For example, an academic CV should always lead with education, while an executive CV should focus on your extensive work experience.

That being said, most CVs include key sections such as contact information, a CV headline, work experience, educational history, and skills. Additional optional sections, like languages, publications, or certifications, may be included if they’re relevant.

Overall, your goal is to create a comprehensive document that highlights your full range of qualifications and experience for the job you want.

#2. What’s the Difference Between a CV and a Resume?

In Europe, a CV and a resume are almost the same thing, so the two words are used interchangeably.

In the US and Canada , however, a CV refers to a much more detailed document that lists all your professional and academic achievements, not just a brief summary.

While in Europe, a CV should be between one and two pages , in North America, a CV can be as many pages as you need it to be.

#3. What Is a Good CV Format?

The reverse-chronological format is the best CV structure because it places your most recent and relevant experiences first. This format lets hiring managers quickly find your latest skills and employment history and see how your career has progressed so far.

This format is also the most popular CV format around the globe, so it’s what hiring managers expect to see when you submit your application. That makes it easiest for hiring managers to navigate, and it’s a solid choice for most job applications.

#4. Is It OK to Send a CV as a PDF?

Unless specifically stated otherwise, you should always send your CV as a PDF file .

The PDF format ensures that your CV’s layout and formatting stay consistent, so if the hiring manager opens it on a different device or software, all your design efforts will be intact.

PDF files also pass most applicant tracking systems out there, so you won’t have a reason to worry about the ATS.

However, if a company requests that you send your CV as a Word document , it’s probably because their ATS is older and can’t read PDFs. In that case, always stick to the instructions in the job ad and save your CV appropriately.

#5. How Can I Write a CV as a Beginner?

If you’re creating a CV as a beginner, you probably don’t have a lot of work experience to list. So, start by highlighting your education first, then include any relevant internships or volunteer work.

Keep the overall document concise and tailored to the specific job you're applying for. Use bullet points instead of paragraphs to increase readability, and use powerful action words to make your skills and experience stand out.

And don’t forget to proofread your CV multiple times to make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes. You want to create a polished, professional document that shows you in the best light possible, even with no experience.

#6. How Can I Write an International CV?

To create an international CV, research the preferred style for the country you're applying in. For example, a CV for a job in Australia will be different from a CV for the same job in China.

Start writing your CV by adding a header with your contact details and a professional summary at the top. Then move on to your work experience or education section first, depending on your level of experience.

Include skills relevant to the job and the languages you can speak, and be prepared to translate your CV into the local language or dialect if necessary.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap! 

At this point, you know everything there is to know about formatting your CV.

Now, let’s do a quick recap of the most important things we’ve covered in this article:

• Your CV’s formatting is important if you want to make it through the ATS. Be careful when crafting your CV and don’t use quirky names for the CV sections.
• The most important CV sections include contact information, a CV headline, work experience, educational history, and skills. If you have space, you can add optional sections like languages, certifications, and volunteering.
• Always use standard practices when formatting your CV. Stick to a single font, use 1.0 or 1.15 line spacing, and set the margins to one inch on all sides of your document.
• Consider using a professional CV template to make sure your formatting is flawless and gets past the ATS with no hassle.

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Business CV Examples

Start creating your CV in minutes by using our 21 customizable templates or view one of our handpicked Business examples.

Join over 260,000 professionals using our Business examples with VisualCV. Sign up to choose your template, import example content, and customize your content to stand out in your next job search.

Senior Business Analyst

A creative, self-organized professional with 13 years of experience in user experience management and business analysis tasks. Self-directed, confident, successful working in ambiguous situations and with challenging projects. I see myself in an advisory role helping early-stage start-ups to grow, inch by inch, as one among them. An innovative and dedicated Business Systems Analyst with professional experience, developing products, configuring systems, troubleshooting production issues, and managing defects. Voracious problem solver and an aspiring investor with an eye on entrepreneurship and social ventures.

• Work Experience
• Help employees explore and identify new business problems.
• Perform gap analysis on the extensively used Data Model utilized for various life-science products within the organization.
• Support project kick-off, initial assessments, and requirement gathering sessions as a consulting enrollment analyst.
• Lead teams, at the offshore delivery wing, on projects influencing key decisions in marketing and strategy.
• Interview leaders of various work functions such as store operations as well as C-level executives of the brands to understand their roles, responsibilities, pain points, and wish lists.
• Reduce organizational training/implementation costs by a considerable percentage by streamlining processes.
• Assist VP of sales to realize cost savings to the tune of $20 million (approx.) via elimination and merger of territories.
• Lead client and internal teams in requirements gathering sessions, regulatory analysis, system logic development, user interface design sessions, solutions, and testing.
• Prepare margin reports, that aid performance tracking and enable strategic planning, for associate managers, district heads, and area vice presidents.
• Undertake activities like requirement elicitation, client-interaction, process analysis and come up with a solution to ensure effort reduction in the process and easy-to-use.
• Train to define, explore and solve business problems in a structured fashion with a strong focus on consumption.

Business Analyst

• Documented process flows and developed requirements for functional improvements and enhancements.
• Developed initial team standards, internal implementation processes and provided recommendations for improving internal product enhancement workflow.
• Directed engagement with onshore counterparts daily through all stages of the project, from the scope, definition to timelines, interim updates to the final presentation of results.
• Conducted activity-based analysis of business processes and made recommendations based on the findings.
• Designed defect and issue management strategy and workflow for an external client as part of the HP Inc. BPO team, solicited requirements, managed existing issues and provided graphs with recommendations for increased efficiency.
• Designed and developed an executive dashboard that offers a bird's eye view of the entire business.
• Worked closely with the development team.
• Developed interactive dashboards that helped to compare performances of promotional events and to determine the success of promotional events.
• Presented product demonstrations to executive and operational staff, led gap analysis, and managed all aspects of enhancement and change requests.
• Managed special projects working directly with account managers and senior management to implement solutions on critical, high-profile issues.
• Identified potential leads and new business areas.

Oracle Corporation

• Boosted company efficiency and customer satisfaction by streamlining processes deemed inefficient.
• Managed testing, defect, and issues.
• Estimated the market potential of the veteran segment for strategic expansion.
• Determined opportunities to automate processes and functions.
• Provided phase one implementation support from the model office through development in finance business analysis, provider contracts, and configuration defect management.
• Developed a robust framework to capture inconsistencies in the raw data.
• Consulted for design thinking approach, user-centric design, and gamification application.
• Performed operational and procedural assessments, providing recommendations for business process improvement.
• Offered quick and clear scoping of business requirements.
• Performed operational assessments, supported system implementation, and led executive projects for internal and external clients.
• Developed dashboards that enabled performance tracking by continuous monitoring of key metrics to reflect vendor performance.

University of Michigan

Corporate post graduate diploma in business administration, university of illinois, bachelor of arts, psychology.

• Compliance analysis
• Business process analysis
• Defect & issues management
• Implementation & integration

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How to Write a Curriculum Vitae (CV) (With Template And Examples)

• What Is A CV?
• CV Vs Resume
• CV Templates
• CV Examples

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document that outlines your educational and professional achievements in depth. In the United States, a resume is generally preferred for job applications, but certain specific careers prefer a CV because it gives them more information about your education and research achievements.

CVs are much more often used overseas. So if you’re applying for a foreign job that requests a CV; an academic position that requires one; or just think that a CV would be a better representation of your job history; this article will outline how to write your own as well as when it’s better to use a CV than a resume.

Key Takeaways:

A curriculum vitae, or CV, contains an extensive record of your professional and academic life.

A CV includes contact information, work history, education skills, certifications, awards, publications, membership to professional organizations, and more.

International CVs contain personal information, however, in the United States, this should be excluded to comply with discrimination laws.

CVs are usually found in international job applications and academia positions in the United States.

What is a CV?

When to use a cv, what to include in a cv, sample curriculum vitae, cv template, types of cvs, how to write a cv faq.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

CV is short for curriculum vitae, which translates from Latin to: “course of life.” CVs are meant to focus more on your education, experience, and accomplishments. CVs will include sections for achievements, publications, and interests related to your field. They also focus extensively on your education, as opposed to resumes, where you usually just list your highest degree.

Due to this additional information and the fact that it’s in-depth, CVs are usually longer than resumes. They end up giving employers a more detailed view of your academic and professional accomplishments.

In the United States, CVs are asked for in academic, medical, or research positions. These are often much more focused on education, publications, and commendations than most careers in the U.S., making it logical that they’d want a more detailed document; CVs can extend to several pages long.

CVs are also used overseas in place of resumes. Europe in particular favors CVs over resumes, so if you apply for a job in Europe, chances are they’ll request a CV rather than a resume.

CVs are highly personalized documents, meaning that no two should look alike. However, there is usually a standard format that they follow, as well as standard information you’d find in most CVs. Remember that — just like with a resume — you want your skills and achievements to stand out.

Contact information . Start with your name and job title, then list your professional address, your home address, the phone numbers you can be reached at, email addresses, and you might want to include your website or professional portfolios , maybe even your LinkedIn profile.

Professional objective or work summary . This is where you’d list what your work goal is, or if you’re a seasoned professional, where you list a summary of what you’ve been doing. If you choose the summary you can recap your entire career or just focus on one aspect.

Professional experience . Typically, professional experiences are listed in reverse chronological order and there is a trend of dropping off anything that’s more than 10 years old. This may or may not be a good idea in a CV, it depends on your situation but if it’s repetitive and makes your CV more than five pages long, then older jobs should be omitted.

Education . You will want to list all of your higher education degrees. You also want to share your area of study, your thesis, if you graduated with honors, and any noteworthy awards or achievements.

Skills . If you have any skills that are relevant to the position but not included in your educational training you might want to list them. This is where you could possibly add any language skills, CPR or other emergency training, extra licenses you may hold, etc

Professional certifications . Does your professional tract include extra certifications that boost your knowledge base? For example, sports trainers may have, in addition to a degree, an NCSF-CPT certification , which is a National Council on Strength and Fitness Certified Personal Trainer test that proves they’re competent in certain aspects of being a trainer .

This could be very relevant to the position for which they’re applying.

Awards or recognition . List professionally earned awards you’ve received or if you’ve been recognized for your work. Don’t forget to include team awards and recognition if you were on a research team or part of a group that received acknowledgment for their contributions.

Publications . List your published books, articles, reviews, research, and anything else that’s relevant to the position you’re pursuing. Most people like to arrange these in reverse chronological order too, but it might be better to arrange them by the publication, depending on your experience.

Membership in professional organizations . You want recruiters to know that you’re active in your field and as a professional, and that often means belonging to an organization or two.

Extracurricular activities . Are you involved in any groups that are fun for you and not work-related, yet they apply to your field? Do you mentor children who are interested in rocket building and you want to be a teacher ? Anything you do that’s connected to your field and portrays you as the best candidate can be included.

Letters of recommendation . This is entirely optional. It can make an extensive and lengthy career-driven CV look a little sophomoric unless the letters are written by very relevant people. It can also make your CV too long. This is going to be a judgment call on your part.

Jane Doe Graduate Student Marketing Master of Business Administration University of Wisconsin 702 West Johnson Street Madison, WI 53715-1007 Home Address: 1234 Short Street Madison, WI 53715 Phone: (123) 456-7890 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn: linkedin.com/janedoe Twitter: twitter.com/janedoe Experienced Marketing major set to graduate in May. Was an intern with Advertising Excellence on the Pepsi campaign that went viral and had an article published in Advertising Age chronicling The Making of a Viral Video. Career focus in television production and marketing. Professional Experience Marketing Intern Advertising Excellence 1/2020 — present Achievements -Part of the team working on the Pepsi campaign that went viral -Lead creative in Pick Up Garbage Campaigns for Madison City Parks Division -Worked on company blog Retail Clerk UW Bookstore 10/2013 — 8/2017 Funded most tuition expenses by working part-time while attending school. Education Marketing Master of Business Administration University of Wisconsin-Madison 8/2017 — present Thesis Title – Breaking Boundaries in Television Marketing in the Digital Age Set to graduate with Honors Internship with PepsiCo Bachelor of Arts in Communications University of Wisconsin-Madison 8/2013 — 5/2017 Graduated with Honors Professional Certifications Google Analytics Individual Qualification Google Digital Garage Google Adwords Hootsuite Social Marketing Certification Facebook Blueprint Certification Awards Named Marking Student of the Year by UW-Madison 2019 Nominated for Best Marketing Intern by Advertising Excellence Publications Articles Authored Advertising Age “The Making of a Viral Video” UW Student Journal “The Changing View of Advertising” Articles Co-Authored Ad Mag “Looking at Your Audience Through a Lens” Extracurricular Activities Serve as a Mentor in the local Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and also volunteer my services writing and producing their television ads. Working on earing a private pilot’s license rating and hope to eventually wrap flying into my professional career.

At this point in her CV, Jane Doe might want to include some letters of recommendation. These will be written by other people and they typically do not follow any set format or letter template. One thing to note, because Jane is applying for a job in the United States , she has left some things out of her resume, like her age and other personal information that shouldn’t be on a resume due to discrimination laws.

[Your Name] [address] [email address] [phone number] [LinkedIn account] (optional) work summary or professional objective. [This is usually a short paragraph talking about your career trajectory and focus] Education [Most recent degree], [date graduated], [school] [Lower degree], [date graduated], [school] (Some CVs want you to include your GPA. Check the requirements of where you’re applying.) Professional Experience [Most recent career], [date] [Include a few bullet points about your duties] [previous career], [date] [Include a few bullet points about your duties] (The rule of thumb is to not go back farther than 10 years. However, that will depend on what careers you’ve had and how relevant they are to your current job. If you have a lot of repetitive skills, duties, and careers, it might be better to omit some.) Honors/Awards [add any relevant honors or awards you’ve received.] Publications (if applicable) [Most list publications in reverse chronological order] Memberships/Affiliations [If you’re a part of any professional organization, or are affiliated with one, put it here] (You can add other relevant headings, such as:) Languages (if multilingual) Skills Volunteering Experience Personal interests (some will add a short paragraph describing their interest outside of work. Or you can do a list or bullet points) Recommendations

If you live in the United States, then there will primarily be three reasons you’ll be using a CV: if you’re applying internationally, to academia, or to a medical or research position. There are differences in your CV depending on what you’re applying to, so here are some tips to make the best CV you can for the job.

International CVs

This bit of information is going to sound a little strange to people in the United States, but there are things that people in other countries routinely put on their curriculum vitae, it’s actually expected that it be there, that we would never include.

In fact, there are times when that information is not legal to ask for or provide because of age discrimination laws and other Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Laws . These tidbits of information you might be expected to include on your CV for an international job are:

Your date of birth

Nationality

Marital status

If you have children, how many, and their ages

Language skills

Health status

Passport Number

A picture of you

Academic CVs

Typically, a curriculum vitae is a requirement when the position is geared toward a well-educated person or someone who wants to work in academia. This means your academic information is often of utmost importance.

Your advanced degrees may need to sit at the top of the CV to get the attention they deserve, and any additional coursework, training, or certifications should be mentioned also. CVs typically rely heavily on education, so make sure you stand out and shine in this arena.

Medical/Scientific Research Information

If you’re in the sciences or work in research, you’ll typically be required to submit a CV. These are the fields where a strong academic career is essential, as is experience in the field or lab.

For first-time CV writers, showcase the research you’ve done so prospective employers know that you’ve had real-world experience. Highlight the accomplishments and maybe summarize what you learned.

For seasoned researchers, there’s probably not enough room for everything you’ve worked on but highlighting the most celebrated or novel research will be sure to get you noticed.

What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

The difference between a CV and a resume is that a CV is focused more on your education and accomplishments, while a resume is more skills-focused. In addition, CVs are much more in-depth, often being several pages. They will cover less directly work-related information as well, such as relevant hobbies, publications, and in-depth education information.

Resumes, on the other hand, should only be a page long. They are focused on your relevant skills and most recent education and jobs.

How often should you update your CV?

You should update your CV every time you apply for a new job to make sure that you include relevant keywords and skills. In general, you should maintain your CV by adding new careers, certifications, publications, or degrees you get as you get them so it’s up to date.

Does order matter on a CV?

While, technically, the order isn’t imperative on a CV, it’s highly recommended to prioritize your most relevant sections. That means that you can switch the order of your CV, in terms of where you put your education, work experience, and other skills.

It’s also advisable to put things in reverse chronological order. Putting your most recent degree, career, or achievement first allows the recruiter to see what you’ve been working on most recently.

How can you make your CV stand out?

The way to make your CV stand out is to pick the most relevant achievements and put them first. That shows that you paid attention to the job ad and put your qualifying skills and achievements first. It also highlights what skills you have that’ll be an asset to the company in the position you’re applying for.

It’s also a good idea to include a short summary at the top to tell the reader about yourself and your career trajectory. If the recruiter is asking for a CV, they want to know more about you than a resume can provide. That summary will give them an idea of who you are as a professional and what to expect from you.

Corporate Finance Institute — Curriculum Vitae – Definition, What to Include, and How to Format

Careers.govt.nz — How to write a CV .

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Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.

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• Cv Template

Writing a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

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How to write a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resumé. The first, and arguably most important stage of a job application is a CV. In one page, it displays what your strengths are, and why you are suitable for a role. It is no use being a great speaker and presenter if you can't make it to the interview stage. Utilise these tips, techniques, samples, examples, and templates to help develop a resume which perfectly displays all your skills, knowledge and experience in such a way that it is impossible not to hire you. 

This page gives you CV writing tips, techniques, examples, and help for career change and career training.

If you want a quick easy CV without the supporting advice and techniques for career training, go straight to the  sample CVs , CV phrases examples and CV templates .

If you are just using the CV template, see the  structure options  about putting CV/Curriculum Vitae in the heading and which personal details to put in.

Here's a  very direct local job-hunting method and tool , which is adaptable for your own situation, and can help put your CV in front of local employers very quickly and effectively.

If you want more details and methods for writing a great CV, planning and achieving good career developments and helpful job changes, read on.

While the basic rules of a good CV remain constant, the world of work and business changes quickly. This especially impacts on how managers and graduates can best show themselves to be outstanding candidates.

Read and use the basic CV rules, then take time and effort to define your own special qualities (for example see what successful progressive employers need) so that you offer strongly differentiated capabilities which promise special and relevant value to a potential employer.

• CV Template.doc
• CV Template.odt
• CV Template.pdf

Introduction

Keep your curriculum vitae simple. It must be concise, easy to read, must sell you, and it must be tailored to what the reader is looking for.

These CV and letter principles apply to all career moves. Having a good CV is essential for full-time jobs, part-time, internal, external, promotions, new jobs, career changes, internships and work experience placements - wherever an employer or decision-maker is short-listing or interviewing or selecting applicants.

Short-listed and successful candidates are invariably the people who provide employers with the best CVs and best covering letters.

A CV does not have to be a text document. It can be a video. If a picture tells a thousand words, imagine what moving pictures can convey about you. The technology exists now for anyone to create a video CV, and to upload it onto a website - including this one.

These notes are therefore not restricted to text-based CVs. The principles are good for your video CV too. Text or Video - the same principles apply.

How you perform at the interview or group selection is of course crucial, but only the people with the best CVs and letters get to that stage.

CV writing is a form of marketing or advertising, when the product is you.

This is especially so now when you can publish your CV - and/or video CV onto websites.

Opportunities increasingly enable you to create an impressive 'new-media CV' and then to proactively market yourself to employers where you can be seen, and also referenced by you in letters and hard-copy documents.

Your CV must sell you to a prospective employer, and compete against other applicants who are also trying to sell themselves. So the challenge in CV writing is to be more appealing and attractive than the rest.

This means that your curriculum vitae must be presented professionally, clearly, and in a way that indicates you are an ideal candidate for the job, i.e., you possess the right skills, experience, behaviour, attitude, morality that the employer is seeking. The way you present your CV effectively demonstrates your ability to communicate, and particularly to explain a professional business proposition.

Put yourself in the shoes of the employer: write down a description of the person they are looking for. You can now use this as a blue-print for your CV. The better the match the more likely you are to be called for an interview.

If you find it difficult to match your own CV description to the requirements of the role, then perhaps the role isn't for you. There's little or no point distorting or falsifying yourself in order to get a job. If you falsify yourself in your CV you'll be unlikely to provide the necessary proof of your claims at interview, and even if you manage to do this and to get the job, then you'll not be able to do the job enjoyably without stress.

Obviously lying in a CV is a risky strategy, especially about qualifications, and you should avoid any such temptation. Better to be proud and confident of who you are. Integrity and reputation are more important than qualifications. A CV with a lie is an embarrassment, or even a dismissal, waiting to happen, sometimes years later when you've a lot more to lose.

Blow your own trumpet, emphasise your characteristics, your capabilities and achievements - this is all fine - but know where to draw the line. Positive emphasis and strong presentation is good; falsehoods are not.

On the point about 'blowing your own trumpet' (presenting yourself within the CV in a very positive light) - many people find this difficult, especially those with strong 'sensing' personalities, who see life in terms of bare facts (make time to see the  personality section , and read Jung, Myers Briggs, etc - it will help you understand a lot about yourself). If you are one of these people (in fact many people are) try to get help from someone creative and enthusiastic to assist you in interpreting and writing very positive phrases and descriptions about you for your CV. In your CV it's important to emphasise your attributes in strong, relevant and expressive terms; modesty doesn't work particularly well on any CV.

Additionally, there is a widely held school of thought that writing such statements - powerful descriptions about yourself, your personality and your strengths and capabilities - actually helps you to become even more like the person you describe. It's related to  NLP , self-talk,  self-belief , and positive visualisation: we tend to live up to our claims when we write them down and commit to them. Creating a positive CV for ourselves helps us to grow and to become how we want to be.

Surveys and Statistics

These statistics relating to CVs and interviews were published in the Guardian newspaper some years ago. The numbers will be reasonably reliable in modern times too. The survey findings serve to remind job applicants and interviewers of warnings, opportunities and critical aspects of CVs and related preparation and approach for job interviews. The statistics also provide a basis for formulating some very useful pointers for CVs and job interviews:

The survey found that 86% of interviewers think CVs and application forms are not wholly truthful, whereas separately it seems that 35% of CVs are actually factually correct, although (for some reason, not actually explained) this apparently reduces to 23% for CVs belonging to women aged 31-35. The precise source of these statistics is not made clear, but the interesting point that comes from all this is that people who are truthful, and can convince the interviewer as such, will place themselves in an advantageous minority group, since the majority of interviews involve CVs which contain lies, and/or are perceived by interviewers to do so.  So if you want to have an edge over most other CVs and applicants, tell the truth . (For what it's worth this confirms what I've observed over the years - an honest solid applicant will always be preferred to a dishonest 'star' - integrity is considered to be a significantly vital factor among all good quality employers.)

It seems that only 8% of interviewers believed that academic qualifications reliably indicate future performance in the job. This confirms that for all but the most academically-dependent roles (NASA scientists, brain surgeons, heads of university faculty, etc), it's important to emphasise strengths such as relevant achievements, capability and attitude, and appreciation of what is required to make a difference in the role, rather putting a lot of emphasis on academic qualifications.

Combined with the first point, these findings also confirm that lying about qualifications on a CV and/or in an interview is a completely daft thing to do, because seemingly most interviewers won't believe you (moreover, 66% of interviewers say that they check up on professional qualifications, and 56% check academic qualifications), and hardly any interviewers regard qualifications as the most significant factor anyway.

Recent trends - and many newspaper and magazine articles - consistently suggest that employers increasingly look for characteristics in job candidates that are attitudinal, rather than knowledge or qualifications-based.

In the 20th centrury, the major 'professional' recruiters (corporate retailers, accountants, legal firms, etc) would typically restrict their recruiting and graduate intake to candidates who possessed specific qualifications for the profession itself.

In the 21st century these same organizations now increasingly realise that:

• Job candidates with the best accouncy qualifications do not necessarily make the best accountants
• Job candidates with passions and experiences and qualifications in other disciplines often make very good accountants - especially where customer relationships and acciount management are important parts of the job
• A candidate who can demonstrate good experience achieving worthwhile things and being productive, and can also demonstrate energy, commitment, problem-solving, creativity and people-skills, etc., is far more likely to be a fabulous employee than someone who merely possesses a good degree, or other academic qualification.

N.B. This does not mean that you should not bother with training, self-improvement, and striving for new professional or academic qualifications, which are helpful for personal growth and for increasing your range and depth of capabilities. The point is simply that there are far more important things than qualifications in CVs and interviews.

Next is a crucial factor in CVs and interviews that's easy to prepare for:

Apparently 59% of employers said they have had to withdraw job offers after receiving poor references about successful applicants. This means that some people are failing to prepare their references properly. It also means that some people who are initially  unsuccessful  stand a chance to be offered the job because the preferred applicant was found to be rather less than they claimed to be, but only of course if the second-choice applicant's references are satisfactory. Given that some inititally successful candidates are rejected due to references, there will be a sensitivity among interviewers to this, and a desire to avoid the disappointment and time-wasting nuisance of receiving a poor reference about a chosen candidate. Thus there is an opportunity for applicants to increase their suitability (as perceived by the interviewer), to be the first-choice candidate, or failing that to be reliable second-choice candidate, by:

• Emphasising the availability of good reliable references on the CV
• Taking good printed references to the interview (see the  reference letters  page), and
• Ensuring that reliable referees are prepared and able to provide excellent references when asked by the interviewer, should (when) the job is offered

So do not treat references as something to do after the interview - prepare your references in advance - and take the evidence with you.

The survey findings also state that 85% of interviewers seek references from at least one previous employer, which is further confirmation of the need to cover this whole area professionally and reliably.

According to the research, these are the most common CV inaccuracies (presumably from the perspective of interviewers):

• Employment dates (length of, dates from and to)
• Gaps between employment
• Qualifications, and surprisingly,
• Undeclared directorships

This is all very interesting because again it shows the opportunities for applicants to sharpen up the reliability and truthfulness of their CVs in certain key areas. It shows that interviewers will be sensitive to, and therefore on the lookout for inaccuracies, distortions omissions and 'funny smells' generally in these areas, so again,  be honest and consistent .

Remember that many professional people use quite a lot of instinct in recruiting people. They are therefore sensitive to anything that does not seem quite right.

So eliminate any areas of doubt in your application - do not hope instead that everything will be ok in the interview, because if you have created some doubts about yourself and your application, then the job offer will probably go to someone who is less of a risk.

On which point, rather than spend time trying to create a 'believable' web of deceit (which most interviewers will see though at some stage anyway, with the result that your your credibility will be shot to pieces, along with the opportunity or job offer), spend your time instead thinking about what you learned from the things you are trying to hide,  and be proud to have the courage to be honest about your past . If you lie about it then it will continue to hang around your neck as a failure. If you hold your head high and be honest, then you will gain respect, and in many cases the interviewer will conclude that you have learned from your experience, especially if you explain how and why this is so. Remember, lots of interviewers will have considered hiding or distorting things in their own CVs - nobody's perfect; and in fact the most impressive people in life and work are generally those who've learned from and accepted their difficult experiences, rather than denying that they ever happened.

Whatever way you look at this, it makes sense to be truthful - firstly to yourself - be proud that you have learned from your mistakes and that you have the courage to admit them.

Don't try to hide failures, mistakes or shortcomings - accept them, learn from them, seek to improve on them, and explain why and how this is so.

And as important as anything else - don't let people judge you unfairly, and don't work for anyone who does, because they will make your life a misery.

You are being assessed in this process - but you are also assessing your employer. Be proud.

Your integrity, honesty and commitment are extremely valuable in today's world - so work only for an employer who respects you for having these qualities, and don't lower yourself to work for anyone who will not.

Writing a CV With No Career History or Experience

The tips and examples in this article still apply if you have little or no work experience. Experience is in everything we do - especially in the most important areas such as maturity (grown-up attitudes) and emotional intelligence, communications, creativity, responsibility, determination, integrity, compassion, problem-solving, etc - these are the qualities employers really seek - so if you are leaving school or college or university and putting together your first CV, then look for the relevant transferable experiences and learning in your life experience and use these examples within the structure provided on this page. You'll not have a career history, but you can certainly illustrate and prove that you have qualities gained and learned from your life experience, that employers will recognise and want.

Consider and show achievements and qualities from your life, relevant to the job, such as:

• Problem-solving
• Self-motivation
• Reliability
• Persistence and determination
• Compassion and humanity
• Love and care for others
• Specific abilities with numbers, language, communications and ICT (information and communications technology - especially computing and websites), fixing and making things, selling and marketing something, etc.

in non-employed situations such as:

• School or college projects and responsibilities
• Part-time jobs
• Voluntary work
• Supervising, teaching, helping young people
• Charity work
• Hobbies and pastimes
• Outdoor activities
• Holidays and travel

and any other personal interests which illustrate your strengths, capabilities and passions.

It is true that many employers need experienced people. Some are firm about this; others can be persuaded to consider an applicant who has special qualities but no experience - it depends on the job and the needs of the employer. There are some employers who will be interested in fresh young people who are keen to learn and who are highly committed, and who can demonstrate that they possess other qualities that perhaps more experienced people do not. This is why you need to write a good letter accompanying your CV that explains clearly and concisely your strengths and values, and relevant  life experience , to an employer, and then to send the letter, and follow up with phone calls to as many employers as you can. Be persistent and determined, and you will find in time find an employer who wants someone just like you. Meanwhile take advantage of every opportunity to learn and gain experience in your chosen field: join discussion groups, read journals, attend courses, lectures and exhibitions, study the newspapers and news websites business pages, perhaps work part-time for a school and/or a voluntary organisation or group who need your skills. This will enable you to build useful and relevant experience that will definitely be seen astransferable to employed situations, and it will also demonstrate to employers that you are enthusiastic and willing to invest your own time in making a positive contribution to help others and to help yourself.

If you are aiming at a job which asks for experience, yet you have no experience in conventional employed work, look for other examples in your life which prove that you have the right attitude and potential, and even some very relevant transferable experience, despite it not being from employed work.

Many employers prefer a young candidate who can demonstrate reliability, self-motivation, drive and enthusiasm, etc., from having, for example, applied themselves for years in low-paid paper-rounds and weekend jobs, or who can show serious dedication to some other worthy activity, than applicants who have a career history but demonstrate none of the vital qualities that employers really value and seek in new recruits.

Applying for an Undefined Role

Given the fast-changing nature of work and organizations, jobs increasingly offer the chance or require candidates to suggest how the role itself might be shaped or developed or fully defined. It might be an existing role, or a new position. Either way, this is a big opportunity which you should grasp eagerly.

A role that has not been fully or completely specified offers great opportunity for the successful candidate to prove they'd be able to define and shape the role to benefit the employer organization in accordance with the employer's needs, aims, challenges, priorities, etc.

Of course at the same time you'd need to prove you can cover the stated/known essentials, but if you see or detect that role development is also on the employer's wish-list, then create your CV accordingly.

As regards the unknown aspects of the job (which the employer might say are 'to be defined', or 'yet to be developed'), the candidate needs to show they understand how the role can operate to its fullest potential within the organization. This aspect of role defining or development invites the candidate to demonstrate on their CV that they'd be able to do just that - help re-define or develop the role.

This involves more strategic interpretation than might usually be expected in the role. People who can shape their role have to be able to see outside the role and understand the role in a wider context than simply doing a stipulated job.

Key attributes and abilities associated with this requirement would typically include:

• Measurement and analysis of meaningful cause and effect - some appreciation of productive use of time and resource in an organizational context - this is really the crucial point: the capability to assess and judge the role in a future organizational (and maybe also market) context
• Vision - appreciation of what's needed for the future; how things are changing and how to meet those changes
• Strategic awareness and interest - seeing implications of issues beyond the issues themselves
• Objectivity, maturity, tolerance, patience, wisdom, etc - the opposite of impulsiveness - so as to use the additional responsibility wisely and fairly
• And ideally (which can be a clincher) show a command and knowledge of the role from a technical 'leading edge' perspective - as if you were a specialised external consultant or expert, or perhaps a teacher or writer in the discipline, or simply someone who takes a keen interest in the most advanced thinking associated with the role - it's a matter of presenting yourself as, and being, someone who sees the positive and future implications of the role, not just the role itself.

The employer's ideal applicant in such situations is for an expert to join them and manage the situation like a more senior strategic manager or executive would be expected to do, given that they do not have such a person. For a job applicant it's a great way to approach a job opportunity, especially if you are keen to advance.

N.B. Many job vacancies offer this potential or flexibility even if the employer does not state it. All good organizations need people who can see beyond their own role; people who can develop the role, and also to develop and advance as a strategic contributor within the organization. So approaching any vacancy with an eye on development and organizational context is often a good way to differentiate yourself from other applicants who limit their CV presentation to the strict confines of the job description.

Internships and Work Experience

You should approach applying for internships in much the same way as looking for a job. Therefore much of what appears on this page about CV writing and covering letters for full-time jobs and career advancement will be relevant if you are trying to find a placement for work experience or an internship. The tips and ideas on the  job interviews  section are also relevant to seeking and applying for and successfully gaining internships and work experience placements.

It's essential to research prospective internship employers. And plan this well in advance. People who leave things until the last minute reduce their options, and increase the amount of competitive pressures involved. Also, planning and researching early in the process will maximise the chances of identifying and securing the best placements.

Employers will be impressed by people who have clearly planned ahead of the rest. Employers will not be impressed by those who've obviously left things late.

Be creative about the way you research your employer market sector(s). First decide on the sector(s), and what you want to do.

Answer this:

Do you define your target sector(s) 'vertically' - according to 'vertical markets', such as retail, solicitors, accountants, charities, healthcare, transport, sports, leisure, etc.; or do you prefer to define your target employers 'horizontally' - according to services and professions that are used across all industries, such as administration, sales, financial, legal, creative, production, quality management, business management, human resources, training and development, etc? Or perhaps a combination of the two, for example, I want to get an internship as a HR person in a charity, or as a production designer in a hi-tech manufacturing company?

However you define your target sector, it's important to do so, because this gives you something specific to aim at. Clarity here is extremely valuable. Clear aims have a much greater chance of being met than fuzzy or indeterminate ideas. This is because we can build an action plan around a clear aim. We can't build a plan around a vague idea.

The action plan starts with researching your target market or sector, however you define it. Focusing on a defined sector helps because certain economies of scale come into effect: commonalities exist between similar organisations and situations which save our time and enable efficient use of our efforts. We can get into a groove and a mind-set that will work in lots of similar situations. Being vague and having no focus makes it impossible to derive these advantages. Variety might be the spice of life, but it's not helpful in putting together a targeted action plan, where focus, consistency, familiarity, knowledge, expertise and professionalism are the important criteria for success.

Research is relatively easy using the internet - but remember the phone as well, especially when you locate a contact who might guide you. Try to identify the focal points where information is gathered and disseminated for your target sector(s). Most vertical industry sectors - and professions - are represented by at least one trade association or professional body or institute. Large sectors will be represented by many different trade associations, bodies and institutes - each of which represents a sub-sector or 'niche' within the main sector. Each representative body will generally have a trade magazine or journal, and also probably a website. These pivotal points will enable you to find out most of what you need to know so as to identify prospective internships (and employers). Use the phone to talk to people in these organisations - editors and secretaries are very knowledgeable and many are very helpful. Try to network and seek referrals from contacts, each time asking politely for help - just be honest and courteous about what you are trying to achieve and many people will be extremely helpful. Accept the fact that you will find yourself barking up the wrong tree on a few occasions - no problem - move onto the next point of contact. Sooner or later you will find what you seek.

What you seek of course is of course a good list of potential employers (and relevant contact details) who fit your criteria. Your criteria will extend beyond market sector and job function. Geography, organisation size, market position, style and culture might also feature in your ideal profile of an internship organisation. Again, define and describe to yourself what you are seeking - an employer profile - and use your research sources to compile a list of the organisations that meet it.

Researching individual organisations on the internet and by telephone, and by requesting details from them (sales brochures, annual reports, etc) helps to build up a feel of the market and or professional sector early on, and this individually focused research is very beneficial later in the process when you begin to tighten your specification and list of prospective employers. This detailed research will directly improve your written approach, and you performance at interview.

When approaching organisations for internships or work experience placements, resist the temptation to send out lots of emails. Letters are best. Emails give a far lower rate of response than letters. Letters have to be opened, but emails don't, and many are binned as junk or spam. Follow the principles on this page to write and send the most impressive CV and cover-letters possible. It's not necessary to have had loads of work experience to create a great-looking impressive CV. See the notes above about  writing CVs with little or no work experience .

See also the tips on  business writing  and also the techniques for writing  introductory sales letters , which all relates to the process you are undertaking. Remember, you are selling yourself. For that matter you should also look at the  sales training  page too, which contains a lot of useful guidance about identifying what people want and developing a proposition to meet those needs, both of which are central to what you are doing.

Telephoning before writing is a good idea. This enables you to qualify the good opportunities and remove the no-hopers. Phone the PA (personal assistant) of the decision-maker, so as to make the introduction, to ask about and qualify the opportunity and process of application and selection, and ask them to look out for your letter. If you are referred to another person or department go with their flow unless you are convinced it's taking you to the wrong place.

Carrying out telephone follow-up to the PA's, and your overall persistence after you've sent your letters and CVs, will also greatly improve your success.

Also helpful is networking (asking contacts for referrals and suggestions about other opportunities) to find the opportunities that best suit your capabilities and aspirations. Networking among smaller business in the same sector can be very effective and would be a useful tactic for example if you wanted to find a placement in a small firm situated nearby or connected with lots of similar providers. Many owners and directors know each other well and are often quite happy to refer you elsewhere. Just because firms compete with each other does not prevent them from referring this sort of interest between themselves when asked. So ask.

Editors of trade journals will often have a good idea of who are the biggest graduate recruiters and who offer most internships within certain sectors. Research can be as easy or difficult as you make it. Try to find the people who know most about what you want to discover and seek their help.

When it comes to sending letters and CVs to your selected organisations, writing personalised letters that explain why you'd like to work for the particular practice gives you a significant advantage over other people who send out an obvious mailshot-type letter, oriented to nobody in particular.

Emphasise what you can do for the employer and your passion for the field or profession or industry, rather than being seen only to seek what they can do for you.

Be flexible on fees and salary rates. Depending on your circumstances and the significance of the opportunity you might even offer to work for minimum wage or for free. It's called 'delaying gratification' or 'investing in your future' and under certain circumstances it's a very effective technique. Good employers will in any event generally pay a fair rate irrespective of what you ask for, and they'll typically be very impressed by people who love their field so much that they are prepared to make personal sacrifices as an investment towards learning and experience.

"Everybody's got to have a first [internship] somewhere. My advice is, hey, if you can find any way to afford it, try to work for free somewhere. Do anything to work in your field." (Richard Hieb, astronaut, from from The Internship Bible , 2003 Edition by Mark Oldman and Samer Hamadeh, as referenced by The Princeton Review.)

Enthusiasm and passion and commitment go a very long way with high quality employers. The decision-makers you will meet in these organisations usually love their work and their chosen field. They've become successful because of their passion and determination.

The best employers want to employ interns who demonstrate this same level of commitment.

Presentation and Style

Presentation and sequence of items with your CV are very important, as it is in advertising, and most people get it wrong, which makes it easier for you when you get it right. When you are selling anything you need to get to the key points quickly. The quicker the reader can read and absorb the key points the more likely they are to buy. A well presented and well-structured CV also indicates that you are professional, business-like and well organised. The structure suggested below sells your strengths first and provides personal and career history details last - most people do it the other way round which has less impact. Structuring a CV like this you can immediately stand out from the others and make a much better impression.

For all but very senior positions your should aim to fit your CV on one side of standard sheet of business paper. For large corporation director positions two or three sheets are acceptable, but a well-presented single side will always tend to impress and impact more than lots of detail spread over a number of sheets. Always try to use as few words as possible. In CV writing, like advertising, "less is more". This means you need to think carefully about the words you use - make sure each one is working for you - if any aren't, remove them or replace them. Never use two words when one will do.

Check out our free CV template - single sheet format, UK A4 paper size to input your own details and adapt for your own purposes. Refer to the  CV words and phrases examples  below to help you develop and craft your own.

Creating your own CV templates to use for different career moves can save you time in writing different CVs for different types of jobs.

Changing CV words and phrases to suit different jobs is important. Writing and keeping file copies of your own different CV examples and CV templates can save you hours of work, and will help you to be able to produce an individually 'tailored' CV for each of the different opportunities as they arise.

Refer also to the  writing technique  page on this website - it explains about use of fonts (typefaces), colour, headings, capital letters, positioning, etc.

Irrespective of style and design, above all the presentation of your CV needs to be  high quality  and  clear  and  professional  and  up-to-date .

This means not using poor quality photo-copies. Original prints are best. This applies to letters as well. Photocopies and documents that have obviously been mass-produced imply that the sender is throwing lots of mud at the wall and hoping some will stick. This makes the recipient or interviewer feel like you don't care much where you end up, and that you don't have a particular reason for wanting to join their organisation, which is the opposite impression that you need to be making. Poor quality photocopies reflect on your own quality. Scruffy unprofessional documents will be interpreted as a sign that the sender is scruffy and unprofessional. Old CVs that are dated several months ago, or a photocopied letter with a blank space in which the sender writes the date in biro, will suggest that you are not up-to-date nor well-organised, and also that you've been looking for a job (obviously without success) for some while.

On the other hand, pristine professional-looking documents on good quality paper stock (100 gsm minimum ideally) will signify that you are professional, and also that you can be trusted to communicate appropriately and professionally when and if you end up working for the organisation concerned. CVs and letters with current dates, that are purpose-written (tailored) for the recipient, will suggest that you are recently available, selective, focused, and also that you have logical reasons for believing that a good fit exists between you and the employer, all of which weighs heavily in your favour.

So: high quality, clear, professional and up-to-date CVs and letters are vital.

According to research, the inclusion of a photograph of yourself is more likely to have a negative effect than a positive one, but I guess that depends on what you look like and also how the reader responds to the way you look, which is not an exact science at all. Until photographs become the expected norm, if ever they do, unless you have a very good reason to include a photo then it's probably best not to.

If you are asked to include a photograph of yourself, as certain jobs require, then ensure you go about this professionally. Have a decent photograph taken by someone who knows what they are doing. Definitely resist any temptation to use a snap taken at the pub, or a picture of you dressed up as Father Christmas or just about to climb the north face of the Eiger. One in twenty interviewers might respond well to a zany picture, but most will be rather wary: getting shortlisted generally depends on your seeming like a good fit, not looking like you could be an oddball. If you want to convey that you are free-minded or possess great individuality or creative strength, then use the descriptions and evidence in your CV to demonstrate this. No-one relies on a picture.

Clear and clean and professional does not always necessarily mean 10pt black font on 100gsm standard business stock paper, but be mindful that the farther you stray from convention the greater risk you run that the reader will take exception to the style. No-one ever threw out a great looking CV because it looked too professional and business-like.

Of course certain industries - marketing, advertising, media, the arts-related sectors - are more amenable towards unorthodox presentation and design, but use your judgement. If in doubt keep it simple and professional. Gimmicks and wackiness might initially grab attention, but most employers, even if the job requires a high level of creativity, are seeking reliable professional people they can manage, rather than someone who looks like they could be too strange. Use creative design with care. Make sure you are happy the situation really warrants a strong display of creative individuality before you reach for the holographic film and glitter.

File Format

This is obviously important if uploading your CV to a website, or sending via email, or conveying your CV in digital/electronic format.

Use a file format which is most accessible to most people.

For example:

Docx files are not accessible to everyone. (Docx files cannot be opened by old versions of MSWord).

Doc files are therefore more accessible to most people than docx files.

Pdf is arguably the most accessible and safest format. (Pdf files can generally be opened by everyone - using Adobe Acrobat Reader - and also the pdf format remains consistent when opened, unlike doc and other word processor files, which are often affected by fonts and settings on the recipient's computer.)

The excellent open source 'office equivalent'  www.OpenOffice.org  enables easy conversion from doc to pdf, although other methods exist.

Consider file format from the view of your target audience/reader and choose a format by which the recipient will be able to access your CV easily and reliably.

As a general rule, the more complex/unusual your code/fonts in your CV, then the more it will make sense to use a pdf file format.

Another consideration is that unless you protect with a password, word processor files like doc and docx can be altered by the recipient. It is very much more difficult to alter a pdf file. This robustness of a pdf is a further reason for choosing pdf format.

In certain sectors (media, marketing, design, etc) pdf files will be recognised as a more appropriate presentation format, which inevitably reflects as a subtle advantage for anyone demonstrating that they've chosen to use the pdf format in presenting their CV.

As ever - for the presentation of any important information to a specifically targeted reader - ask what file format they prefer.

(Other than 'Title', use these sub-headings or similar)

Simply your name followed by the word or 'CV' or 'Curriculum Vitae' ('Resume' is used more in the USA).

Personal Profile (and/or Attributes)

Five to seven high impact statements that describe you. These are effectively your personal strengths. Be bold, confident and positive when you construct these key statements. Orientate the descriptions to the type of job you are seeking. If you have a serious qualification and it's relevant, include it as the final point. Look at the examples shown to see how these statements use powerful words and professional business vocabulary. See the  examples of CV words and phrases  below.

Experience (and/or Specialisms or Capabilities)

This is not your career history. It's a bullet points description of your experience and/or your capabilities. Make sure you orientate these simple statements to meet the requirements of the reader, in other words ensure the experience/strengths are relevant to the type of job/responsibility that you are seeking. Again try to use powerful statements and impressive language - be bold and check that your chosen language and descriptions look confident and positive. If you are at the beginning or very early stage of your career you will not have much or any work experience to refer to, in which case you must refer to other aspects of your life experience - your college or university experience, your hobbies, social or sports achievements, and bring out the aspects that will be relevant to the way you would work. See the notes for  writing CVs with no work experience . Prospective employers look for key indicators of  integrity, enthusiasm, passion, determination, initiative, creativity, originality, organisational ability, planning, cost-management, people-skills, technical skill, diligence, reliability, depending on the job ; so find examples of the relevant required behaviours from your life, and encapsulate them in snappy, impressive statements. Go for active not passive descriptions, i.e., where you are making things happen, not having things happen to you.

Achievements

High impact descriptions of your major achievements. Separate, compact, impressive statements. Ensure you refer to facts, figures and timescales - prospective employers look for quantitative information - hard facts, not vague claims. These achievements should back up your Personal Profile claims earlier - they are the evidence that you can do what you say. Again they must be relevant to the role you are seeking.

Career History

A tight compact neatly presented summary of your career history. Start with the most recent or present job and end with the first. Show starting and finishing years - not necessarily the months. Show company name, city address - not necessarily the full address. Show your job title(s). Use a generally recognised job title if the actual job title is misleading or unclear.

If you have little work experience you can combine Career history into one section. See the separate notes about  writing CVs where there is very little or no actual career history .

Personal Details

In most markets including the UK, modern employment discrimination law has reduced the need and expectation for many personal details relating to age, ethnicity, marital status, etc, to be included in a CV. Aside from obviously necessary contact details, the level of personal detail you must include is now optional. This is a particular consideration if you are posting or allowing your CV to appear on the web, where privacy can more easily be invaded, or identities stolen. Therefore be cautious and sensible about how much personal detail you show in a CV. Potentially this section enables sub-headings to provide details of full name, sex (if not obvious from your name), address, phone, email, date of birth, marital status, number of children and ages if applicable, driving licence (hopefully clean - if not state position), education (school, college, university and dates), qualifications, and emphasise clearly that references are available. Keep all this information very tight, compact and concise. Being at a more advanced stage of your career is another reason for reducing the amount of personal details shown, as some will be implicit or not relevant. On the other hand, there is an argument for giving as much detail as possible for senior positions as an indication of confidence. As for some other debatable aspects of what to include, it is your decision, and one probably best made considering the precise circumstances of the CVs purpose and likely exposure. The best position for your address and contact details is a matter of debate. Many people suggest these should be at the top of the CV below the heading, however this template structure recommends that they be shown lower down the CV in the personal details section. See below for where to put CV contact and address details<. It's your decision - there are arguments both ways. Date the CV, and save as a file with some indication of what type of job it was orientated for, as you should ideally develop a number of different versions of your CV.

Education and Qualifications

Depending on the person and the job vacancy and the employer's expectations it is often better to show education and qualifications in a separate section, rather than within the Personal Details, as a way of giving them greater emphasis and clarity. If so then this section can be placed after or before the Personal Details, or given higher prominence if the situation warrants it. The level of detail and type of detail in this section should change as your career progresses. For example your school/college exams subjects and grades would be highly relevant when you are seeking your first job, but after working for 5-10 years, especially if you've achieved further training and qualifications, your school/college qualifications warrant far less detail and prominence. As ever, include and emphasise details according to the jobs you are seeking, and what the employers will find most relevant and useful.

Other Structure Options

While certain CV writing principles are quite fixed and widely accepted, a few issues are open to interpretation and are a matter for personal decision.

In deciding about these and any other structural options, consider the specific purpose and circumstances of your CV at the time, because this often determines how best to structure it. Additionally, since you should ideally be using different versions of CVs for different purposes, try to keep a record of what works best, so you can refine a set of rules which are optimal for you and the job markets you are targeting. Also seek feedback from interviewers and employers - and anyone else with relevant experience - as to what can be improved in your CV, so that you can progressively develop your understanding of what sort of CV formats are most effective.

Personal details in your CV

First - the rules for this should be different for printed CVs sent through the post, electronic CVs passed to a safe trustworthy recipient, and electronic CVs and personal data uploaded onto job websites.

In terms of CVs which you send or convey to secure and trustworthy recipients:

You will see from the CV examples and templates that I advocate reasonably open and full disclosure personal details on a CV.

You must decide for yourself if such openness is appropriate for you and your situation and the vacancy.

Employment laws, particularly relating to equality and discrimination (age, gender, etc) have implications for interviewing and selection.

Consequently the applicant has more freedom today to withhold certain personal information on a CV about age or date of birth, marital status, children or dependents. It's entirely a matter of personal opinion and judgement whether to include such information.

There is no law which compels or prevents the inclusion or withholding within your CV of personal information that is subject to equality and discrimination legislation.

However, the reality is that while there are laws in most countries against discrimination, identifying and proving such discrimination is virtually impossible at the application stage. So the only initial defence is to withhold the information - or to make it a selling point.

The dilemma for the applicant therefore is whether to be open and up-front about personal information that (you fear) could put off an employer - regardless of the legality of such a reaction - or to withhold the relevant personal information in the hope of being short-listed for interview and overcoming any prejudices at that stage.

On which point, be careful about your assumptions - while prejudices obviously exist, your fears can be vastly worse than what actually happens. See  Murphy's Plough  for example.

Another view is that any employer who discriminates unreasonably against an applicant is not worthy of your loyalty and abilities anyway, which suggests that full open confident disclosure is the best way to go. Full disclosure is potentially a wonderful filter to prevent you wasting your time with idiots. Who wants to work for a bigot? Or even a decent organization which tolerates or fails to recognise a bigot in a position of responsibility?  Moreover, modern ethical employers will tend to respond positively to openness, and particularly to someone who is proud of their personal situation and characteristics. There's a case for simply being proud of who and what you are - and use your CV to tell people why.

So whether to include date of birth or age on a CV (or gender if it is not obvious from the name) is ultimately a matter of personal choice, with arguments either way.

A guiding rule is possibly:

If you are reasonably confident and have a level of inner calm and resolve, and especially if you can make positive claims and advantages relating to your personal circumstances, then full openness is probably the right approach for you.

If you are less confident, or less able to pick and choose a truly worthy employer, then arguably a more cautious approach is justified.

In terms of CVs provided or uploaded to job websites, or to less secure and trustworthy recipients:

As highlighted by the serious security breach at a major jobs website in January 2009, exposing the personal data of millions of jobseekers - consider how much personal information you provide or include in any CV uploaded to a website.

Personal data on a CV uploaded or stored electronically is - to one degree or another - subject to security risk from accidental release of data, or deliberate hacking and identity theft.

Therefore you should always adapt the level of personal detail you include on your CV according to the security and trust that you believe is offered by the recipient or destination for your CV.

(I am grateful to L Haughton, October 2007, for initially raising the issue of personal details such as date of birth in CVs.)

Contact and address details - beginning or end of CV

You will see from the CV examples and templates that I advocate a structure which puts the contact address and personal details at the foot of the CV.

This is because the first vital seconds are best used in conveying your crucial and relevant personal strengths. Given a professionally presented CV and cover-letter, most employers will assume you live in a house or a flat of some sort, and have an address and a phone number, so what's the point in wasting vital early impact to convey these mundane details?

This is particularly the case for middle and senior-ranking job vacancies, when screening is likely to be relatively professional and responsive to an effective and strategically presented CV.

Positioning contact and address details lower on a CV, so as to give maximum immediate impact to more relevant factors, is also very sensible when you are applying for a role internally, when obviously you are already known.

There is an argument however (and I am again grateful to L Haughton for raising this issue) for putting address and contact details at the top of the CV, to counter any possible risk of the CV being rejected at first glance because address and contact details are not instantly obvious to the reader.

This will be more of a factor for junior job vacancies, in which perhaps the screening process is hurried or unprofessional, which would increase the risk of a CV being rejected quickly because contact and address details are not instantly apparent.

As with the issue of openness and disclosure of personal details, the positioning of your contact and address details is a matter for your personal judgement.

If you want a guiding rule, here's one:

Put the contact and address details  at the foot of the CV for middle and senior job vacancies , when you want  maximum impact for your job-related strengths .

Put your contact and address details  at the top of the CV  if you have the slightest feeling that  the vacancy or the screening process involves processing large numbers of applications , and in which  basic skills and basic personal circumstances are the priority screening and selection criteria .

Heading - Name and 'CV' or just 'CV' or 'Curriculum Vitae'?

An additional point of recent debate about CV presentation is whether to include the words Curriculum Vitae or CV (or Resume) in the document title next to your name.

This is a relatively minor issue, but an interesting one which seems lately to have veered to a particular trend, which may not actually be as helpful and correct as some people suggest.

As with several other aspects of CV writing and presentation, this is open to different views, and you are free to decide for yourself. Here's my observation and guidance on the matter - which basically is to include CV or Curriculum Vitae in the heading. Here's the explanation.

In recent years a fashionable view has emerged suggesting that it is somehow wrong to put the abbreviation 'CV' or the words 'Curriculum Vitae' (or in American-English markets, the word 'Resume') at the top of a CV - typically after the person's name, or alternatively before the name.

If anyone can send me any evidence or solid logic as to how and why including 'CV' or 'Curriculum Vitae' in the document heading is unhelpful or counter-productive I would be happy to show it here.

As far as I understand the communication and management of text-based information, there is not really a good reason for excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae from the heading of the document, whereas there is probably at least one good reason for including one or the other.

Excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae from the heading does not usefully save space unless there is something better to do with the space. Subject to using a sensible font size, which you should anyway, there is no real space saving by excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae from the heading, since nobody's name is so long as not to fit comfortably into a heading line with the words Curriculum Vitae, or the abbreviation CV.

Excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae does not actually save time for the reader. There is no real time saving for the reader since the brain scans such peripheral data subliminally (below a normal conscious level) - unless the reader actually needs it - just as we are not conscious of the printed page numbers as we read a book or newspaper.

Excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae is said by some to reduce the risk of irritating the interviewer or screener. Does it? Does it really? Is anyone out there actually irritated by this? I'd love to know. And I leave it to you to decide if you want to work for an organization which employs people who are irritated in such a trivial way.

Excluding CV or Curriculum Vitae from the heading arguably might improve - very marginally - the visual presentation a CV, simply on the basis that white space is generally helpful and pleasing to the eye of the reader. But then so would reducing the CV content to about 35 words, in a specially designed typeface, and engaging a designer for the layout too, which would be extremely pleasing to the eye, but then the document would cease to be  optimally effective  as a CV, and this is the point.

A CV must achieve a balance between presentation, content, and increasingly how the data is managed and processed.

Given this, there are perhaps a couple of positive reasons for including the abbreviation CV or Curriculum Vitae within the heading of the document:

• Crucially from the standpoint of data management, web/computer searching, and data/document retrieval - on the web as a whole, on individual websites, on organizational computer systems, and on personal PCs and other local storage devices - the words Curriculum Vitae and/or the abbreviation CV are central to the description and categorization of CVs as a type of document. Any CV which includes the keywords Curriculum Vitae or the abbreviation CV will obviously be found more easily than documents which contain neither. Excluding the words Curriculum Vitae would in many computer systems, including websites, require the document file to be 'tagged' with the words Curriculum Vitae in order for it to be found using those keywords. If a document does not include the keywords, and is not tagged as such, then it won't be found by anyone searching for those keywords. Imagine a recruiter searching the web or a website or a local computer file system using the keywords 'curriculum vitae - french-speaking retail manager'. If you have the words 'french-speaking retail manager' in your CV, but not the words 'curriculum vitae', your chances of being found are somewhat less than if your CV contains the words 'curriculum vitae'. If you want your CV to be stored and found electronically then this is a significant point.
• Your CV is a CV - a Curriculum Vitae - a very specific document for a very specific purpose. It's not a biography. It's not a Facebook page. It's not an personnel file or a meeting note. It's not any of the countless other types of documents and files that could carry a person's name in the heading. So say what it is. People who argue for the exclusion of CV/Curriculum Vitae from the document heading typically justify this view from a narrow perspective - that within the job application process'it's obvious' that a CV is a CV. This is fine, but what about all the other times? And what about when you circulate or upload your CV speculatively - when the context is not immediately obvious to the reader. The reason that humankind has developed a system of names for things - especially significant things, and definitely documents which have purpose beyond the initial 'obvious' context - is so that items can be quickly recognized and processed in as many different systemic environments as possible. A CV is a very good example of a document which has purpose beyond initial context. It must stand alone. CVs commonly become separated from their cover-letters. They get lost in archives and saved accidentally in inappropriate file directories and folders. Identifying a CV clearly as a Curriculum Vitae or CV at the heading of the document inevitably increases its chances of being recognised and processed as one in the future, and is therefore is sensible.

Using a photo on your CV

A UK survey by the Royal Mail postal service (back in the days when most job applications were postal) of HR departments in large organizations in the legal, retail, media and accounting sectors, identified these other CV pointers:

• Incompletely or inaccurately addressed CVs and CV cover letters were  rejected immediately  by 83% of HR departments.
• CVs and cover letters addressed to a  named person  were significantly favoured over those addressed to a generic job title by 55% of HR departments.
• And, interestingly, over 60% of HR departments said that the inclusion of a photograph with the CV  adversely  affected their opinion of the applicant.

Structure can be varied. These are examples. Refer to the appropriate notes in the  Structure section  above to understand more about the reasons for using different structures and positions for certain details within a CV. Particularly: personal details, contact/address details - and whether to include CV or Curriculum Vitae in the heading.

Bill Bloggs - Curriculum Vitae

Personal profile

• Experienced and innovative general manager with sophisticated sales, customer service and business administration skills.
• High personal integrity, and able to relate to and create trust in all.
• Highly articulate, confident and persuasive team-builder, able to motivate and communicate to achieve exceptional business performance.
• Dependable and reliable in supporting and enabling team effort to produce genuine long-term sustainable development.
• Persistent and flexible approach to the mutually beneficial achievement of business plans and personal goals of staff, suppliers and customers.
• Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Over 20 years proven expertise in industrial purchasing, manufacturing, logistics, business development, marketing, sales and service.
• Background in a wide range of industries, including construction, plant hire, pharmaceutical, hygiene services and industrial process control.
• Executive accountability for P&L, strategic planning, staffing, and sales development etc., for a £60m international technology business, in a £3bn UK plc.
• International General Operations Manager since (year).
• Management of change within the demanding and pressurised business environment.
• Implementation of modern management practices, concerning personnel, IT, reporting systems, and partnership customer-supplier relations, etc.
• As production control executive with XYZ Corporation introduced pc-based systems to reduce lead-times from 7 months to 3 days, and inventory by 80% from £4.7m to £750k.
• As materials manager with ABC Inc. introduced systems to reduce lead-times from 3 months to 7 days, and inventory from £6m to £2.5m, and 12% reduction in £12m procurement costs.
• As operations manager with Newco Inc. a 10% reduction in £7m procurement costs.
• As general manager for Bigco Int. business achieved growth from £800k to £5m, increased new customer growth from 20 to 600 per annum.

Career history

• (yr-yr) - Early career development with Newco Inc., Bigco Int., Mainco plc.
• (yr-yr) - ABC Inc. International Operations Manager.
• (yr-present) - XYZ Corp. General Manager.

Personal details

Bill J. Bloggs  (address)  Tel: 0123 456 78901  Born: (date) [This is entirely optional given age discrimination laws.]  Educated: Sidmouth School (yr-yr), and Hertstone College (yr-yr), Southtame College 1984, and University of Wales (yr-yr). (Again dates are not obligatory due to age discrimination laws.)  References are available on request.  (date - month/year of creating cv)

N.B. This example CV is fictional so content is random. Ensure your facts and dates, etc., in your CV are all consistent with the content, and any gaps are explained as positively as possible.

You can try different CV variations on the theme - provided you stick to the main principles develop a structure to suit your own situation and what the reader is looking for. A lot will depend on the type and level of position you are applying for; generally the more senior, the more focus will be on serious evidence of achievement in corporate life, and less on personal profile and personal details. A CV doesn't need to be long or detailed - it needs to show evidence that you offer relevant and impressive skills and experience.

John Smith - Curriculum Vitae

• Executive accountability for corporate performance and profit.
• Strategic management in a variety of major B2B corporations.
• Management of extensive marketing services and sales organizations.
• Overseas business operations and management - Far East, Europe, USA.
• New business development, start-up and trouble-shooting.

Specialisms

• B2B Sales and Marketing.
• Sales organization development.
• Export and international trade development.
• Online and Internet business development.
• (yr-present) - Great Co plc - sales and marketing director
• (yr-yr) - XYZ Inc - sales director
• (yr-yr) - Good Co plc - operations manager, director
• (yr-yr) - ABC plc - sales manager

Responsibilities and achievements

Great Co plc   Sales and Marketing Director of £800m industrial services market leader, comprising 300,000 customers, 12 regional service centres, large call-centre, and 500 sales and marketing staff. Increased sales by 125% and gross margins by 10% (yr-yr). Increased market share from 12% in (yr) to current 27%. Successful establishment of overseas distribution in Eastern Europe and USA in (yr-yr), creating extra £75m business. Developed and launched new E-Trade online business, representing 50,000 customers and £55m revenues producing 14% net profit by (yr). Queen's Award for Exports (yr).  XYZ Inc   Sales Director of architectural and construction products market leader, comprising 120 sales staff, 15,000 customers, 4,000 products and £220m sales, generating 12% net profit. Increased sales by 75% during tenure. Automated all sales ordering and delivery processes producing 20% cost savings after 2 year investment recovery. Opened new overseas markets in Middle East and China (joint venture), (yr-yr), producing £45m new business at 13% net profit annually.  Good Co plc   Operations Manager and later director, of market leading micro-electronics controls systems supplier, comprising three home and seven overseas European service centres, 130 technical and service staff, 1,200 customers, including over 300 government and defence departments and installations. Rationalised parts and processes (yr-yr) improving trading margins by 10%. Introduced new recruitment and training procedures reducing staff turnover from 35% to 20%. Implemented new integrated systems for supply, installation and servicing activities, saving 25% costs pa. Negotiated successful contracts for several royal palaces and ministerial offices, home and overseas.

Education and Qualifications   Abbey Road Comprehensive, London - (yr-yr)  University of East Anglia - (yr-yr) - BSc in Economics  Open University - (yr-yr) - MBA

John Smith  (address)  Tel 01234 567 8901  Email [email protected]  References are available on request.  (date of writing CV)

N.B. This example CV is fictional contains inconsistent random example data. Ensure that your facts and dates, etc., in your CV are all consistent with the content, and any gaps are explained as positively as possible. The inclusion of dates which would give clear indication of age are not obligatory in CVs, due to age discrimination laws. Increasingly, similar principles apply to other aspects of potential discrimination. Refer to the explanations elsewhere on this page about personal details in CVs.

Cover Letter Samples

CV cover letters must be very professional and perfectly presented. Use a smart good quality letterheaded paper, and ensure that the name and address details and date are correct and personal for the recipient of the CV. Do not use scruffy photocopies - ideally do not use photo-copies at all - CV cover letters should look individual and special for the job concerned.

Look at what the job advert is seeking. Ensure that the key skills, attributes and experience are reflected in the cover letter as well as your CV. Draw the reader's attention to the fact that your profile fits their requirements. Make the cover letter look like a special and direct response to the job advert and personal profile that is sought.

These principles broadly apply and adapt perfectly well for expressing interest in or applying for internal vacancies within your existing employment organization.

Keep CV cover letters brief and concise. The reader will make assumptions about you from what you write and how you write it and the quality of your cover letter presentation.

As with any communications, ensure you include key words and phrases which reflect what the reader is seeking.

Ensure you lay the letter out neatly on your own good quality letterheaded paper, with your own address top right or centre-top. Avoid fancy fonts and upper case (capital letters). Use a single font 10-12pt size, maybe bold or underlined for the reference or heading if you use one.

Full name and address details.

Reference if required.

Dear (Mr/Mrs/Ms Surname)

(optional heading, bold or underlined - normally the job title and or reference if they've asked you to quote one)

I enclose my CV in respect of the above vacancy/position (or state position advertised and when it appeared). You will see that I have the required skills, capabilities and experience for this position, notably (state two or three attributes briefly).

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

(And below print your name - not hand-written)

Cover Letter Sample for Unadvertised Positions

It is perfectly fine to send a speculative CV to potential employers, i.e., not in response to any advert. In this case you should obtain the name of the senior person responsible for staffing decisions in the area you wish to apply. (Call the company to find out the correct name and address details of the relevant person.) In these cases obviously you won't know precisely what skills they are seeking, but you should be able to imagine the attributes that they might need. Here are some examples - include two or three in your cover letter that best match your own profile and their likely interest:

• Reliable and dependable
• Decisive and results-driven
• Creative problem-solver
• Team-player
• Technically competent/qualified (state discipline or area)
• Commercially experienced and aware
• Task-orientated
• Excellent inter-personal and communications skills
• Sound planning and organizational capabilities
• Loyal and determined

See the  sample describing phrases  below for more ideas.

Again, ensure you lay the letter out neatly on your own good quality letterheaded paper, with your own address top right or centre-top. Avoid fancy fonts and upper case (capital letters). Use a single font, maybe bold or underlined for the reference or heading if you use one.

Speculative sample cover letter

(optional heading, bold or underlined - in this example you would normally refer to a job title, and include with the word 'opportunities' or 'openings', for example: 'commercial management opportunities')

I am interested in any openings in the above area and enclose my CV. You will see that I have skills and capabilities that enable me to make a significant contribution to an organization such as your own, notably (state two or three attributes briefly).

As you can see, CV cover letters can be short and very concise.  Cover letters need to be short and very concise, otherwise people won't read them.  Writing a short concise, hard-hitting cover letter for CV also shows confidence and professionalism.

The bigger the job, the longer you can make your CV cover letters, but even cover letters for board level positions have more impact if they are very short and concise. Make your key points in a no-nonsense fashion and then finish.

Keep your CV and cover letter simple. They must be concise, easy to read, must sell you, and be tailored to what the reader is looking for.

Phrases, Samples and Examples for Use Throughout

Here are some samples and examples of descriptive phrases and words for writing impressive and professional CVs.

I can get my own CV onto a single sheet side of A4, so I reckon most of you should be able to keep your CV to a side of A4 too. Believe me, interviewers and recruiting employers will thank you for it. Plus it shows that you know how to communicate a complex series of facts quickly, concisely, persuasively, and effectively.

Ensure that when you use or adapt or combine any of these descriptions that you are able to back up your claims under questioning at interview, and ideally to provide examples or evidence if asked. This is an easy thing to prepare and get right, and will give you a huge advantage over people who fail to approach their CV and job-search in this way.

As a general guide, try to 'blow your own trumpet' in your CV. Don't be shy.  Be bold.

Use strong professional-looking phrases in describing your personality, capabilities, experience and achievements.

One or two other people competing for the same job will be doing just this, so be fair to yourself and ensure you do it too.

Cut and paste, mix and match, copy and use from the examples below what works for you and makes you feel comfortable - and which provides a description that gives you something to aim at and that you'll be proud to live up to.

For each statement that you use, ask yourself the question that the interviewer might ask:

"...Your CV says that you are [whatever description] - Can you give me an example of this in your work experience?..."

and make sure you can think of a really good answer which provides evidence and proof of your description.

Note that some phrases below are connected with dashes or semi-colons. This is a semi colon; it separates two or more related pieces of information; typically short phrases, while keeping them in the same sentence. It's a longer pause than a comma; a bit less less than a full-stop or 'period' in the US. Use punctuation in a varied professional way to illustrate your ability with written communications. Many people lack the confidence or knowledge to use semi-colons. Try to use them. Someone reading your CV who appreciates good written language skills will notice the use of a semi-colon and infer from it something positive about the writer. It's all part of the presentation. Every little edge helps.

Ensure your grammar and punctuation format is consistent. For example, in bullet points, either use full-stops or don't use them. Decide on a format and apply it consistently. Same with capital letters at the start of bullet points - either use them or don't - avoid mixing the grammar format. These days grammatical tolerance is quite flexible - no-one will criticise you for using or failing to use full stops or capital letters in bullet points - the important thing is to be consistent. Same applies with headings, bold type, and underlines: decide on a format and use it consistently. This helps keep your presentation style simple, clear, tidy and professional.

Mix and match words and phrases to  project yourself , and also to  reflect  what your believe the  job requires  and  what the employer and interviewer are particularly seeking .

Phrases for Personal Profile, Capabilities Etc.

• Results-driven, logical and methodical approach to achieving tasks and objectives
• Determined and decisive; uses initiative to develop effective solutions to problems
• Reliable and dependable - high personal standards and attention to detail
• Methodical and rigorous approach to achieving tasks and objectives
• Entrepreneurial and pro-active - strong drive and keen business mind
• Identifies and develops opportunities; innovates and makes things happen
• Good strategic appreciation and vision; able to build and implement sophisticated plans
• Determined and decisive; uses initiative to meet and resolve challenges
• Strives for quality and applies process and discipline towards optimising performance
• Extremely reliable and dependable - analytical and questioning, strives for quality
• Methodical approach to planning and organising - good time-manager
• Excellent interpersonal skills - good communicator, leadership, high integrity
• Strong planning, organising and monitoring abilities - an efficient time-manager
• Self-driven and self-reliant - sets aims and targets and leads by example
• Good interpersonal skills - works well with others, motivates and encourages
• High integrity, diligent and conscientious - reliable and dependable
• Self-aware - always seeking to learn and grow
• Seeks new responsibilities irrespective of reward and recognition
• Emotionally mature and confident - a calming influence
• Detailed and precise; fastidious and thorough
• Decisive and results-driven; creative problem-solver
• Good starter - enthusiastic in finding openings and opportunities
• Creative and entrepreneurial networker - effective project coordinator
• Reliable and dependable in meeting objectives - hard-working
• Emotionally mature; calming and positive temperament; tolerant and understanding
• Seeks and finds solutions to challenges - exceptionally positive attitude
• Great team-worker - adaptable and flexible
• Well-organised; good planner; good time-manager
• Seeks new responsibilities and uses initiative; self-sufficient
• Solid approach to achieving tasks and objectives; determined and decisive
• Excellent interpersonal skills - good communicator, high integrity
• Energetic and physically very fit; quick to respond to opportunities and problems
• Active and dynamic approach to work and getting things done
• Financially astute - conversant with accounting systems and principles
• Tactical, strategic and proactive - anticipates and takes initiative
• Systematic and logical - develops and uses effective processes
• Good listener - caring and compassionate
• Critical thinker - strong analytical skills; accurate and probing
• Good researcher - creative and methodical - probing and resourceful
• Facilitative project manager; develops and enables group buy-in
• Persistent and tenacious sales developer; comfortable with demanding targets
• Resilient and and thorough - detached and unemotional
• Completer-finisher; checks and follows up - immaculate record-keeper
• Team-player - loyal and determined
• Technically competent/qualified [state discipline or area, to whatever standard or level]
• Task-oriented - commercially experienced and aware
• Results oriented - focused on productive and high-yield activities
• Tolerant and understanding - especially good with young children/elderly people/needy people/disadvantaged people, etc
• Emotionally mature - calming and positive temperament - compassionate and caring
• Sensitive and patient interpersonal and communication skills
• High integrity and honesty; ethical and socially aware
• Energetic and positive outlook, which often inspires others
• Calm, reliable and dependable in meeting objectives - logical and numerate
• Seeks and finds good outcomes to challenges
• Adaptable and flexible; well-organised planner and scheduler
• Effective and selective in use of communications technologies

Obviously this list is not exhaustive. Hopefully the examples provide some ideas around which you can develop your own descriptions.

Select words and phrases, and develop statements that  emphasise your strengths and capabilities  and that  reflect the requirements of the job, interviewer and employer .

Use punctuation and conjunctions (words that join words or word-strings, 'and' being the most obvious example) to form elegant statements that look well-balanced and are easy to read.

Select, adapt and compose your statements with care. Get help and feedback (from positive people) to help you produce statements that really work well for you.

Phrases and Samples to Show Experience

When describing your experience and achievements, select examples that are relevant to the the job vacancy, and relevant to the manner in which the employer requires the job be performed.

Not all experience statements (or any of them, in the case of young people at the start of their careers) need to be work-based. Look for non-work experience in other parts of your life that provides evidence of what the employer is seeking.

Construct your experience phrases so that they will demonstrate experience and capabilities that are relevant to employer's job requirements. Create a list of 5-7 key activities which closely match the employer's needs for the job, and for which you can demonstrate competence.

Decide what activities are relevant to you and the role, and then  create phrases which add context and scale  to whichever of these basic activities you choose to feature.

For example, if we take the activity 'planning', here's a phrase which attaches some context and scale, in this case for a telesales manager:

"Planning and budgeting annual sales department activities for 10 telesales people."

Or for Managing, training and developing:

"Management, training and development of a consumer telesales team - 15 staff, 3,000 customers, £3m revenues."

Or, for example, if the role requires initiative and determination, and you have no work experience:

"Conception and implementation of major fund-raising initiative for (whatever cause) raising (value) in (timescale)."

If you have no direct business or work-related experience for a particular area, then look for non-work experience in other parts of your life that provides evidence of what the employer is seeking. If you think about it you will find some.

Employers will be looking for experience-type evidence in some of these areas, depending on what the job requires. Think about what the employer needs in the job. The job advert often provides good indicators if it is well worded.

Structure your experience statements in the sequence that you think reflects the priority in which the employer requires or sees them.

Experience-type examples:

• Monitoring and recording and reporting
• Communicating
• Working effectively in a team
• Implementing and completing
• Resolving and solving problems and challenges
• Working under pressure and meeting demanding deadlines
• Dealing with customers - internal and external
• Dealing with suppliers and partners and associates
• Supervising others and activities
• Checking and policing
• Researching and exploring
• Analysing and investigating
• Coordinating activities and work
• Listening, understanding, empathising, helping and solving
• Designing and developing
• Controlling quality and testing
• Carrying out processes and procedures
• Using systems and tools
• Operating equipment and tools reliably and safely
• Operating and implementing procedures
• Initiating and instigating
• Developing and coaching and mentoring others
• Teaching and training others
• Decision-making
• Negotiating and mediating
• Interpreting and translating [situations, needs, demands, etc - not just words and language]
• Managing activities
• Directing activities
• Determining direction, policy and strategy

Scale indicators for CV descriptions which could be attached to the above activities would be for example:

• Number of staff
• Geographical territory
• Number of accounts
• Annual turnover or revenue
• Annual cost budgets
• Plant or asset value
• Size of location or site
• Number of departments
• Number of locations
• International coverage
• Number of distributors or customers
• Value of business
• Number of products
• Number or scale of developments
• Timings and work or project duration
• Throughput or output
• Speed of operation or turn-around
• Travel or coverage
• Cycle time or 'churn' or turnover (replacement) rate or percentage

Context indicators which could be attached to the experience activities descriptions could be for example:

• Industry sector or segment or niche (eg, 'Automotive, consumer servicing and repairs')
• Business-to-business (B2B) or consumer (some people recognise this as B2C)
• Type of organisation - private company, public company, institutional, not-for-profit, etc
• Other organisational descriptions
• Organisational culture, structure, management style (be positive - not blaming or critical)
• Area or region
• Type department or division
• Precise work or job function
• Product or services descriptions
• Expertise and quality standards and levels
• Market position and share
• Competitive position
• Trends - increasing, reducing, declining, mature, developing, etc
• Distribution model
• Maturity of business or sector
• Other factors, pressures, growth, etc

Examples of non-work experiences that can be used as a basis of relevant and impressive experience, instead of work-related experiences:

• Fund-raising
• Grants and funding applications
• Committee membership of societies and clubs
• Organising things - at school, college, university, local community
• Campaigning for a cause
• Collecting things
• Making things
• Running a part-time business
• Teaching and helping people
• Caring for people
• Creating things - art, writing, photography, sculpture, etc
• Sports and fitness
• Games and competitions
• Organising events and outings
• Entertaining and performing
• Computers and telecoms
• Music and singing
• Theatre and dance
• Local politics and trade union activities/responsibilities
• Becoming expert and accumulating knowledge in anything
• Thinking and philosophising
• Meditating and religious pursuits
• Overcoming personal difficulties (see  disabilities and difficulties  below) - turn these to a positive advantage and statement of determination, experience and emotional maturity

Examples of Achievements

A CV looks very impressive if it includes a few  quantified and relevant achievements  - evidence about you and your capabilities that relate to what the interviewer is seeking, and what the job role requires.

Not all achievements (or any of them, in the case of young people at the start of their careers) need to be work-based.  Refer to the list of  non-work experiences  above for ideas about non-work achievements too.

Describing your relevant and impressive achievements on your CV is therefore a great opportunity for you:

• To show that you  understand what the job requires  - in terms of activities, behaviour and style (by the key aspects of your achievements that you include in your CV)
• To show that you  understand the relative importance and priority of the requirements of the role  (by the achievements you list and the sequence in which you list them)
• To provide evidence that  you fit the job and person specification  - that you've done the things they need to be done,  or similar things , in the past (achievements are evidence the interviewer needs to see)
• To provide evidence that you have the  personal characteristics that the role requires  (achievements with suitable scale and context and wording imply personal characteristics)

Employers recruiting for any type of job want to find people who are a 'safe bet'; people who have a proven and impressive track record and/or with evidence of appropriate capabilities, style, attitude and potential. Employers don't like taking risks. Interviewers and recruitment decision-makers want to get the best person for the vacancy, but they also want to protect their personal reputation by avoiding making recruitment mistakes, which means minimising risk.

Therefore the more evidence you can provide that you will be a reliable and safe choice, and a very low-risk appointment, the better.

Showing impressive, well-worded achievements, that indicate you have the sort of capabilities, experience and personality to match the employer's needs, greatly increases your chances of being short-listed and progressing through the interview process.

Achievements need to include size, scale and value factors so that the interviewer can assess them properly. Scales enables measurement and assessment. Woolly, vague statements without scale are nowhere near as impressive as statements with clear hard facts and figures.

Context helps explain the claim, and helps position the statement as being relevant to the job vacancy, and the characteristics that the interviewer and employer are seeking. Context simply means the situation.

As ever,  you must ensure you can back-up and be prepared to provide evidence in support of your achievements statements and descriptions.

Think about achievements you've attained in the past and identify the ones which match or relate to the requirements of the new job. A relevant achievement does not have to be in the same industry or even from a work situation. A relevant achievement is evidence of relevant capability, style, personality, attitude, knowledge or potential.

Then having identified some achievements that might serve your purpose, think about how to word them so that they put the main points across using as few words as possible. Choose the 3-5 best, most relevant and most impressive.

Put yourself in the interviewer's shoes.

Ask yourself, "If I were recruiting someone for this vacancy, what sort of achievements would I want to see in CV of the successful applicant?"

Remember, not all achievements in a CV (or any of them, in the case of young people at the start of their careers) need to be work-based.

Obviously if you have examples of some impressive work achievements that fit well with the new employer's requirements then use them, however you might have some impressive achievements outside of work which relate strongly to what the employer is seeking. Think about it. Ask friends for some feedback if you find it difficult to think about yourself in this way. Everyone's got some impressive things about their own background which can be worded to form impressive achievements in their CV.

Employers are seeking evidence of behavioural and attitudinal characteristics, not just work skills, responsibilities and projects.

Bringing up a young family and looking after the home is an achievement.

Overcoming a disability or personal difficulty is an achievement, and many employers would regard this as hugely valuable and meaningful experience.

For certain types of job vacancies these particular achievements, suitably worded, would strike a powerful chord with the interviewer.

These days, 'life skills', emotional intelligence and maturity, tolerance, wisdom, triumph through adversity, and other good character indicators, are much sought-after attributes. In some cases more sought-after than job-skills and specific work experience. If you possess any of these attributes, then incorporate them as experiences or achievements into your CV. For many of the best employers these characteristics are more significant than qualifications. Everyone can get qualifications - but not everyone is a proper grown-up rounded person. ('Grown-up' here means emotionally mature and well balanced - nothing to do with age.) Qualifications are absolutely no indication of personal integrity or character or 'grown-upness' (i.e., maturity). Employers need above all, proper grown-up rounded people - people of character.

Your achievements of course convey your character, as well as your capabilities.

Non-work achievements relate to all sorts of working attributes for example organising, communicating, project-management, coordinating, managing people, entrepreneurialism, determination, patience, planning, selling and marketing, purchasing and production, creating things, developing and building things, technical competence and expertise, research and knowledge-management.

Thinking about achievements in this way is usually necessary for young people starting their careers, when they obviously do not have much of a work track-record. Looking for relevant non-work achievements is also relevant for people seeking to change careers.

Hobbies and voluntary work are often a rich source of achievements. See the list of  non-work experiences  for ideas.

Many people, especially those yet to find work which really excites them or enables them to use their own personal capability and potential, are likely to have put significant energy and enthusiasm into a non-work activity or passion.

It might be as secretary or treasurer for the local sports club, a school governor, a campaigner for a cause or charity. You might run a website for the local community group, or for a society or club.

In fact, most people's work achievements pale into insignificance alongside the things they've achieved outside of work.

You are likely to be the same.

Think about the special impressive things you've done so far in your life - and use them to create some powerful achievements statements for your CV.

The reason most people don't do this is that most people are very modest and self-effacing. They don't like to 'blow their own trumpet'. This is normally fine and actually very admirable - until it comes to writing a CV.

If you are one of these people who prefers not to think about all the great things you've done, you owe it to yourself to adopt a slightly more outgoing and extrovert mindset for half an hour or so, and think about your own achievements that should be in your CV.

Think hard about all the good things you've done - things that you take for granted - there will be many things that represent just the sort of achievements and evidence that the employer is hoping to see in a good CV.

Don't wait to be asked - think about it, identify your achievements, shape them into impressive statements with scale and context, and put them into your CV.

Everyone has a few very impressive achievements in their past - they just need thinking about and then orienting into descriptions that fit the personal qualities and capabilities that the interviewer and employer are seeking.

Describing Disabilities or Other issues

As already suggested, emotional maturity, personal integrity, triumph over adversity, and other indicators of good character, are powerful attributes and much sought-after by good employers.

This is especially so if the person concerned is able to express and articulate the effects and implications of their particular challenge, whatever it might be.

Self-awareness, personal interpretation and the philosophy to see personal difficulties in terms of positive opportunities and special outcomes, are extremely impressive indicators of an exceptional personality.

Ironically many people who have overcome personal difficulties do not make the most of the opportunity to present their strongest attribute - that of having dealt with and overcome their difficulty.

If you have a disability it can be tricky deciding how and if to explain it in your CV.

Same applies for other disadvantages or apparently 'negative' aspects of personal history, experience, or self.

If you are struggling with a difficult 'negative' issue in your CV, be bold and be proud of it. Be proud of what it has enabled you to become.

Find ways of explaining and describing this aspect of yourself in terms of life experience, personal strength, tolerance, resilience, wisdom, humanity, humility, and the many other positive characteristics that typically derive from overcoming adversity.

As with other aspects of CV writing, if you are more naturally inclined to focus on your weaknesses rather than your strengths (many excellent and wonderful people do) it might help you to seek some feedback and input from a good, positive friend. We are not always the best person to see our own strengths - sometimes it's important to invite an outside opinion.

However you approach this, rest assured that good employers will always be impressed by special people who have not only overcome and dealt with personal challenge and difficulty - of any sort, even if self-inflicted - but who are also able to articulate what it means to them, and how the experience or difficulty has resulted in personal growth, learning, and the development of special qualities, whatever form they take.

Explaining these issues can be done perfectly well in the 'experience' and 'achievements' sections of a CV.

Moreover these statements will, if worded well, stand out very strongly, and be more impressive than anything else on the CV.

Remember, because it's true, and good employers know this:

"What does not kill us makes us stronger."  (Attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher, 1844-1900, based on his words: "Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." from The Twilight of the Idols, 1899.)

CVs and Applications for Progressive Employers

As ever, the world is changing. It's changed significantly already for many employers - especially large global corporations.

Progressive successful organizations mostly now recognize that the rules of business and management are now very different to a generation ago.

Consumers around the world are now part of a vast connected global system, in which the spiritual and ethical characteristics of a corporation are becoming more crucial than anything else. Maintaining and growing  corporate integrity  is fundamentally vital.

We are now in a truly  internationally connected market-place , and one where old conventional competitive strengths are increasingly seen (by opinion-formers, employers and customers) as being very narrow and inadequate.

This is a new age of much greater consumer awareness - and especially of  philosophical considerations .

Today's modern managers and every new graduate intake will be challenged on two levels which until recently have not really featured in a typical manager's skill-set:

• How to understand and enable effective response to the  systemic characteristics  of modern global and very fast-moving market-place - a now vast and increasingly connected and inter-related global system (of nations, cultures, technology, and 'swarming' effects), and
• How to understand and enable effective response to the new  philosophical issues  which increasingly influence consumer tastes and buying decisions (things like sustainability, corporate integrity, diversity, spirituality, ethics, etc - far beyond product, price, promotion, and traditional quality management, etc).

The best new and aspiring managers - especially new graduates seeking to become a senior manager or executive - must therefore demonstrate a new reach and vision - an awareness and capability (or at least potential capability) distinctly beyond the old standards of product and management quality and efficient effective profitable operations.

Jobs in marketing and people-management, and to a degree all other organizational functions, increasingly must respond to this, for which reason, the most effective managers in the future will be people whose capabilities embrace these complex systemic and philosophical considerations, way beyond conventional job skills.

This is increasingly the guiding and differentiating perspective of recruiters and graduate programme decision-makers.

Successful job applications - notably for the prime jobs with the most progressive successful employers - will increasingly be characterised by such appreciation.

• free CV template (doc file - MSWord)  - single sheet format, UK A4 paper size - into which you can insert your own details - adapt it to suit your purposes
• CV template (odt file - OpenOffice ) - same format as doc above
• free CV Template in PDF format  - teaching/learning guide - cannot be changed easily
• direct job-hunting method and tool  - adapt for your needs
• interviews tips, questions and answers  - for interviewers and interviewees
• asking for a pay rise/raise, salary increase  - letters samples, templates, examples, tips, techniques and advice
• love and spirituality at work
• negotiation tips and techniques
• references letters
• resignations letters
• stress management
• assertiveness and building self-confidence
• life balance
• leadership qualities and tips  - what good employers seek in new employees, leaders and managers
• motivation - self and others
• introduction cover letters and sales introductory letters
• writing effectively for business and good letters
• exit interviews  - for interviewees and interviewers
• time management
• life coaching
• 'Desiderata' - a verse for personal inspiration
• 'If' - the great Rudyard Kipling poem for personal inspiration
• the four agreements - for personal inspiration
• the rules of life - for personal inspiration

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Business Planning & Strategy Resume Samples

The guide to resume tailoring.

Guide the recruiter to the conclusion that you are the best candidate for the business planning & strategy job. It’s actually very simple. Tailor your resume by picking relevant responsibilities from the examples below and then add your accomplishments. This way, you can position yourself in the best way to get hired.

Craft your perfect resume by picking job responsibilities written by professional recruiters

Pick from the thousands of curated job responsibilities used by the leading companies, tailor your resume & cover letter with wording that best fits for each job you apply.

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• Using data developed from analyses, prepares recommendations for senior management review
• Develops new performance measures and internal benchmarks for an information framework to support process analysis and re-engineering activities
• High level individual contributor in this family; works with management to develop metrics and reports that support business objectives and results
• Oversee the production and distribution of monthly, quarterly and ad hoc senior leadership / stakeholder reports and presentations including trend analysis, variance analysis, benefit analysis, status of program initiatives, escalating issues and recommend solutions
• Creates communications related to complex strategic business plans and develops initiatives to disseminate information to all business partners
• Establish processes, standards, and procedures for the global metrics program; work with regions/countries to implement and ensure adherence to the standards
• Assists in the development and measurement of business annual budget planning activities
• Help create unified reporting model and lead decision management within O&T, identifying critical metrics and help create a discipline of monitoring
• Help create best- in-class processes and solutions and lead projects intended to optimize operational efficiency and improve quality
• Keep abreast of the developments in Operations and Technology and highlight concern areas timely
• High visibility role in Operations and Technology. Will work across all business partners and functions
• Learning opportunity while dealing with a very wide range of management challenges
• Manage strict controls to ensure the financial targets are met through operational efficiencies
• Visibility / contact with regional/corporate business heads/senior management
• Leading cross-team development, training and change management to implement ongoing improvement initiatives
• Be a trusted advisor/partner to EMEA Leadership, providing strategic advice and consulting on the most critical issues facing the business
• Contribute towards developing the Business Planning agenda for the company
• Assess progress against the agenda and develop recommendations to strengthen the impact of the Business Planning agenda
• Recognize the contributions team members make toward the success of these initiatives
• Directing the development and execution of financial plans, focusing on underlying business drivers by modeling and quantifying the potential effects of changes in business drivers
• Proactively develop relationships across the organization, from business unit leaders to research analysts, in pursuit of advancing the business
• Strong communications and interpersonal skills
• Finance and Capital Management
• Business Management
• Risk Management
• Problem Solving
• Networking and Influencing
• Negotiating skills
• Relationship Management

15 Business Planning & Strategy resume templates

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• Partner with News executives, as well as those across DATG and TWDC, to advance the division’s growth strategies and implement new business initiatives
• Oversee the identification, exploration, and analysis of new opportunities, including the writing of business plans that support the division’s long-range growth objectives
• Collaborate with Business Development / Affairs executives on the research, evaluation, and negotiation of ways to expand the monetization of our content and diversify revenue
• Manage the monthly agenda for BD and Planning meetings, ensuring prioritization, assessment and progress of key projects and initiatives
• Proactively evaluate the business, continually refining its operational, product and distribution strategies in order to future proof growth, maximize resources and increase profitability
• Co-lead Long Range Plan and Annual Operating Plan processes and outline resources required to achieve those strategies
• Be responsible for key strategy documents and presentations to senior executives
• Support the finance, strategy, research and business development functions to give and help executives act on proactive, strategic insights
• Assist in managing communication and consolidation of targets between divisions, Sales and/or Corporate stakeholders
• Champion collaborative processes across functions (e.g., ops, editorial, creative and tech) to continually help find ways to better innovate and enhance operating models
• Minimum 5 years of results-oriented work experience in an operational, strategy, and/or management consulting leadership role, including building and analyzing business plans and financial models
• Minimum two years professional experience working with digital metrics & Nielsen ratings
• Strategic thinker, able to synthesize and story-tell complex issues, write business plans and get stakeholder buy-in for driving change
• Team player who proactively promotes knowledge through open and collaborative discussions with executives, peers and clients across ABC News and with other DATG groups
• Knowledge of and passion for ABC News content
• Provide outstanding internal and external client service
• Ability to form and continue key internal and external client relationships
• Five or more years of results-oriented work experience in an operational, strategy, and/or management consulting leadership role, including building and analyzing business plans and financial models
• Three or more years professional experience working with digital metrics & Nielsen ratings
• BA or BS from an accredited college or university

Global Social Care Business Planning & Strategy Manager Resume Examples & Samples

• Knowledge and experience of project management and project management tools
• Ability to manage change, and be a catalyst in helping teams through change
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and work under deadline pressure
• Ability to foster collaboration, whether leading or participating in a team
• Ability to develop strong relationships and navigate through a dynamic organization
• Excellent presentation skills, able to distill key, compelling messages from data and narratives
• Expert in Microsoft applications i.e. Excel, PowerPoint
• High degree of responsiveness and follow through
• Keen sense of judgment
• Active and enthusiastic personal and/or professional user of social apps (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest)

Director Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Leading and motivating a team of Agile program managers, business planning managers, program coordinators, and business analysts to deliver high-quality business results
• Focusing the organization on delivering business value, process transparency, and leadership. This will require that you define and implement streamlined processes to manage and prioritize program requirements and dependencies across map content creation business units and teams
• Driving our strategy execution plan to support the governance of HERE which will require that you lead the key elements to baseline and execute the strategy. In this capacity, you will be providing analytical insight to the plan highlighting risks, opportunities, and areas for critical monitoring
• Working with the senior leadership team to manage the business and develop and refine techniques used to analyze performance. You and your team will be responsible for helping to identify issues that may lead to problems and helping to implement solutions
• Undergraduate and MBA degree or equivalent experience required
• 10+ years of prior experience in roles with heavy financial/business analysis, global planning, business strategy and project management roles of increasing responsibility. Experience in strategic planning, project budgeting/forecasting, decision support and management reporting
• Understanding of various methodologies for managing complex technical projects, including various structured, standards based, and agile development methods Demonstrated leadership skills with the ability to work effectively at executive levels Superior analytic, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Experience managing and motivating teams in a dynamic environment
• Strong business acumen; sufficient business exposure and experience to interpret analytical results and translate into ideas and/or actionable recommendations Experience in evaluating, defining, and redesigning business and operational processes to improve quality, productivity, performance and financial results

Senior Principal Global Accounts Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Provides leadership in the planning, designing and implementing of Global Accounts strategic business objectives
• Participates in defining vision, strategies and tactics for Global Accounts
• Prepares materials for internal and customer presentations on products, business plans and management communications
• Evaluates and manages strategic business opportunities and initiatives
• Act as liaison with sales planning, analyses and reporting groups throughout the company to ensure Global Accounts’ needs are being met
• Develop and maintain appropriate proactive metrics to measure success and areas of improvement for Global Accounts

Business Planning & Strategy Head-operations & Technology Resume Examples & Samples

• Lead reengineering projects within O&T by consolidation of processes, reporting & be a part of all transformation projects as well. Lead a team of MIS / WFM specialists who supports various different businesses
• Help create unified reporting model and lead decision management within O&T, identifying critical metrics and help create a discipline of monitoring
• The role is strategic in nature and will be responsible for supporting execution 2.0 strategy, product reengineering and achieve excellence quality adherence
• Execute and monitor significant cost effectiveness and expense control standards by adopting new benchmark practices, standardization and technology efficiencies in financial planning
• The role will also ensure that all standards of quality, timeliness and cost efficiency requirements are meet for O&T business units
• The role will be focus on driving the strategic agenda and handle projects in operations and technology
• It will also be responsible for monitoring the implementation/execution of agreed to action plans
• Support South Asia O&T Head in all Ensure adherence to governance guidelines, while outsourcing / insourcing any processes
• Liaison with regional partners to ensure all standards are met and then monitor transition in partnership with the business heads
• Work closely with Risk & control functions to identify and timely highlight any risks / or exposure to Citi franchise due to any decision for change / or new practice
• Regularly provide strategic research, business inputs, Industry outlook and any change in the global policies
• Lead Key Management Reviews for Regional & Global Business Heads
• Build internal and external networks to support the strategic intent for South Asia O&T
• Business process management activities including financial reviews, strategic initiatives and business reviews
• Partner with HR to help drive key people processes
• Post graduate degree with 12 to 15 years of relevant Banking experience
• Strong knowledge of Citi’s products and services, primarily in Consumer and Corporate Operations
• Ability to work with people and drive key initiatives across Operations and Technology
• Experience in a high growth market, with good understanding of financial systems and macro-economic factors
• Capable of doing extensive research and business reviews to facilitate strategic initiatives

Senior Business Planning & Strategy Manager Resume Examples & Samples

• Through primary & secondary research, develop outlook of market landscape. Eg. online Ad market - one of the fastest growing industry that is evolving beyond ‘Ten blue links’ and growing across form factors
• Identify and size emerging disruptions & opportunities, build new business models to capture new opportunities
• Create growth frameworks, business plans and long range forecasts that involves deep understanding of data, consumer insights and financials
• Build business cases to influence investment decisions, 3rd party partnerships, strategic deals
• Deliver insights on health of the business by analyzing performance of business drivers, key strategic bets and deeper insights into users using behavioral analysis. Work across teams to course correct as needed
• The ideal candidate would have 5+ years in strategy consulting, investment banking, product management
• Ability to work with and influence cross-functional teams across engineering, finance, business and planning teams
• Attention to detail and ability to meet multiple objectives in a fast-paced environment
• A good working knowledge of various business models, and internet consumer behavior is a plus
• Experience in building and using complex models (economic or statistical or financial)
• Advanced degree (MBA, Masters, PhD) in business, marketing, economics, finance or related field is a plus
• Serve as S&E Partner to EMEA
• Lead the annual business planning process for EMEA Leadership and staff
• Serve as S&E “partner-in-charge” to the EMEA business, ensuring all S&E work done for EMEA is appropriately scoped and delivered at a high quality and in a timely manner
• Facilitate effective collaboration and communication between EMEA Leadership and S&E
• Facilitate development of EMEA-related Business Objectives , and ensure effective execution of the EMEA Business Objectives (OSP) process by EMEA Leadership and staff
• Diagnose business needs, and develop solutions leveraging S&E capabilities in information/intelligence, business analysis and measurement, strategy development, prioritization and business planning, and program execution
• Provide thought leadership and support for strategic initiatives across EMEA
• Ensure alignment of EMEA Leadership with key corporate initiatives
• Own and deliver major portions of international business strategy projects
• Oversee and as appropriate conduct relevant analyses and scenario plans that reflect customer, competitive, regulatory, and technology dynamics and trends Incorporate evolving understanding of key business economics and rationale into project analytics and recommendations
• Prepare and deliver recommendations to business leaders and their organizations, as well as to related cross-functional support teams
• Identify, and propose options to act on, opportunities for Business Planning to help various parts of the business
• Constructively challenge others in the department in the development of this agenda
• Facilitate key cross-functional meetings that engender broad business planning conversations and empower effective cross-functional cooperation at the Director and above level
• Develop materials that will enable broad discussion and contribution to understanding
• Lead specific discussions in support of the Business Planning agenda
• MBA or equivalent desired
• Degree or equivalent in related fields required e.g. Business, Economics
• Demonstrable experience in clearing or technology and operations at a major financial services firm
• Strategy consulting experience with a top-tier management consulting firm is a plus
• Cross-functional experience is a plus
• Experience leading business planning or strategy development in either a consulting or corporate setting
• Project management/leadership experience in a corporate setting
• Proven ability to work both independently and in multi-functional teams
• Financial services experience required
• Experience both presenting to and leading discussions with senior audiences
• Experience addressing objections and concerns in a mature and inclusive manner

VP-business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Work closely with the President, ABC Entertainment to develop strategies to improve ABC Entertainment’s revenue, grow its brand and leverage its partnerships
• Facilitate and manage the LRP and AOP processes for ABC Entertainment
• Provide ongoing insight and counsel on various strategic initiatives
• Work effectively with other executives and team members at ABC Entertainment and other areas of the Disney-ABC Television Group
• Help to identify franchise opportunities for ABC Entertainment with new and existing shows
• Partner with content creators, senior executives, and marketing heads to evaluate & assess new business ideas (e.g., spin offs, serialization, merchandise, internet commerce, community outreach)
• Oversee special projects related to strategic planning within ABC Entertainment
• Minimum of 10 years overall work experience in related field
• Significant experience in some combination of business planning, strategy consulting and/or financial analysis
• Experience working at a senior level inside a media/entertainment company
• Strong quantitative skills, with the ability to synthesize a variety of information into a clear story
• Ability to set a vision and a plan to achieve it (i.e., strategy, processes, tools, and infrastructure needed to deliver against plans)
• Strong strategic leadership and management skills with proven ability to build consensus across teams and negotiate complex environments
• Creative problem-solver with ability to present compelling, fact based business recommendations to senior executives
• Displays confidence and expert communication and negotiation skills
• Project leadership and management skills
• Strong team player and collaborator
• Experience working in or deep knowledge of digital media
• Strong understanding of the ABC demographic

Director, Global Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the DTI offerings and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness
• Drive strategic initiatives including capacity planning, pipeline management and country-specific go-to- market plans
• Partner with executives to help design and implement effective go-to- market strategies across their business
• Work cross-functionally to develop growth plans for new geographies, and market segments
• Build executive presentations
• 7+ years of work experience in sales, sales operations or management consulting, with strong exposure to B2B go-to- market strategy
• Exceptional problem solving and analytical skills; demonstrated ability to structure complex problems, develop solutions, and craft high quality executive presentations

Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Responsible for financial analysis for South Asia O&T
• Help create unified reporting model and decision management within O&T, identifying critical metrics and help create a discipline of monitoring
• Develop key communication strategy for senior internal audiences
• Lead Key Management Reviews for O&T Business Heads
• Tracking progress on medium term, and day to day objectives
• Presentation Deck preparation for the O&T Head: internal and external
• Business Strategy Sessions and Events, senior visits

Senior Analyst, Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Development of presentations for key internal and external audiences, including Operating Committee, updates to the Chairman & CEO, Financial Community, etc
• Drive structured and analytical solutions to key projects, business problems and opportunities
• Execution of business planning and operational processes for the President’s office including Town Halls, Employee Engagement and Recognition Programs, budgeting, Scorecard and the company’s annual reporting process
• Development of Executive Team meetings; develop meeting objectives, organize events, coordinate off-sites, and provide support to Executive Team as needed
• Partner with Public Affairs and Communications and HR on all employee communications
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the financial capability to effectively partner with Finance and other analytical teams (e.g. Risk, Information Management)
• Quick learner and highly motivated self-starter who is able to work with limited guidance, if needed
• Ability to build strong relationships across the organization at all levels and work effectively in a collaborative, multi-cultural, team environment
• Proven ability to drive results in a complex, fast-paced, matrix environment with limited direct authority independently or part of a team
• Superior attention to details
• Strong sense of integrity with ability to handle sensitive issues and maintain complete confidentiality
• Financial, Risk, Information Management or analytical background strongly preferred

Senior Business Planning & Strategy Advisor Resume Examples & Samples

• Support the Chief of Staff’s office of the Executive Vice President & Head of MetLife’s GTO
• Support development of concise and effective Executive presentations for MetLife’s Executive Group and Board of Directors
• Support special programs such as MetLife Way, an enterprise-wide initiative to drive Lean deployments in sales and service in the U.S
• Conduct secondary research and competitive analyses (e.g., macro environment, product, financial performance, market positioning)
• Perform complex data analyses (e.g., financial modeling) to support GTO leadership with urgent, high priority tasks and key strategic decisions
• Synthesize large amounts of data (e.g., financial, customer, risk metrics) into critical insights, observations or trends and translate them into strategic recommendations
• Manage interactions and communication across a wide range of senior stakeholders in GTO and MetLife
• 5 years of relevant work experience (consulting or internal strategic planning background)
• 5 years of experience with a high degree of proficiency with Excel pivot tables and macros
• 5 years of experience and a high degree of proficiency with Power Point; experience using Think Cell is a plus
• Outstanding relationship building skills & excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, both written and verbal
• High School Diploma required, Bachelor’s degree or graduate degree a plus

Senior Business Planning & Strategy Consultant Resume Examples & Samples

• Support Chief of Staff/Strategy Function in executive planning, communications and executive reporting to senior leadership and key stakeholders
• Managing and executing on special projects as required (strategy, business planning, operations, and supporting chief of staff tasks)
• Oversight internal business reporting in partnership with subject matter experts related to monthly business reviews and departmental metrics reporting
• Conduct financial analysis and modeling in support of business planning activities in partnership with CFO and other key stakeholders
• Serve as community engagement/outreach liaison proving oversight for MetLife campus in Charlotte
• Support Employee Engagement team (Rewards &Recognition activities, Organizational Health, Lunch & Learns) including planning and execution of campus activities
• Support communications activities including ownership of Share Point strategy for departmental usage and connectivity to Enterprise online strategy
• 4- 7 years business planning, strategy development and project management experience
• Excellent working knowledge of business operations, planning, and performance measures
• Enjoy working in an entrepreneurial environment
• Experience in a start-up environment a plus
• Exceptional partnership skills and ability to build long-term strategic relationships
• Supports activities dedicated to facilitating governance and strategic review processes for top programs. Works with management to develop metrics and reports that support business objectives and results
• Collects key performance metrics from various sources, and using management analysis tools, completes complex analyses such as cost projections, feasibility studies, benchmark comparisons, and other reports. Using data developed from analyses, prepares recommendations for senior management review
• May act as a project lead
• May coordinate complex or highly visible events, and related travel arrangements
• 8+ years of relevant business experience in the financial services industry or in insurance operations
• Expert knowledge of business operations, planning, budgeting, re-engineering, and performance measures
• Strong record of proven success in business management processes and/or strategic planning in order to meeting the business's growth and profitability targets
• Requires expertise in establishing best in class processes to effectively plan and govern strategic priorities for a large scale business
• Competencies: Interpersonal Skills, verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, sound business judgment, computer skills, ability to lead, analytical, and organizational skills

Consultant Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• To participate in the annual development of short-term plans (1 year view) and medium term plans (2-3 year view) through the provision of a business strategy perspective in the process
• To develop and assist in the development of annual business plans with a one year time horizon for all of the Transactional business areas and development of a consolidated business planning view for the T&D division
• To support the annual regional budget setting process, together with Finance and Pricing
• To facilitate business discussions around the implications of long-term local and global trends on the future sustainability of the business to enable responsive and adaptive strategies to be developed
• Together with the Head: Business Development and the T&D Exco develop an appropriate agenda to facilitate an effective Council process and delivery of sound strategic action items
• Maintain and update the Council member list and stakeholder list and ensure appropriate representation of key decision makers
• Ensure the preparation of material and inputs in collaboration with Council members to enable an effective session
• Develop an output document (Council Story) as a delivery of the session, prior to the end of the session for presentation to the CEO: Africa RBB at the session end
• Liaise closely with the Strategic Programme Manager and other stakeholders to monitor the effectiveness of strategic/transformation initiatives in attaining strategic goals
• Advise the Council on the effectiveness of initiatives in attaining strategic goals and advising on changes or adaptations required
• Develop and maintain a Council dashboard, monitoring the programme progress and impact of initiatives on key performance indicators to influence business performance proactively
• Monitor status of alignment between the BU’s Strategic Projects’ deliverables and the BU’s Strategy
• Ensure regular engagement with the broader Absa strategy community and alignment with the Absa Retail and Business Bank strategy
• To participate in the annual Short Term Planning (STP) and Medium Term Planning (MTP) process through the provision of a business strategy and planning view and alignment to the financial objectives
• To develop and assist in the development of annual business plans with a one year time horizon for all of the AVAF business areas and development of consolidated business planning view for the Transactional Retail division
• Assist and advise in business planning “both top-down and bottom-up” to ensure alignment and integration with the overall T&D strategy as well as alignment to the RBB Retail Markets and Business Markets strategic agendas
• To support the annual regional budget setting process, together with Finance and Business Pricing
• To support our RBB Business Partners in the development of a one-year Accountability: T&D Council
• To support our RBB Business Partners in the development of a one-year

Business Planning & Strategy Lead Resume Examples & Samples

• Supports in the development of overall strategy for customer service, channels and sales
• Develops topical strategies, that aligns with business objectives and priorities, as required by the functional lines
• Leads benchmarking effort for the various functions within CSC
• Supports in the development of strategic frameworks, and methodologies in support of CSC and functional lines
• Conduct external research to determine customer insights, industry trends and perform competitor analysis
• Develop hypotheses and synthesize large amounts of data to validate
• Collaborate with functional team members to develop and prioritize recommendations and draft business case
• Develop execution roadmap
• Develops internal framework to measure strategic / business plan objectives, and ensures that targets and timelines are tracked and met
• Define information needs, fact finding, and data analysis to support strategic problem solving and sound decision making
• Build strong working relationships, stakeholder support, and credibility at all levels of the organization
• Support development of concise and effective Executive presentations for functional leaders, MetLife’s Leaders Executive Group and Board of Directors
• Participates in the management of IT applications portfolios and prepares ROI analyses
• May coordinate complex or highly visible events, and related logistics
• May oversee high priority projects which require considerable resources and high levels of functional integration; interface with all areas affected by projects and ensure adherence to quality standards and review project deliverables
• Performs other duties as assigned or required
• Demonstrated success in executing and leading strategic engagements
• Experience building effective partnership with stakeholders, team members
• High learning agility and intellectual curiosity; ability and desire to quickly develop a keen understanding of MetLife’s business strategies, models, products, and key offerings
• 8+ years of relevant business experience, preferable in the financial services industry or insurance

Director, Business Planning & Strategy Ops Resume Examples & Samples

• Collaborate with the leadership team to develop strategy, organization objectives and special programs/projects
• Assist in Global Organizational development and growth
• Develop and review GCCCX business plans to ensure alignment with organization objectives and desired outcomes
• Drive the MBO Scorecard and KPIs for the GCCCX organization
• Assist in Executive Business reviews with the creation of the material and presentation of the data
• Organize, facilitate, develop agendas and presentations for all SVP of Customer Care and Experience leadership staff meetings and QBRs and ensure alignment and communication across the GCCCX organization
• Ensure there are clear action items and follow-up after the meetings. On a less frequent basis, help plan and facilitate leadership events such as business planning and strategy off-sites
• Direct cross-functional teams and facilitate efforts to implement GCCCX business plan, streamline processes, and identify, qualify and present key business issues to the SVP and Customer Care and Experience leadership team
• Coordinate budget and planning process with Finance and track key organization KPIs
• Establish metrics and measure adoption to new change initiatives and programs
• Partner with HR and key stakeholders in successful implementation of change initiatives
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of Equinix business processes and operating models
• 10+ years’ experience in a similar role, with demonstrated increasing levels of responsibility
• Strong business acumen, flexible and strategic thinker, with proven success in planning and execution
• Exceptionally strong verbal and written communication skills: demonstrated ability to produce and edit persuasive business communications
• Process discipline and organization guru; ability to prioritize and maximize time and develop and execute strategy
• Incredible attention to detail, without losing sight of big picture
• Strong persuasion/negotiation skills; Ability to interact successfully with a diverse constituency
• Demonstrated expertise in facilitating business-critical decisions
• Experience interfacing with and presenting to C-level executives
• Experience in financial management, modeling, budget development and management
• Energetic, enthusiastic, disciplined, and a team player

Business Planning & Strategy Consultant Resume Examples & Samples

• Oversee the implementation of a refreshed Enterprise planning approach whose objective is to drive enhanced capital allocation to improve capital efficiency and grow value
• Participates in the creation, communication, and implementation of strategic business plans and initiatives
• Collects data; uses management analysis tools to conduct analyses such as performance analyses; makes recommendations and presents results
• May oversee budget and expense functions and prepare financial reports
• May assist in the development and refinement of performance measures and/or re-engineering processes
• May coordinate complex event planning for MetLife Executive Group level capital allocation meetings
• 3+ years of strategy or business planning experience, preferably within a complex financial services organization or consulting firm
• BS or equivalent degree preferred (higher degree MBA/MS a big plus)
• Demonstrate distinctive problem solving and analytical skills
• Show business maturity, have strong presence and possess good written and verbal communication skills
• Prior experience in projects that require detailed execution
• Exhibit strong collaboration skills and ability to engage across multiple functions and business units
• Flexibility to accommodate working across global time zones
• Foreign language skills are a plus

AVP, Business Planning & Strategy Resume Examples & Samples

• Represent Advisory Services in the divisional strategy planning process, executing on the strategic planning deliverables as required by Retail, the division and/or Corporate
• Contribute insights and information to support strategy development and vetting, generating enterprise competitive intelligence and targeted analysis of external trends and environment, competitor positioning and internal competitors
• Articulate / own the long term vision for Advisory Services, ensuring an integrated planning approach is being utilized to converge our annual project plans, medium term outlook and longer term vision into an actionable roadmap while ensuring alignment with the overall divisional focus on the customer experience with specific emphasis on delivering holistic, goals based advice
• Coordinate the activities to design and prepare strategy discussion materials for ASMT and the Strategic Plan submission for Retail
• Support the communication of strategy and execution progress to key internal stakeholders including Advisory Services officers and staff
• Assist in managing strategic initiatives from initial evaluation stages through due diligence and presentation. Mentor and train junior staff and new hires as required
• Use financial modeling skills to evaluate and analyze potential initiatives / projects from a strategic and financial perspective
• Develop presentations (written and oral) which present analyses and conclusions in a clear and concise manner
• Understand emerging industry and technology trends, as influences in the development of innovative strategies and approaches
• Strategies on
• MBA, CA, CFA or comparable types of designations
• Excellent understanding of Senior Management information needs and the ability to communicate effectively (oral and written) to all levels of management and technical / professional staff
• Politically astute with a professional presence, able to navigate within a matrix environment and influence across business units and all levels of management both internally and externally
• Excellent knowledge of strategy, finance and project management principles
• Flexibility, organizational and project management skills commensurate with prioritizing, managing and completing multiple projects concurrently
• High degree of self-motivation; comfort with ambiguity in problem-solving
• Knowledge of the Financial Services industry also considered a key benefit
• Knowledge of how Advisors deliver financial advice to their customers would also be a key benefit
• Transformation: Actively drive the transformation agenda around forward-compatibility and rolling out strategic initiatives
• Best-in-class Project Management: Play a lead role in projects that have franchise level impact for CitiPhone; for other projects, the incumbent will be responsible for monitoring the implementation/ execution of agreed to action plans by various product or regional teams
• Industry and Market Intelligence: Regularly provide strategic research, business inputs, Industry outlook
• Partner with HR, other O&T Leaders and VOE Council to help drive key VOE, Talent and people-related initiatives; Develop key communication strategy for senior internal audiences
• Senior Reviews/Visits/Presentations and MORs: Lead Key Management Reviews for Regional and Country Stakeholders, responsible for management activities including financial reviews, strategic initiatives and business reviews
• Work closely with Risk and control functions to identify and timely highlight any risks/or exposure to any decision for change/or new practice
• Participate in various initiatives towards business re-engineering, aligning India with regional projects and ensuring deadlines are met
• Financial Efficiency: Execute and monitor significant cost effectiveness and expense control standards by adopting new benchmark practices, standardization and technology efficiencies in financial planning
• Analyzing various planning variable includes Provisioning, re-classification, allocation of expenses and to provide recommendations to senior management
• Ability to work with people and drive key initiatives across diverse stakeholders
• Experience in a high growth market, digital revolution with good understanding of financial systems
• Ability to analyze large amount of data and translate into business insights
• Ability to multi-task and handle changing priorities while executing on numerous deliverables simultaneously
• Superior organizational abilities and project management skills, and strong team player
• Highly developed communication/presentation and interpersonal skills
• Strong Analytical and problem solving skills

Business Planning & Strategy for Credit Card Marketing Resume Examples & Samples

• Management and oversight of key strategic projects for the MGI business (e.g. business planning sessions, governance projects)
• Accurately manages headcount and expense budget; ensures accountability and awareness of performance vs. budget across team and coordinates all budget/forecast planning processes across the team
• Works with other support functions including controls and audit to ensure completion of all requirements on behalf of the team (e.g., Learning & Development, HR, Finance, etc.)
• Establishes communication across all teams within the organization in order to identify opportunities, resolve issues and implement modifications
• Coordination of monthly business update meetings across multiple functional areas for the senior leadership team
• Ensures all periodic reporting (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually) and functional review processes are executed; ensures accountability and completion of action items from reviews
• Coordination of business unit updates with the Chase Card Services executive team
• Strategic analyses across the Chase Strategic Cards portfolios
• Bachelor’s degree required; Advanced degree in business, finance or economics preferred
• Must have prior experience driving alignment across multiple business units/leads toward a common goal
• Must have prior project management experience, including experience turning findings into executable plans
• Excellent communication skills – including the ability to create executive level presentations
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast paced and dynamic environment with continual deadlines
• Ability to build strong partnerships and lead cross functional teams
• Strong understanding of the key financial metrics and drivers of the credit card business
• Strong analytical problem solving skills
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint
• Provides oversight to assigned business segment’s budget and expense management functions including: development and submission of planned portfolio in partnership with segment planning lead, review of monthly expense reports, analysis of budget forecast variances, and research and implementation
• Collects key performance metrics from various sources, and using management analysis tools, completes complex analyses such as cost projections, feasibility studies, benchmark comparisons, and other reports
• Participates in the management of IT application portfolios and prepares ROI analyses
• 4-6+ years of relevant experience
• Proficiency with MS Excel and Access
• Comfort with developing/presenting PowerPoint decks
• Strong communication skills and ability to build/maintain relationships
• In order to post for this position, you need the proper work authorization to work in the country where the position is located and not require relocation assistance
• Strong organizational/time management skills
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work in a team environment

Business Planning & Strategy Associate Resume Examples & Samples

• Collaborates with GHPN leadership and FHI 360 Country and Regional Office staff members to identify priority health opportunity pursuits
• Adapts Business Development & Diversification (BDD) corporate systems and processes for GHPN
• Trains GHPN staff in the processes and systems
• Leads the GHPN-specific process, including the bid justification memo review and submission for all opportunities
• Participates in the bid board meetings
• Identifies proposal managers and proposal writers, including consultants, for proposal support. Supports proposal teams in identification of additional team members
• Provides oversight for all GHPN capture and proposal efforts
• Ensures GHPN data are up-to-date in corporate systems, related to watch, capture, submissions, withdrawals, awarded and denied opportunities
• Manages the GHPN BD SharePoint site with up-to-date tools and resources
• Assists the GHPN BD Director in annual planning for BD resources
• Provides supervision for GHPN proposal managers
• Comprehensive knowledge of fundamental concepts, practices and procedures with business development
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends and prepare reports
• Ability to negotiate, influences, and collaborate with others
• Bachelor's Degree or its International Equivalent - Business Administration, Public Health, Social Sciences or Related Field
• Typically requires 5-8 years of experience with business development internationally and domestic
• Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO)
• Support Director of Employee Engagement Programs, who leads the Global Technology & Operations Rewards and Recognition Program
• Conduct analytics and reporting for program
• Work daily with program platform vendor to manage user experience
• Collaborate with data reporting managers to develop data analysis and assist with user experience
• Use strong business judgment to work autonomously on troubleshooting and responding to program-related questions, stakeholder requests, and user experience issues
• Build engagement by creating marketing and training materials in both print and online
• Host virtual workshops with global program stakeholders
• The role provides an opportunity to interact and communicate with GTO associates from over 40 countries and other key stakeholders across MetLife. As such, the ability to adapt communication style and project a strong command of the program will be imperative
• The ideal candidate will have a versatile skill set in areas such as project management, vendor relationship management, and data analytics
• The candidate will also need to present metrics to key stakeholders and create compelling, visually-appealing executive communications for the program
• The candidate will also have a desire and ability to work with various operations and technology associates in other parts of the globe
• The ideal candidate will have a successful track record academically and in business, and will preferably have experience in management consulting, strategic consulting or a strategic corporate role
• Experience analyzing data and developing reports using Excel
• Experience developing and delivering presentations using MS PowerPoint and Word as appropriate for key stakeholders
• Experience executing projects from start to finish
• Collect, review and analyze operational, transactional and performance metric data across Global Operations
• Effectively interpret and transform business intelligence/data into meaningful and actionable insights that business leaders can reference to drive business outcomes, make business decisions, identify trends etc
• Identify areas of improvement, recommend, clarify, define and implement metrics, and the method in which data is tracked, stored and reported
• Proactively communicate reporting modifications and process changes to contributors and stakeholders based on senior management request and team observations
• Assist in preparing executive summaries for senior management
• Assist in modeling and business case development and review
• Manage strategic projects that encompass both short and long term business planning. Work as a team member on projects
• Support various initiatives by providing financial, work measurement, and metrics reporting support
• 5 years of related work experience to include financial and / or operational
• Strong analytical and written communication skills
• Ability to understand business needs and formulate solutions
• Self-starter, able to work independently, in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and adhere to deadlines
• Ability to work with, motivate and sometimes lead cross-organizational and cross-regional project team members
• Strong Interpersonal Skills, including the ability to partner at multiple levels in the organization, build and maintain relationships, and influence decisions
• Ability to work with large volumes of data and drill into details, while maintaining a “big-picture” focus
• Knowledge of business operations, budgeting, reengineering and performance measures
• Strong PC skills, including a high level of competency in Excel and PowerPoint
• Previous experience in planning, metrics reporting and analysis
• Experience with data analytic and business intelligence tools
• Background in MetLife's financial and/or operational systems and processes
• Insurance industry experience as well as familiarity with products comparable to those sold by MetLife
• Must be able to work in a matrixed environment to include geographically dispersed team members
• Must be flexible to accommodate working across time zones and respond to changing business needs
• Bilingual and able to read, write and speak Spanish proficiently

Business Planning & Strategy Analyst Resume Examples & Samples

• Provides analytic support for corporate strategic initiatives and implementations across the company. Identifies opportunities and risks through analytic tracking and reporting. Reconciles information within the database ensuring completeness and accuracy. Reviews and analyzes processed results to identify developing trends for the organization and plans, executes the necessary steps to correct the data if needed. Interprets and reports data base information and may refine methodologies to enhance the database information for each software model. Assists with development of management reports presented to executive management
• Works with business units to ensure that necessary BOH data is gathered for financial management reporting purposes. Assists business managers with monitoring of business unit/individual performance as well as analyzing business strategies through the use of data analytics. Provides report development and ongoing general support for business units through the use of available data systems Bank wide. Partners with IMSG and other analysts to ensure business units have access to sufficient data to support corporate strategic initiatives
• Supports information culture. Works collaboratively on idea generation and development, communicates ideas to a variety of audiences and works with the team to prioritize the needs of the overall institution. May propose and implement solutions to attain business unit and corporate objectives
• Minimum three to four years of increasingly responsible positions in financial management, management reporting and analysis or related areas
• Should include project management or process improvement team experience with significant roles and implementation responsibilities
• Some exposure to strategy development, analytic reporting or related experience preferred
• Banking or other financial service industry experience preferred
• Demonstrated proficiency and expertise with personal computers and Microsoft applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, Access and Power Point) or similar software
• Knowledge of or ability to use bank software and systems
• Requires working knowledge of some of the following--Oracle Business Intelligence, Microsoft Dynamics and SharePoint or similar software and internet applications, Business Objects, Blue 360 and other internal BOH systems preferred
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication and presentation skills to all levels of management
• Possess strong analytical, quantitative and problem solving skills to identify opportunities and risks and make recommendations
• Able analyze and interpret and communicate findings in a business context
• Must demonstrate strong project management and implementation skills
• Proactive, curious, self-starter who requires minimal supervision with the ability to work across multiple departments and divisions
• Demonstrated drive to learn, research, and resolve issues independently and/or with others
• Able to work flexible hours including holidays, weekends and evenings as needed or assigned

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• Career Planning
• Finding a Job

How to Write a Curriculum Vitae (CV) (With Examples)

What is a CV?

When to use a curriculum vitae, what to include in a cv, customize your curriculum vitae, curriculum vitae sample.

• More CV Examples and Writing Tips

If your career path includes work in academic, scientific research, or medical fields in the United States, chances are good that you’ll be asked to provide a curriculum vitae rather than a typical resume. In Latin, the phrase “curriculum vitae” means “course of life.” Which is quite appropriate if, as an entry-level candidate, you feel like you’ve spent your entire life in graduate school or medical school.

In modern English, the concept behind the curriculum vitae might better be translated as “the course of one’s professional education and career.” In short, institutions that request these documents are most interested in one’s well-rounded credentials for the job (as expressed through training and subsequent career experience). This differs from standard resumes , which focus more on competencies .

Here's information on why, when, and how to use a CV, when to use a resume vs. a curriculum vitae, CV writing, and formatting guidelines, the differences between U.S. and international CVs, and examples.

When should job seekers use a curriculum vitae, commonly referred to as a “CV,” rather than a resume? In the United States, a curriculum vitae is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific, medical, or research positions. It is also applicable when applying for fellowships or grants.  

When seeking a job in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, expect to submit a CV rather than a resume.

Keep in mind that overseas employers often expect to read the type of personal information on a curriculum vitae that would never be included on an American resume, such as date of birth, nationality, marital status, and place of birth.

United States law governing what information job applicants can be asked to provide does not apply outside the country.

There are several  differences between a curriculum vitae and a resume . A curriculum vitae is a longer (two or more pages), more detailed synopsis of your background and skills. As with a resume, you may need different versions of a CV for different types of positions.

Like a resume, a curriculum vitae should include:

• Contact information

In addition to these basics, a CV also includes:  

• Research and teaching experience
• Publications
• Presentations
• Fellowships
• Professional associations and licenses
• Awards and honors

Also list any other information relevant to the position you are applying for. You may also include a personal statement to make your CV stand out.

Start writing your CV by making a list of all your background information, then organize it into categories. Make sure you include dates on all the publications and experience you list.

Depending on the country, you may also need to provide the following in an international CV:

• Nationality
• Marital status
• Number of children (ages optional)
• Personal interests like hobbies
• All education including high school / secondary school
• Photos are also recommended (a professional headshot is best)

Date of Birth on CVs

Some countries outside the United States expect you to include your date of birth on your CV. If you are applying to a foreign job, research the particular country's protocol for job applications.

If you are using a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume to apply for a job in the United States, due to current laws regarding age discrimination, you  may not be required to include your date of birth  on your curriculum vitae.

Once you have made a list of the information you want to include, it's a good idea to create a custom curriculum vitae that specifically highlights the experience you have that is relevant to the job you are applying for. It takes more time to write a custom CV, but it's worth the effort—especially when you are applying for jobs that are a good match for your skills and experience.

• Use  accomplishment-oriented bullets  that start with an action verb and include a result.
• Start with a  Professional Profile  (also called a Summary) that highlights the best of what you as a candidate are offering.
• Edit content to include those areas of expertise, skills, and knowledge that specifically match the job requirements; not all the details of your education and employment history (work, research, fellowships, etc.) may be relevant.
• Carefully rank and organize the sections of your CV according to what the institution you are applying for is seeking. For example, if you are applying to a university where research is emphasized, you should begin your list of publications on page one, right after your initial professional profile. If, on the other hand, you know that teaching is valued over the publication by the department, you’ll want to give your professional career history pride of place on the first page.

This is an example of a curriculum vitae. Download the curriculum vitae template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Curriculum Vitae Sample (Text Version)

Dorothy Doctor, M.D. 3204 Windover Way Houston, TX 77204 dorothydoctor@email.com 000.123.4567

Curriculum Vitae

Dedicated and patient-focused M.D. positioned to excel within residency providing an opportunity to grow in knowledge and therapeutic practice of pediatric medicine.

Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), May 2018 – David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA

B.S. in Biology,  summa cum laude , June 2014 – Stanford University

HONORS / AWARDS

David Geffen Medical Scholarship, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Stanford Department of Biology Award, 2013 Stanford Dean’s List, 2010-2014

EXAMINATIONS

USMLE Step 1, May 2016 USMLE Step 2 CK, May 2018

WORK EXPERIENCE

UCLA, Department of Oncology Research Assistant  (2015-2016)

• Assisted Joe Johnson, M.D. and Sue Sanderson, Ph.D. in research and submission of “Novel Immunotherapy Approach to Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS).”

STANFORD UNIVERSITY Resident Assistant  (2013-2014)

• Provided leadership, companionship, and emotional support to undergraduate residents of a university dormitory.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

American Medical Student Association, UCLA (September 2013 – June 2018)

• President, local chapter, May 2014 – June 2018
• Coordinated well-attended Wellness on Campus Fair, September 2017

Volunteer , Venice Family Clinic (September 2014 to June 2017)

• Helped to support the needs of underserved families at the free medical clinic.

Hospital Volunteer , Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (September 2014 – June 2015)

• Volunteered in pediatric, ER, and surgery rotation positions

Volunteer , UCLA People-Animal Connection Program (September 2013 – June 2014)

• Provided companionship to critically ill children in the animal-assisted therapy program.

English (native) Spanish (advanced oral and written fluency)

MEMBERSHIPS / AFFILIATIONS

American Medical Student Association, 2014 - present American Medical Association, 2017 – present

PERSONAL INTERESTS

CrossFit, surfing, photography, and oboe performance.

Review More CV Examples and Writing Tips

These  sample CVs  form a helpful guide of what to include in your CV, tips for writing it, and how to format it.

UCDavis. " Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae: What's the Difference ?" Accessed Oct. 1, 2020.

Pomona College. " How to Write a Curriculum Vitae ." Accessed Oct. 1, 2020.

Investing in Me, Inc.

• Write a curriculum vitae in 15 lines or less—not a résumé, but a description you might give to someone introducing you as a speaker.
• Repeat the exercise, but write your description as if it were 15 to 20 years from now.
• Start thinking about what it would take to get from the first introduction to the second. In CEO lingo, this kind of thinking is called gap analysis.
• Do you know what your most valuable skills are?
• Could you write an ad for yourself?
• Do you sometimes feel there's something stopping you from reaching your potential?
• A vision for the business
• Financial skills
• A marketing plan
• The ability to manage and motivate others
• What is your advantage over the competition?
• How does your "price" compare?
• Who is your target customer?
• Create your own ad: Fill in the blanks: The goal of your ad is "to convince ______ to buy ________ because _______." With this goal in mind, create your ad.
• Pitch your ad: Invite a friend or co-worker you trust to listen to your pitch. Give yourself three minutes for the pitch, and give your friend two minutes for comments.
• Make an impression: After your pitch, the listener should know what your "brand" was, and what made it different from its competitors. Pop-up window Exercise Two: The Relationship Inventory. Once you know what you're selling, who are you going to tell? In the case of Me, Inc., you're going to be spending your time and energy. You'll be advertising yourself to the people you pay attention to. Make the most of your limited time by spending it with people who can help you grow.

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• Business Plan

A curriculum vitae is an overview of someones’ professional experience, a brief expression of a person’s education, qualifications, work experience, and references, typically used when applying for a job. Curriculum Vitae Template will provide you with all the necessary information that you need for your recruitment procedure and automate the job application process of your business.

The template works for hand in hand with a form in which you can decide what fields to be included in the document, and what questions to be asked for the applicants. Once the form is submitted by the candidates, a Curriculum Vitae will be automatically generated. You can fully customize the template by adding, removing or changing fields, changing the design and layout without any coding required.

Strategic Plan Template

Focus on the future and keep your company moving forward with Jotform’s Strategic Plan Template. Simply fill in the attached form with your company overview, delve deeper with a SWOT analysis, and finish off by determining your strategic goals, actions, and financial plans. Our fully-customizable template converts submitted information into polished PDFs, which you can download, print, or share instantly.You don’t need a degree in design to build a professional strategic plan. Change fonts, update colors, and add your company’s logo in an instant — with Jotform’s drag-and-drop PDF Editor, customization is a breeze! Establish goals, set your priorities, and draw up solid action plans as polished PDFs with our Strategic Plan Template. By clearly defining your goals and the steps you’ll take to achieve them, you can keep your company on track and grow your business faster.

Single Page Business Plan

A single page business plan is just as it sounds: a summary of business objectives displayed on a single page. Single page business plans are typically used to pitch ideas before writing longer, more detailed business plans for potential investors and partners. Instead of starting from scratch, use our free Single Page Business Plan PDF Template to outline company goals in a professional, accessible PDF document. Once you’ve filled out a simple form with details regarding your company’s overview, objectives, challenges, and strategies, this Single Page Business Plan Template will automatically convert that information into a professional PDF that can be read at a glance. With your single page business plan saved as a PDF, you can easily download it for your records, email the file to coworkers, or print out copies for company meetings.This Single Page Business Plan Template already has a stunning design, but you can quickly customize it to meet your business needs with our drag-and-drop PDF Editor. Easily add fields for additional information such as milestones, market or competitive analysis, and financial summary. Don’t forget to represent your business by adding your logo and changing the fonts and colors to match your branding. No matter what modifications you make, your custom Single Page Business Plan Template will create an impressive, brief breakdown of business objectives to help steer your company in the right direction.

Operational Plan Template

A Business Operational Plan PDF Template encompasses critical details of a company or an organization. To put it simply, it is what the organization or company wants to achieve, such as financials, budget planning, etc. Accountants and managers in an institution or company often take so much time to create an operational plan template that they end up procrastinating other significant organizational events. This operational plan sample is structured with important details for your organization. It comes ready to print, but since most organizational details and structures are different, you can simply edit the fields by putting your own organization information. Also, using the Jotform PDF editor template, you can quickly add and delete fields, choose your own color options, etc. Finally, you can share your draft with your team members via email.

Marketing Brief Template

A marketing brief can make or break your campaign. But writing a brief for every new campaign eats up time you simply can’t afford to lose. With this free Marketing Brief Template, you can quickly and easily draft marketing briefs without ever having to start from scratch. Simply fill out this simple online form with client information and project details such as objectives, budget, and materials, and the template automatically creates overviews as PDFs — easy to download, print, and share with the rest of the marketing team. Since each marketing campaign is unique, why not make your marketing brief unique as well? Luckily for you, customizing your Marketing Brief Template is a breeze with our drag-and-drop PDF Editor. You’ll be able to change the text or any graphic element in just a few clicks. Feel free to get creative — change the fonts and colors, upload your own background image, or add your company logo for a professional touch. Each time you submit details about your new marketing campaign, your custom Marketing Brief Template will display those plans in easily-accessible PDFs. With PDF marketing briefs in hand, your marketing team can get right to work promoting your products and building your brand.

Glamping Business Plan Template

A Glamping Business Plan Template is a document containing case studies, strategies, and future plans of the company. A great business plan should discuss a problem and how to resolve it by creating specific goals, plans, and objectives.This Glamping Business Plan Template contains a cover page, company overview page, team or staff page, frequently asked questions page, financial analysis section, and a conclusion page. This template also shows the mission, vision, goals, and objectives of the company. This template explains the projected costs, revenue, profits, loss, and expenses of the company monthly, quarterly, and yearly. The data is displayed in a table format so that it is easy to read and to analyze. This template is also using Calculation widget and conditional logic in order to get the total revenue and expenses. You can fully customize this PDF by changing the image cover, logo, pictures of the staff, font format, layout and many more by using the PDF Editor.

SOP Template

A standard operating procedures (SOP) template is a document or memo that specifies the procedures for a specific issue, case, or scenario that all employees in an organization should follow. Establishing SOPs helps an organization become more organized and efficient. This sample SOP template outlines a hospital admissions process for managing and triaging COVID-19 patients. By following the process laid out in this document, employees will be more likely to avoid confusion and conflict with others.This SOP template shows the date the document was created; the effective date, title, and background of the process; the specific keywords, guidelines, and process flow; and the individuals assigned as reviewers or approvers. This PDF template displays a sample logo of a healthcare institution — users can easily customize the template to include their own logo. The template also includes an input table to show the process flow in an easy-to-understand format. The process flow includes a description of each step, the responsible personnel, and notes or remarks.

These templates are suggested forms only. If you're using a form as a contract, or to gather personal (or personal health) info, or for some other purpose with legal implications, we recommend that you do your homework to ensure you are complying with applicable laws and that you consult an attorney before relying on any particular form.

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7+ Business Curriculum Vitae Templates

If you have ever hunted for a job, then you would be familiar with CVs, especially if you happened to be looking for a job in business. While there are a great many kinds of CV templates available, you may be best served by one that specializes in a particular field.

• CV Format Templates
• curriculum vitae examples

Business Manager

Business Consultant

Business Analyst

Professional Business

How to Write a Successful CV that Fits Your Career

• Find a useful template that provides you a usable framework, such as internship curriculum vitae templates , that is closest to the CV you need.
• Include your name and contact information at the top of the page, so as to let your name sink in.
• Organize your business qualifications, such as skills, experience, and education. Present these by category, and in reverse-chronological order.
• Provide some specifics, like how much responsibility you had as a manager, so as to give your qualifications context.

Advantages of a CV

• Length, as CV’s are generally longer than resumes, giving you more space to include more of your qualities.
• Detail, as you have the space and time to include as much detail as you think can help your chances.
• Time, as CV’s are in reverse-chronological order. This allows potential employers to easily chart the course of your professional life, such as if you used a manager curriculum vitae to detail your experiences in reverse.

Business Marketing Graduate

Graduate Business Development Executive

Junior Business Analyst

Entry Level Business Administration CV

Business Curriculum Vitae Tips

• Be concise . This is a useful skill to have in the business world, as you show yourself able to condense concepts into something smaller, and hiring managers will have limited time, besides.
• Use a formal style of writing . Being that you are applying for a business-related position, you are expected to be especially professional, hence the need for a formal curriculum vitae .
• Make sure that the content is relevant . Only include those skills that you absolutely need to present yourself as good for a position, such as organizational skills, leadership qualities, etc.
• Always remember to double-check so as to avoid making careless mistakes . Eliminating such mistakes also ensures that your CV is free of careless mistakes that could reflect badly on you.

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Business Student CV example

If you want to bag a top internship while studying for a business degree, you must start by writing an interview-winning CV.

So, we have created an example Business Student CV to inspire you, along with detailed guidance on how to create your own professional CV, that will hook recruiters and get you hired.

Guide contents

Business Student CV example

• CV layout and format
• Your CV profile
• Work experience

Education section

CV templates 

This is a good example of a Business Student CV which contains all of the information that a hiring manager will need to know, and presents it in a well- structured, easy-to-read manner.

Take some time to study and understand this CV, and refer to it throughout the writing of your own CV for best results.

Build your CV now 

Business Student CV layout and format

If you focus purely on the written content of your CV but ignore the style and layout, your efforts could end up wasted.

No matter how suitable you are for the role, no recruiter wants to spend time squinting and trying to navigate a badly designed and disorganised CV.

Instead, make sure to organise your content into a simple structure and spend some time formatting it for ease of reading – it will ensure every recruiter and hiring manager can read your CV with ease.

Formatting advice

• Length: While there’s no ‘official’ CV length rule, the majority of recruiters agree that less is more. Aim for two pages of A4 or less. This is just enough room to showcase your suitability to the role, without overwhelming recruiters with irrelevant or excessive content.
• Readability : By clearly formatting your section headings (bold, or a different colour font, do the trick) and breaking up big chunks of text into snappy bullet points, time-strapped recruiters will be able to skim through your CV with ease.
• Design: Your CV needs to look professional, sleek and easy to read. A subtle colour palette, clear font and simple design are generally best for this, as fancy designs are often harder to navigate.
• Avoid photos: Recruiters can’t factor in appearance, gender or race into the recruitment process, so a profile photo is totally unnecessary. Additionally, company logos or images won’t add any value to your application, so you’re better off saving the space to showcase your experience instead.

CV structure

Divide your CV into the following major sections when writing it:

• Name and contact details  – Head your CV with your name and contact details, to let the reader know who you are and how to contact you.
• CV profile – A brief paragraph which summarises your skills and experience and highlights why you’re a good match for the role.
• Core skills list – A snappy, bullet-pointed list of your most relevant skills.
• Work experience – A structured list of your work experience in reverse chronological order.
• Education – A summary of any relevant qualifications or professional training you’ve completed.
• Hobbies and interests – An optional section, which should only be used if your hobbies are relevant to the jobs you’re applying to.

Now I’ll tell you exactly what you should include in each CV section.

CV Contact Details

Begin by sharing your contact details, so it’s easy for employers to give you a call. Keep to the basics, such as:

• Mobile number
• Email address – It should sound professional, with no slang or nicknames. Make a new one for your job applications if necessary.
• Location – Simply share your vague location, for example ‘Manchester’, rather than a full address.
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Remember to update them before you send your application.

Business Student CV Profile

Your CV profile (or personal statement , if you’re an entry-level applicant) provides a brief overview of your skills, abilities and suitability for a position.

It’s ideal for busy recruiters and hiring managers, who don’t want to waste time reading unsuitable applications.

Think of it as your personal sales pitch. You’ve got just a few lines to sell yourself and prove you’re a great match for the job – make it count!

Tips for creating an strong CV profile:

• Keep it concise: Recruiters have piles of CVs to read through and limited time to dedicate to each, so it pays to showcase your abilities in as few words as possible. 3-4 lines is ideal.
• Tailor it: Before writing your CV, make sure to do some research. Figure out exactly what your desired employers are looking for and make sure that you are making those requirements prominent in your CV profile, and throughout.
• Don’t add an objective: Career goals and objectives are best suited to your cover letter , so don’t waste space with them in your CV profile.
• Avoid cliches: Cheesy clichès and generic phrases won’t impress recruiters, who read the same statements several times per day. Impress them with your skill-set, experience and accomplishments instead!

Example CV profile for Business Student

What to include in your business student cv profile.

• Summary of experience: To give employers an idea of your capabilities, show them your track record by giving an overview of the types of companies you have worked for in the past and the roles you have carried out for previous employers – but keep it high level and save the details for your experience section.
• Relevant skills: Employers need to know what skills you can bring to their organisation, and ideally they want to see skills that match their job vacancy. So, research your target roles thoroughly and add the most important Business Student skills to your profile.
• Essential qualifications: If the jobs you are applying to require candidates to have certain qualifications, then you must add them in your profile to ensure they are seen by hiring managers.

Quick tip: If spelling and grammar are not a strong point of yours, Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to add pre-written content that has been created by recruitment experts, and proofread by our team.

Core skills section

In addition to your CV profile, your core skills section provides an easily digestible snapshot of your skills – perfect for grabbing the attention of busy hiring managers.

As Business Student jobs might receive a huge pile of applications, this is a great way to stand out and show off your suitability for the role.

It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points and be made up of skills that are highly relevant to the jobs you are targeting.

Work experience/Career history

By this point, employers will be keen to know more detail about you career history.

Starting with your most recent role and working backwards, create a snappy list of any relevant roles you’ve held.

This could be freelance, voluntary, part-time or temporary jobs too. Anything that’s relevant to your target role is well-worth listing!

Structuring your roles

Your work experience section will be long, so it’s important to structure it in a way which helps recruiters to quickly and easily find the information they need.

Use the 3-step structure, shown in the below example, below to achieve this.

Start with a brief summary of your role as a whole, as well as the type of company you worked for.

Key responsibilities

Next, write up a punchy list of your daily duties and responsibilities, using bullet points.

Wherever you can, point out how you put your hard skills and knowledge to use – especially skills which are applicable to your target role.

Key achievements

Finish off by showcasing 1-3 key achievements made within the role.

This could be anything that had a positive effect on your company, clients or customers, such as saving time or money, receiving exemplary feedback or receiving an award.

After your work experience, your education section should provide a detailed view of your academic background.

Begin with those most relevant to Business Student jobs, such as vocational training or degrees . If you have space, you can also mention your academic qualifications, such as A-Levels and GCSEs.

Focus on the qualifications that are most relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

Interests and hobbies

This section is entirely optional, so you’ll have to use your own judgement to figure out if it’s worth including.

If your hobbies and interests could make you appear more suitable for your dream job, then they are definitely worth adding.

Interests which are related to the industry, or hobbies like sports teams or volunteering, which display valuable transferable skills might be worth including.

Writing your Business Student CV

An interview-winning CV for a Business Student role, needs to be both visually pleasing and packed with targeted content.

Whilst it needs to detail your experience, accomplishments and relevant skills, it also needs to be as clear and easy to read as possible.

Remember to research the role and review the job ad before applying, so you’re able to match yourself up to the requirements.

If you follow these guidelines and keep motivated in your job search, you should land an interview in no time.

Best of luck with your next application!