How to write a CV that gets interviews

Practical CV tips that actually work

Your CV has one job, get you an interview. Not to tell your life story. Not to prove how hard you’ve worked. Just to show, quickly and clearly, why you’re worth meeting.

Use the checklist below to make sure your CV does that job properly.

Start with a clear CV snapshot

Hiring managers scan first. If they don’t understand your value immediately, they move on.

At the top of your CV, include a short snapshot that answers the basics:

• Years of experience

• Current or most recent role level

• Core skills or discipline

• Industries you’ve worked in

• Leadership or team size, if relevant
  

Example:

• 10+ years in PR

• 5 years at Group Account Director level

• Led teams of up to 10

• Experience across FMCG, telecoms, financial services
  

This gives context in seconds and encourages them to keep reading.

Keep your CV easy to scan

Many CVs are rejected because they’re hard work.

Make yours readable at a glance:

• Use clear headings and consistent formatting

• Stick to bullet points, not paragraphs

• Avoid dense blocks of text

• Leave white space, it helps the eye move

• Use a professional, modern font
  

If someone can’t understand your CV in 6 to 10 seconds, it’s too complicated.

Cut anything that weakens your CV

Your CV is a highlight reel, not a history lesson. Every item should earn its place.

Be selective:

• Prioritise recent and relevant work

• Trim down early or junior roles to just title, company and dates

• Focus on what supports your current direction

• Avoid generic filler like “hardworking” or “team player”
  

The goal: a lean, confident CV that makes it obvious why you're the right fit.

Explain employment gaps clearly

Gaps aren’t the problem. Silence is.

If you’ve been out of work, explain it briefly and honestly:

• Redundancy

• Care responsibilities

• Health or burnout

• Upskilling or freelancing
  

A single line is enough. This removes doubt before it forms.

Align your CV with LinkedIn

Hiring managers and recruiters cross-check. Inconsistencies raise red flags.

Make sure:

• Job titles match

• Dates are identical

• Career progression makes sense

• Your headline reflects what you actually do
  

Your CV and LinkedIn should tell the same story, just in different formats.

Show impact, not just duties

Listing responsibilities doesn’t show value. Results do.

Where possible, include:

• Outcomes you achieved

• Problems you solved

• Improvements you drove

• Scale, growth, or efficiency gains
  

Even simple context helps. Numbers are useful, but clarity matters more.

Tailor your CV, but don’t overdo it

You don’t need a new CV for every role you apply for. That’s not realistic—and it’s not necessary.

Instead:

• Create one or two strong versions of your CV for the main types of roles you’re targeting

• Adjust the snapshot and order of experience slightly depending on what the job emphasizes

• If a role is particularly niche or senior, take the time to tailor your CV more directly
  

Small, strategic tweaks go a long way. The goal is to make it easy for the hiring manager to see that you're a fit—without rewriting your CV from scratch every time.

Final CV checklist

Before you send your CV, ask yourself:

1. Can someone understand my value in under 10 seconds?

2. Is everything on this page supporting the role I want?

3. Would I confidently talk through every line in an interview?

4. Does this CV make it easy to say yes?
   

If the answer is no, revise. A few focused changes often make the biggest difference.