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How to Write a CV in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide

By WiseCV Team · Updated 30 October 2026 · 6 min read

To write a CV, list your contact details, a short professional summary, your work experience (most recent first), your education and your key skills, on one or two pages. Tailor it to each job, describe results rather than duties, and save it as a PDF in a clean, ATS-friendly layout.

What to include in a CV

Almost every CV uses the same core sections, in this order:

If you are a student or recent graduate, put Education above Work experience. Everyone else should lead with experience.

How to write a CV in 7 steps

1. Read the job advert first

Before you write anything, read the advert and highlight the skills, tools and duties the employer mentions most. These are the words recruiters scan for, and the words applicant tracking systems (ATS) look for. Your CV should use them naturally wherever they are true for you.

2. Choose a clean, simple layout

Use a single- or two-column layout with clear, standard headings such as “Work Experience”, “Education” and “Skills”. Pick one readable font at 10–12pt and leave enough white space. Avoid putting text inside images, using icons in place of words, or building the whole CV out of tables, as some ATS software cannot read them.

3. Add your contact details

Put your name in a larger font at the top, followed by your phone number, email, city and country. Use a professional email address — ideally your name — rather than an old nickname. You do not need your full home address, date of birth or marital status unless the job specifically asks for them.

4. Write a short professional summary

In three or four lines, say who you are, how much experience you have, one or two results you are proud of, and what you want to do next.

See more in our CV summary examples.

5. Describe achievements, not duties

List your jobs in reverse order, most recent first. Under each one, write three to five bullet points. Start each with an action verb (led, built, improved, reduced, trained) and add a number wherever you honestly can.

Not sure about numbers? Think about how many people, how much money, how much time, or how often. Even “trained three new starters” is stronger than “helped with training”.

6. Add your education and skills

For education, list your highest qualification first with the institution and year. For skills, combine hard skills (software, languages, technical abilities) with a few soft skills (communication, teamwork) — and prove the soft skills in your experience bullet points rather than just listing them. Our guide to the best skills to put on a CV has examples.

7. Proofread, then save as a PDF

Read your CV out loud, check every date and spelling, and ask someone else to read it. Then save it as a PDF so the layout stays exactly as you designed it. Name the file clearly, for example Ayesha-Khan-CV.pdf.

CV example

Here is how the sections come together on one page:

This is an illustrative example — the person and companies are fictional.

Common CV mistakes to avoid

• Sending the same CV to every job. Adjust your summary and skills to match each advert.
• Listing duties instead of results. Say what changed because of your work.
• Making it too long. Keep it to one or two pages; cut anything older than 10–15 years unless it is directly relevant.
• Using a layout ATS cannot read. Avoid text in images, complicated tables and unusual headings.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes. They are the easiest reason for a recruiter to move on.
• Unexplained gaps. A one-line note (“Career break to care for a family member”) is better than a mystery.

CV writing FAQ