How to write a good CV and what mistakes to avoid?

Author: Dominik Jarkovsky

Career

12. 02. 2025 8 reading minutes

How to write a CV? A question asked by many people looking for a new job. The CV is a key document that can make or break your chances of getting a job. It gives potential employers a better insight into you and your work experience. So don’t underestimate its importance and invest enough time and energy in it.

What is a CV?

A resume, often referred to as a curriculum vitae (CV), is a document that contains your personal and professional information. It usually includes :

• first and last name,
• address,
• contact details (phone, e-mail),
• Information about your education (school and university, courses, certificates),
• professional experience (previous positions held and dates),
• skills and competences (language, technical and other skills relevant to the job)
• other information (volunteer activities, awards, interests and other details that might interest a potential employer).

A well-written CV is your calling card, so make sure it is clear, concise and free of grammar errors.

The main purpose of a CV is to introduce you to a potential employer and show them your experience in the field. It is usually short and contains only the most important milestones in your life. This is why it is often accompanied by a motivation or cover letter.

Nowadays, CVs are mostly in electronic form, and there are many templates and ready-made forms that make them much easier to prepare.

How to write a good CV for a job?

Want to know how to write a CV that will impress employers and increase your chances of landing your dream job? Many people make the mistake of creating cluttered documents with lots of graphic elements, unconventional fonts, and multiple colour combinations. However, this is often not the best solution.

A quality CV should be:

• simple,
• short,
• concise,
• transparent.

Give information about yourself in bullet points, using just a few words or short sentences. Avoid long sentences or paragraphs. Recruiters usually scan them and don’t have time to read them in detail.

What about the design? The best solution is a white background with black text, ideally in Times New Roman size 12. The exception is in creative fields where original design is expected. Again, keep it simple and avoid overly graphic elements.

What to include in your CV?

A CV is made up of several parts, each containing different types of information. To make sure you don’t miss anything, follow the structure below.

1. Personal data

A CV starts with your personal details, which should include:

• first and last name,
• address,
• phone number,
• email address,
• date of birth (if you want to include it)

You can also add a photo to your CV to make it more personal. However, avoid selfies or other unprofessional photos. Portraits against a monochrome background are ideal.

2. Work experience

This is one of the most important sections, so pay close attention to it. List your experience in reverse chronological order, i.e. the most recent job should be listed first.

Indicate in this section:

• the title of the position,
• the period from when you started to when you left (only the month in which you started and ended your employment),
• the full name of the company,
• a brief description of the job (please give only the main duties).

3. Education

As with work experience, this section should be written in reverse chronological order. List your highest level of education first (e.g. university), followed by lower levels (e.g. high school).

State:

• the name of the school,
• period of study,
• the field or programme of study (if relevant).

You can also use this section to list courses, training and certificates you have completed. This will show your employer that you are active and learning beyond your formal education. Be concise and include information that is relevant to the position you are applying for.

5. Knowledge

This part of your CV is designed to show recruiters that, in addition to the theoretical knowledge you have acquired at school, you also have practical skills that can be used in the job. For example, you could include knowledge of:

• operating systems,
• various programs (e.g. Word, Excel, Photoshop, Canva),
• typing,
• programming languages.

For each skill, indicate the level, e.g. expert, advanced or beginner.

Language skills form a separate category, often separated by a subheading or a horizontal line. For each language, be sure to indicate the standardized level of proficiency – from A1 (beginner) to C2 (expert). As with all sections, it’s definitely not worth getting confused! At the interview, employers will usually switch to English and check your language skills in person.

6. Interests

This section is optional, but it can spice up your CV and add a personal touch. It makes the document seem more human. However, only list hobbies that are relevant, appropriate or otherwise related to the job.

In this section you can include:

• the sports you play,
• creative activities such as drawing or taking photos,
• interest in culture,
• travelling and discovering new places.

Be careful not to give overly personal or inappropriate information.

7. Driving licence

Important information, especially for jobs that involve regular travel. You only need to indicate your licence group (e.g. B). No other details are usually required.

8. Additional information

At the end of your CV, you can briefly mention the qualities and skills that distinguish you. For example, focus on qualities that might be important to an employer:

• ability to work under stress,
• flexibility and adaptability,
• a love of challenges,
• meeting deadlines.

This information should complete the picture of you as a reliable and capable candidate.

CV mistakes – avoid these faux pas

If you want to know how to write a CV that will impress, you need to be aware of the most common mistakes people make when writing a CV. These include:

• Giving irrelevant information – this unnecessarily lengthens the CV and often looks unprofessional. If there are skills or qualities you will not be using in the role, do not include them in the document. Also avoid overly personal details such as marital status or political affiliations.
• Messy design – a CV should look professional. Be minimalist and uncluttered. Avoid cluttered templates, different fonts, multiple colours, etc.
• Typos – always proofread your text to remove grammatical errors and typos. Ideally, have someone else read it too.
• False information – only give true information that you can back up with a diploma, certificate or references from previous jobs.
• Universal CV – each CV is tailored to the specific company and job you are applying for. Don’t send the same document everywhere – it won’t impress the recruiter.
• Too many pages – the ideal length for a CV is between 1 and 3 pages. Don’t stretch the text and focus on the essential information.
• Unprofessional email – An email address is important contact information. If you have an email with a nickname or funny name, create a new one. The best choice is an email in the form of your first and last name.

How to write a university CV?

When applying to university, you often need to include a CV that is different from a normal job CV. Instead of work experience, focus on:

• learning achievements,
• sporting achievements,
• projects,
• extracurricular activities.

List these data in reverse chronological order.

If you have worked somewhere during your studies, you can also mention this work experience, especially if it is related to the field you want to study. If you are applying for a postgraduate degree or other higher ‘scientific’ qualification, you can also include the title of your dissertation.

CV attachments

Some information should not be included in the CV as it may increase the length of the document. When CVs are first screened, recruiters can evaluate them very quickly and read the additional information later. For this reason, we only include the basic and most important information in the CV and include additional information such as a covering letter or references separately in appendices. The following attachments are often included with the CV:

Cover letter

The cover letter can be a separate document or part of an email. It serves as an introduction to your CV and any other attachments you are sending. It should be brief and to the point.

Motivation letter

The purpose of a motivation letter is to introduce yourself and explain why you are the right candidate for the job. It gives you space to fill in and expand on some of the information on your CV. It is usually only sent if the company asks for it.

References

You can attach references as a separate document or include them directly in your CV or motivation letter. They should be written by someone from your previous work environment, ideally someone in a senior position such as a manager or boss. Only include references if the employer asks for them or if you think they can help you.

CV formatting

Send your CV in PDF or DOCX format so that it can be easily opened on any device. Use one or two fonts (e.g. Times New Roman) and a font size of 12. You can separate sections with larger or bold subheadings, but don’t go overboard with formatting.

Classic vs modern CV – which alternative is better?

There are two types of CV, depending on how they are processed:

• The classic CV – a simple, concise and clear CV written mainly in bullet points. This style is used in almost all sectors, such as administration or public services.
• The modern CV – redesigned and more detailed. Particularly suitable for creative fields such as graphic design or marketing.

We have also compared these types of CVs in the article: The classic CV template: How does it differ from the modern one and which is better?

Create a professional CV that’s sure to get you an interview

Now you know how to write a CV. Put this theoretical knowledge into practice and create a CV that will catch the eye of potential employers. As you write, watch out for small mistakes that could make you look unprofessional. Make sure you get the font and design right, but don’t forget the content. This should highlight your achievements and the value you can bring to the company.

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How to write a good CV and what mistakes to avoid?

Dominik Jarkovsky