What to include in a CV: Essentials to Get an Interview

In this article, you’ll learn what a CV is , what to include in a CV, and what employers are looking for in applications. Candidates will also find practical tips for writing a CV to land the job of their dreams.

The article includes the following sections:

• the importance of CV and CV components;
• what CV stands for;
• the main components with descriptions and examples;
• additional sections with descriptions and examples;
• professional CV example.

Want to have your cv written in no time? Trust our professional cv writing services on Skillhub and we'll get you covered!

Now it’s time to learn why knowing what to include in a CV is important.

Why Knowing What to Include in a CV is important?

So why is it so essential to know what to include in a CV? CV helps to apply for more demanding positions or a career in medical or academic fields. Here are the other ones to consider:

• CV is the first thing that makes impression on a recruiter. It is important to showcase not only your skills and accomplishments but also professionalism.
• Knowledge of CV categories allows putting in the best order for a specific case.
• Well-crafted CV helps to beat ATS bots.
• Allows to impress whether you have little to no work experience or, on contrary, more than 20 years in the field.
• It is useful to keep applications of appropriate length, focused, and in the best format.

To know what to include in this document the first step is to answer the question: what is a CV? And how it is different from a resume writing.

Once you need a resume in no time? The best choice is a professional resume builder service. It's easy and fast. We'll have your back. Enjoy!

Main Components of a CV

According to today standards, the main parts of a CV are:

• Contact details;
• Personal statement/summary;
• Work Experience;
• Skills;
• Education.

What goes in a CV if you are applying to a position in academia? It also should include information on academic history, publications, awards, associations, and scholarships. Except for the key sections, a person may include optional ones to impress recruiters even further, such as:

• Professional certifications;
• Field-related associations;
• Hobbies and personal interests;
• Training, courses, conference participation;
• Volunteer experience.

The purpose of any additional sections is to highlight how they are relevant to the position. As it is a complex document, it is worth considering working with professional curriculum vitae writers that know exactly how to showcase your strengths. If you need any help, our writers are ready to help. Now, let’s discuss each section in detail.

Contact information

Contact information comes even before any CV headings like experience or education. It is the first thing after the name and current position. This section has to include:

• Full name;
• Current job title;
• Phone number;
• Personal email address (do not include work email);
• The optional are:
• LinkedIn profile;
• Personal website;
• Link to a portfolio.
• Here is an example:
  

In this example, there is only key data to contact the candidate with the use of the professional-looking font. Do not include the date of birth, physical location, or photo (unless it is necessary for a job).

Intro or personal profile

The next one in a CV order is a personal statement/profile. It is the first thing that grabs the attention of a hiring manager. It is usually short, up to 4-5 sentences, and highlights the key skills, experiences, and achievements of a person.
It illustrates who you are, what you have done, and what you can offer to the company.
Look at this example of a well-crafted statement:

CV work experience

CV work experience is one of the most important sectors. Usually, candidates use reverse chronological order to showcase the most relevant role and projects.
Put not only placements but the dates, roles, key accomplishments, and responsibilities. Often, 6 bullet points for a position is enough.  Focus on numbers and measurable results. Here is an example:

Core Skills

Unless you are a beginner in the field, there is no need to spend too much time on skills in curriculum vitae for jobs. You can always make a great impression in work experience and other sections. Include the key talents and skills that are useful for the position you apply to. For example:

Do not include abstract things like great communicator or team player.

Education Section

If you do not have a lot of work experience, education can come before CV categories of skills and positions. Also, in such a case, one can include high school, university, as well as more details on projects, thesis, dissertation, and research done.
An experienced candidate doesn’t have to put too much detail into it, it is enough to state secondary education with speciality and graduation date, like this:

Additional information about strengths

• Optional CV components may include:
• Languages;
• Professional certifications;
• Awards;
• Hobbies and interests;
• Participation in conferences;
• Professional associations.
  

The only rule is to cover only the information relevant for this job.

Hobbies and Interests in a CV

How to make a curriculum vitae more exciting? To put personal interest and hobbies that show you as a cultural fit to the company. They can also illustrate your personal experience concerning the field.
For example:

How to list conference presentations on CV

When writing a CV, it is important to mention all achievements that have relevance for the position you apply for. It is better to include presentations at conferences and seminars than references. HR managers can request references later, so do not waste precious space on that.
Here is a perfect example of how to do it:

Curriculum vitae format example

Here is one of the best curriculum vitae format examples provided by our expert writers. One can find here all key sections, as well as additional ones like CV publications format.

Hanna Adams‍

SM Manager
Phone: XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Email address: hannaadams@gmail.com
LinkedIn: link‍

Personal Profile
Energetic SM manager with 5+ years of experience in the digital marketing industry, social media, and SEO is looking to apply advanced content creating and management skills in Company A.‍

Experience
SM Manager
Entertainment Corp., Dublin, Ireland
2019 – Present Day

• Successfully managing 4 social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok);
• Increased Instagram engagement by 34% in just 6 months;
• Increased the number of followers on all platforms up to 45%;
• Maximized efficiency with automotive posting procedure implementation;
• Creating comprehensive content plans for every quarter of the year.‍

Skills

• SEO, 5 years of experience;
• Digital marketing strategy - advanced;
• Strong analytical skills;
• SMM, 4 years of experience;
• Content writing - advanced;
• Copywriting - advanced.

Education‍

2015 M.A. in Digital Marketing
University of London
2014, B.A. in Business
University of London

Publications and Presentations‍

Challenges of Creating Content for Shortening Attention Spawn
2020, International Digital Conference on SMM

Hobbies:‍

Management of Art-focused Instagram with original content and 600,000+ followers

Your cv and resume matters a lot once you are looking for a job! Upgrade it on a professional executive resume writing services near me! You have to make it professional!

The Bottom Line for What to include in a CV

The order of CV sections depends on years of experience in the field. As now you know what to include in CV, you can craft a specific order of sections and use action verbs to add more excitement to it.
So how to write your CV like a pro:

• Add all necessary sections;
• Showcase accomplishments;
• Craft a winning statement;
• Use specific terms and words from job requirements to beat ATS;
• Focus on measurable results of your work;
• Add all certifications, experiences, and activities that are relevant for the position.
• Use the hobbies section to illustrate cultural fit for a business you are applying to.

Still feel like you have issues with any part of crafting a CV or create a perfect cover letter? We are here to support you! Be sure our cv writers are always ready to help.

To learn more about resume sections, click here!