How to structure a CV or resume that gets read
Updated 4 November 2026
A recruiter's first look at a CV is often very short. In that time they are trying to answer one question: does this person have evidence of doing what the role needs? Everything about structure is there to make that answer easy to find.
Formatting that ATS software and people can both read
- Use one column. Tables, text boxes and multi-column layouts are often read in the wrong order or lost.
- Use standard section headings such as Experience, Education and Skills so the system knows what each part is.
- Use a common font at a readable size, with clear spacing. Avoid putting important text in headers, footers, images or icons.
- Write dates consistently, for example Sep 2023 to Jun 2025.
- Follow the employer's requested format. If none is given, a simple, text-based PDF or Word document is usually sensible. Check that the application system has extracted your details correctly.
- Name the file sensibly, for example Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.
Section order
If you have work experience
- Name and contact details: phone, email, city, LinkedIn or portfolio link
- Profile: two or three lines on who you are, what you do and the role you are targeting
- Experience: most recent first, with achievement bullets
- Education
- Skills: technical skills, tools, languages and certifications
- Optional: projects, publications, volunteering
If you are a student or recent graduate
- Name and contact details
- Profile, optional and short
- Education: degree, expected grade if strong, relevant modules, dissertation
- Experience: internships, part-time jobs, society roles, projects
- Skills
- Achievements and interests, where they show something relevant
Achievement bullets: action + metric + result
Duties describe the job. Achievements describe what you did with it. Write each bullet as a strong action verb, what you did, a number that shows scale or change, and the result for the business or the people you served.
| Weak (a duty) | Stronger (action + metric + result) |
|---|---|
| Responsible for customer emails | Cut average email response time from two days to same-day by introducing templates and a shared inbox rota |
| Helped with month-end reporting | Automated three monthly reports in Excel, saving the team about six hours a month |
| Member of the marketing society | Grew society event attendance by 40% in one term by moving promotion to short-form video |
- These are illustrative examples. Write your own bullets with your own, accurate numbers.
- If you cannot measure something exactly, use honest approximations (about, around, more than) and be ready to explain them.
- Lead with the most relevant bullet for the target role, not the most recent task.
- Three to five bullets per role is usually enough. Older roles can have fewer.
UK and Australian CVs versus US resumes
Conventions differ in other markets, and some countries do expect a photo or personal details. For English-language roles at global employers, the simpler format above is the safe default. Always follow any instructions in the job advert.
| UK and Ireland CV | Australia and New Zealand CV | US resume | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual length | One to two pages; one is often enough for graduates | Two to three pages for experienced roles; one to two for graduates | One page for early career; two for senior roles |
| Photo | No | No | No |
| Date of birth, marital status | Leave out | Leave out | Leave out |
| Address | City or region is enough | City or region is enough | City and state is enough |
| Referees | Not needed; references come later | Sometimes listed, or 'available on request' | Not listed |
| Spelling | British English | Australian English | American English |
Cover letter basics
If a cover letter is requested, tailor it carefully. If it is optional, consider whether it helps explain your motivation, relevant experience or a career change. Keep it to one page, written for this role at this employer.
- Opening: the role you are applying for and one sentence on why you are a strong fit
- Why them: something specific about the employer or team that genuinely attracts you
- Why you: two or three pieces of evidence that match the most important requirements
- Close: your availability and a polite thank you
- Address it to a named person if you can find one.
- Do not repeat your CV line by line. Pick the evidence that matters most and explain it.
- Check the employer's name and the role title twice.
Final checklist before you send
- Does the top third of page one show the evidence most relevant to this role?
- Does every bullet start with an action verb, and do most include a number or a clear result?
- Have you used the advert's key terms where they are true for you?
- Is everything accurate and something you could talk about in an interview?
- Have you checked spelling, dates and contact details, and read it once on a phone screen?
