CV template

CV template 

Before choosing a CV template, decide what signal you want to send to the employer.

Here are some examples of angles you can take in the form of a:

• Professional CV
• Modern CV
• Simple CV
• Info graphic CV
• Minimalist CV
• Creative CV
• Photo CV
• Video CV
• Academic CV

For example, if we take a "Video CV", you make a video and post it on your YouTube channel. Just remember to set your video not to be public, otherwise everyone can watch your video. You then send the link to the video to the employer, or you upload your video to the recruitment platform the employer uses.

If we take another example, namely an "Academic CV", it typically includes references to publications that you have made, and foreign words and academic terms are often used.

No matter what template and layout you use, it's about making the right CV,  it’s about choosing the right kind of CV and making it stand out, we'll take a closer look at that here:

How to write a CV

A great CV is characterised by the following points:

1. The layout is easily accessible and clear, in most cases a maximum of 3 pages
2. Target your CV for the job you want to apply for
3. Start with a personal statement, of 2-3 lines
4. Your work experience is written in reverse chronology. Start with your latest job. Briefly describe the most important work tasks, competencies and results that are relevant to the job you are applying for
5. Education and courses are also written in reverse chronological order. Briefly explain your education if it is not generally known
6. Volunteer work and hobbies may be added
7. Choose a professional photo of yourself standing alone with a neutral background

And now we are ready to look at an example of a CV.

Example of CV

In the following example, try to spot if the CV contains the above 7 points?

One of the above points is not optimally written, see if you find the error.

The fault in the above example is that Olivia has not written a good personal statement. She writes: "Assists the department head in carrying out digital marketing". It’s not impactful and doesn’t highlight her skills and experience in a succinct manner.

Olivia could have written something about

• The well-known brands she has worked with
• Budget size
• Trends
• New graphic techniques
• Her own unique selling points

Maybe you think that Olivia's CV is perfect, and that leads us to an important point, is there is the perfect CV?

Best CV

You can easily imagine that 2 different HR collaborators each have their own ideas as to what the best CV is.  So bearing that in mind, the best CV unfortunately does not exist.

Having said that, you can strive to write the best CV for you. So let´s question ourselves.

What to include in a CV?

The best CV includes some categories -  1) Must be included - 2) Can be included - 3) May not be included.

So let's look at what the best CV should contain in a priority order.

1) Must be included

1. Contact details
2. Your competencies in relation to the job advert 
3. Education and courses
4. Language proficiency

2) Can be included:

1. Age
2. Hobbies and interests
3. Social and voluntary work

3) May not be included:

1. References - they can be handed in - once you have been to a job interview
2. Links to social media - if social media is highly relevant to the job, links should be included in your CV
3. Marital status, sexuality, religion, political position
4. Expected salary level

If you want inspiration on how to create your CV, look here.

CV inspiration

There are a many CV templates on the internet. They are available at:

• Job portals
• Graphic platforms
• Websites at recruitment agencies
• Providers of resume templates

Sometimes there may be a fee involved, if you choose to pay for the use of a CV template just be aware if it is a one-time payment or a continuous subscription.

But if you prefer not to pay for your CV template, you also have a number of options.

Free CV template

Not everything that costs money is good, so you can easily make the perfect CV without it costing money. So what do you do?

You can ask your job center or your educational institution if they have a link, or some good examples of a CV.

You can also choose to use Olivia's CV for inspiration, which you can see above.

Alternatively, just search the internet for a free resume template.

But we are not quite there yet. If you would like to see how to make an application, you can click below: