What to Include in a CV 6 Must-Have Sections to Put on a CV in 2020

What to Include in a CV 6 Must-Have Sections to Put on a CV in 2020 Writing a CV in 2020 is hardWhat to include? What to leave off? What sections do employers expect to see? In what order?To land the job youll need to go the extra mile to stand out from 250 other candidates. Butyou also need to play by some standard CV writing rules.And you came to the right place to learn how to do both on your Curriculum Vitae.This guide will show you:What sections to include in a CV in 2020 and what order to follow.What information exactly to put in each CV section.Tips on achievements and keywords to use on a CV and land more job interviews.Things to leave off your CV so you dont bomb your own job search efforts.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nic e template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowThe purpose of this article is to provide you with a handy checklist of sections, good keywords, and other items to put on a CV. If youre more interested in how to write each CV section, see: How to Write a CV for a Job: Examples and Writing GuideAlso, note that this guide covers what to write on a CV youd use to apply for jobs in UK and other European countries. If you want to learn about what to put on an American academic CV, switch over to: Academic Curriculum Vitae: Template and SamplesUnsure what the difference is? Go here: The Difference Between a CV and a Resume Explained (Definitions and Samples)List of Must-Have (and Nice-to-Have) CV Sections in 2020A standard CV written in accordance with the modern-day hiring standards has to include the following sections:5 Sections to Include in Every CVContact informationPersonal Statement (Personal Profile)Work ExperienceE ducationSkillsThese are the basics. However if you want to outperform other candidates, your CV will benefit from some extra sections. If you can showcase any of the following, make sure to include them:Good Additional Sections for a CVProfessional CertificationsProfessional AssociationsLanguagesAdditional Training and CoursesConference ParticipationPublicationsAwardsBlogging and InfluencingVolunteer ExperienceTwo CV sections that seem to confuse candidates most are: Hobbies and Interests and References.Heres all you should know about these two potentially tricky parts of your CV:Should You Include Hobbies and Interests in a CV?If youre writing a CV with more than a year of professional experience under your belt, the hobbies section is redundant. On entry-level CVs, the hobbies section is more acceptable. When written well, it can suggest you are a good cultural fit for the company. What you dont want to do, though, is put a CV section with generic hobbies.Long story short:Reading, Sports, Films, is a no-no.Harlem Renaissance Poetry, Vittorio De Sicas Films, Table Tennisthats more like it.To learn more, see: Hobbies and Interests for a CV/Resume: Good and Bad ExamplesShould You Put References on a CV?Unless explicitly asked for in the job ad, dont list references on your CV. Optionally, you can add a References Available Upon Request clause at the bottom.Learn more: How and When to Put References on a Resume or CVWell break down what information exactly you should include in every CV section, but before we get to that, consider one thingThe order of sections and the structure of your CV will depend on the stage of your career youre currently at.And it matters a lot.In a recent reed survey, over half of recruiters selected a logical order for presentation as the most important thing to consider on a CV.And heres the order of CV sections you should follow to create a professional CV in three different scenarios:Order of Sections for a Standard CVContact informa tionPersonal Statement (Personal Profile)Work ExperienceAssociations and Certifications (Optional)EducationSkillsExtra SectionsOrder of Sections for a CV with Little or No ExperienceContact InformationPersonal Statement (Career Objective)EducationWork Experience (Including Internship and Volunteer Experience)SkillsExtra SectionsOrder of Sections for a Career-Change CVContact InformationPersonal StatementRelevant ExperienceAdditional Experience (Optional)EducationSkillsExtra SectionsAll of the above is applicable to traditional, reverse-chronological CVs only. If you choose to write a skills-based CV, youll need a slightly different section setup. You can learn all about it here: Skills Based CV: When and How to Write It (Examples)Now, lets quickly go through what to include in every section of a good CV.1Contact InformationIn the contact information section, at the very top of your CV, include:Your full nameYour job titlePhone numberPersonal email addressLinkedIn profile(Optionally) Professional website(Optionally) Other social media handles.Do not include:Physical addressDate of birthYour work email address or any other current business-contact infoYour photo (unless asked for in the job ad)Irrelevant social media URLs.As for the last point, dont get me wrongIf you use Twitter to exclusively discuss things related to your industry, its okay to include the handle. But if you only retweet football talk or post Cool People Dont Date Tottenham Fans (they dont) memes, leave it off.Also, make sure your email address is elegant. If you still use that CuteChickAngela@hotmail.com email you thought funny in high school, get a new one.See examples and get more information here: Contact Information Section for a Modern-Day CV or Resume2CV Personal Statement/ProfileA CV personal statement (also called a CV personal profile or a CV profile) is a short, 2- to 4-sentence paragraph at the top of your CV. Its purpose is to give a synopsis of your career, list your top skills a nd achievements and show what you can do for your future employer.Heres what to include in a CV personal statement:Who you are23 skills23 achievementsThe name of your target companyWhat you hope to do for your new employer.And heres what to leave off:Salary requirementsReasons for leaving your past companyAn explanation of why you want the jobAn old-school CV objective a.k.a. What I want out of the job.See this example for reference:CV Personal Statement SampleInquisitive computer science specialist with 8+ years of experience. Looking to leverage strong programming skills as a developer for Acme. Led a team of 11 coders at Halcyon-Berth Systems. Delivered projects an average of 10% before deadline, with 15% less errors than other teams. Trained 25 programmers in cloud computing skills.Or learn how to craft an outstanding CV personal statement from our handy guide: CV Personal Statement/CV Profile: Samples and Writing Guide3Work ExperienceArguably, the most crucial section of your w hole job application. According to a Jobvite report, 67% of recruiters consider relevant work experience the most important thing they look for on a CV.In the CV work experience section, include up to 15 years of relevant job experience. List jobs in reverse-chronological order. In each entry, include:Position nameCompanyDates workedUp to 6 bullet points outlining your achievements and responsibilitiesNumbers and metrics to back up your achievements(Optionally) A key achievement subsection at the bottom.Do not include:Short-term employment (unless you have less than 2 years of experience in total)Present tense for a past jobExplanation of employment gaps of time-offTables, images or charts.CV Work Experience Section ExampleJava ProgrammerBlack Knight Financial Services, Glasgow, Scotland20102019Designed and developed up to 10 applications projects per year.Designed project requirements in cooperation with data analysis teams.Participated in project meetings, with technical staff mem bers, business analysts, and external stakeholders.Trained and mentored over 15 junior programmers and developers.Key achievement: Developed a test automation tool that reduced testing time by 55%.Find out how to max out your work history section to impress every recruiter: How to Describe Work History on a CV/Resume to Land More Jobs4EducationWhat you need to put on a CV in this section depend on your experience.If you have more than 2 years of relevant job experience, in your education section, include all postsecondary degrees. Enter:Graduation dateYour degreeThe name of the institution.And nothing else.Like in this example:2015 M.A. in Comparative LiteratureKings College, London2014 B.A. in FrenchUniversity of SouthamptonFor entry-level CVs with little work history, place your education section above your work experience. You can add:Your honoursYour dissertation titleRelevant courseworkYour best achievementsExtracurricular academic activities.Like this:2018 B.A. in PsychologySt irling University1:1Relevant Coursework:Business Communication, Social Psychology, English Language Studies, Grammar and EditingExtracurricular Activities:Captain of the Rugby TeamTo find out more about putting education on a CV, see: Education Section for a CV/Resume: Best Tips5SkillsAnd now for the final mandatory section of a CV: skills.Heres what to list:48 skills relevant to the jobSoft skills and job-specific hard skillsIndication of your proficiency level (Basic, Advanced, Expert)(Optionally) Examples of how you used your abilities.And heres what best to keep to yourself:Skills unrelated to the positionLengthy, unspecific descriptions.Imagine the job description requires skills in: SEO, CRO, Data Analysis.See this sample skills list:SEOExpert(grew organic traffic by 78% in 12 months)CRO and A/B TestingAdvanced(optimized sign-up rates by 37%)HubSpot, Kissmetrics, Google AnalyticsAdvancedGood skills to include on a CV vary most across positions, industries, and individual sets of qualities. Theres no one-size-fits-all formula.Thats why why have over 10 dedicated guides on various skills sets and how to use them in your job search. Give them a read if you want to learn more about particular skills:Soft Skills Hard Skills Employers Look for (+Lists)Computer Skills for a CV/ResumeCommunication Skills for a CV/ResumeCreative Thinking Skills: Definition, Examples, and How to Boost CreativityCritical Thinking Skills: Definition, Examples, and How to Improve ThemDecision-Making Skills for a CV/ResumeManagement Skills List + Surprising Expert Advice for Your Job SearchMarketing Skills for a CV/ResumeProject Management Skills for a CV/ResumeTechnical Skills for a CV/ResumeTime Management Skills for a CV/ResumeNow you know everything about what items to include in each of the standard CV sections. But theres a bit more to a well-crafted CV.6A Few More Good Things to Put on a Job-Winning CVHere are a few extra ideas for what to put on a run-of-the-mill CV to turn i t into a fab one.CV power wordsAlso known as CV action words or action verbs. These are the words you use to introduce your achievements, instead of just listing responsibilities.With CV action words:Responsible for becomes Improved...Worked with becomes Collaborated on a team that...In Charge Of becomes Directed 20 employees toHere are some sample action words to put on a CV:AccomplishedAdvancedBoostedCompletedCreatedDeliveredEnhancedExpeditedImprovedLiftedManagedMaximizedProducedStimulatedFor 226 more, see: 240 Most Powerful Action Words for a CV/ResumeGood CV fontsUse standard, elegant, and legible fonts such as Calibri, Cambria, Open Sans, Helvetica, Georgia, or Bookman Old Style.Dont pick outdated fonts such as Times New Roman. Dont ever think of using a fancy curly-tailed font. Instead of adding a touch of class it will make your CV a nightmare to read.See more: The Best CV Fonts in 2020Keywords from the job descriptionSending one generic CV to all prospective employers wont d o. Especially in the era of Applicant Tracking Software, you need to tailor each curriculum vitae you send to match the job on offer.Read the description of the position carefully. Jot down all important responsibilities and required skills. Then, use those keywords on your CV.Heres how to do it to pain-free: How to Tailor Your CV to Match the Job AdGood CV LayoutThat means:Lots of white spaceUniform formattingBig section headingsAnd, for the final wordWhats the one thing you should never, EVER include on a CV?Lies.You might feel tempted to exaggerate the importance of your past positions. Embellish your achievements. Overestimate your language skills. All that just to get a shot at the interview which otherwise seems impossible to get.Dont.First of allrecruiters are trained to spot liars. And once they find out you lied, there will be no second chance.And, perhaps paradoxicallyEmployers are much more forgiving than youd think. A recent survey found that 42% of employers would consi der a candidate who met only 60 percent of key qualifications for a specific role.Unconvinced? See: Can You Lie on a Resume and Why You CannotKey TakeawayHeres what to include in a CV:Every CV should include the following sections: Contact Information, CV Profile, Work Experience, Education, Skills.Good additional sections to put on a CV are: Certifications, Associations, Languages, Extra Training and Courses, Conferences, Publications, or Awards.Things not ever to include in a CV are: date of birth, photo, salary requirements, irrelevant social media links, more than 15 years of work experience, tables, images and, obviously, lies.If you have any questions or need further assistance about what to include in a CV and what to leave off, drop me a line in the comments and Ill do my best to straighten out your queries. Thanks for reading!