1. Header
Recruiters take less than 30 seconds to review a CV. Don't get rejected due to simple mistakes!
Here you should include:
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Full name (larger font)
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Target role or professional title (not “Open to roles”)
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City, Country (no full address)
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Email (professional)
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LinkedIn (custom URL if possible)
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Optional: GitHub / Portfolio (if relevant)
Here a strong example:
Alex
Senior Product Manager | B2B SaaS
Amsterdam, NL | Alex@thehiringroom.com | linkedin.com/in/alex
What to avoid:
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Photos (unless country-specific)
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Age, marital status
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Multiple titles
2. Professional Summary (optional but powerful)
Purpose: Frame the story to simplify the recruiter's work.
2–3 lines max.
This is NOT a biography. Make sure you share and tailor the story to the role you are applying.
Formula: Role + years of experience + domain + 1–2 standout outcomes
Example: Product Manager with 7+ years in B2B SaaS, leading cross-functional teams and shipping data products used by 100k+ users. Strong in product discovery, stakeholder alignment, and growth experimentation.
Please avoid:
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Buzzwords
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Soft skills without proof
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Generic statements
3. Core Skills / Expertise
Purpose: These days most companies use an ATS + recruiter keyword matching. This is key to not get disregarded on the first pass.
Format:
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One clean line or 2 rows
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Grouped logically
Example: Product Strategy • Roadmapping • User Research • SQL • A/B Testing • Stakeholder Management • Agile/Scrum • B2B SaaS
What to avoid:
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Skill bars (they don't add value and are not ATS friendly. Even cringe for some recruiters)
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Self-ratings
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20+ skills (be selective)
4. Professional Experience (Most important section)
Purpose: Prove impact, not activity. Helps recruiters understand seniority and assess experience.
Format per role:
Company Name — Location
Role Title | MM/YYYY – MM/YYYY
• Action verb + what you did + how + outcome (numbers if possible) • 3–5 bullets per role (recent roles) • 1–2 bullets for older roles
Example bullet structure: Led X by doing Y, resulting in Z
Good example: Led pricing revamp across 3 products, increasing ARPU by 22% in 6 months
What to avoid:
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“Responsible for…”
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Long paragraphs (more than 2 sentences and you are losing it)
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Repeating job descriptions (it's important to tailor, but don't copy paste)
5. Education
Purpose: Credential check and better understand your background and story. However, this is becoming less and less relevant as so many people have an undergrad degree these days. While still important, the experience is the key piece.
Format:
Degree, Field of Study
University Name — Location | Year
Include only if relevant:
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GPA (if strong)
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Honors
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Thesis (for research-heavy roles)
What to avoid:
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High school (unless early career)
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Long explanations
6. Certifications / Additional Training (Optional)
Purpose: Signal credibility or upskilling. No one cares about your title (unless very specific and with industry reputation). People care what you know and what value you can provide. Don't over do it with certifications.
Examples:
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AWS Certified Solutions Architect
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PMP
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Google Data Analytics Certificate
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CFA, CPA, FRM, CFP, FMVA, CAIA...
What to avoid:
- Random Coursera courses unless highly relevant
7. Optional Sections:
Include only if they strengthen your case:
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Projects (especially for career switchers)
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Publications
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Languages
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Volunteering (leadership or impact-based)
Formatting Rules Recruiters Love
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1 page (junior–mid), 2 pages max (senior)
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Font size: 10.5–12
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Simple fonts: Inter, Calibri, Arial, Helvetica. Please don't get creative with fonts.
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Reverse chronological order
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PDF format unless stated otherwise. You might otherwise get rejected because the ATS system can't read properly!
The Golden Rule
If a recruiter reads only your titles + first bullet of each role, they should still understand:
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What you do
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Your level
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Your impact
Landing interviews is difficult, don't make it harder by not following the basics. Let's hope you land the interview if you have the experience!