CV WRITING — SELL YOURSELF!
Your CV isn't just a record of what you've done. It's your opportunity to show an employer why they should want to meet you.
Would you employ you?
Imagine you're an employer.
You've advertised a job and received 100 applications.
You have limited time, a pile of CVs to review and perhaps only five people to invite for interview.
What would make you stop and look twice?
What would persuade you that someone deserves a place on your shortlist?
And, most importantly, would your own CV make the cut?
Having worked in recruitment for many years, I've always believed that a CV should sell you.
Not exaggerate. Not invent. But give an employer a compelling picture of your experience, skills, achievements and the sort of person you are.
Because your CV has one very important job.
To get you the interview.
You can be absolutely brilliant at something, but if your CV doesn't communicate that, an employer may never discover it.
And these days, with some jobs attracting large numbers of applications, you can't rely on thinking, “I'll tell them all about myself when I meet them.”
You have to persuade them to meet you first.
1. A job title tells me very little
Let's imagine someone writes:
Office Administrator — ABC Company, 2022–2025
That's it.
What does that tell me?
Not much.
Were they answering telephones? Managing diaries? Dealing with customers? Organising events? Handling confidential information? Supporting senior management?
The same job title can mean very different things in different organisations.
Tell employers what you actually did.
For every significant position, include:
The employer's name and what the organisation does, if it isn't obvious.
Your job title.
Your employment dates, ideally month and year.
Your main responsibilities.
Your relevant skills and achievements.
The scale or complexity of your work, where appropriate.
For example:
Office Administrator — ABC Company | June 2022–August 2025
Provided administrative support to a busy team of 15, coordinating diaries, managing customer enquiries, organising meetings, maintaining records and preparing reports. Introduced a new filing system that improved document retrieval and helped colleagues work more efficiently.
Now we're getting somewhere.
I can actually picture what this person did.
2. Don't just tell me your responsibilities. Tell me what you achieved.
There's a difference between saying:
Responsible for customer service.
And saying:
Handled approximately 40 customer enquiries daily, resolving problems, managing complaints and building positive relationships with customers.
The second gives me a much clearer picture.
Even better, where you have genuine evidence, include results.
Did you increase sales?
Save money?
Improve a process?
Manage a team?
Introduce something new?
Receive excellent feedback?
Take on additional responsibilities?
You don't need extraordinary achievements. Doing an everyday job well matters too.
But give the employer evidence of your value, rather than simply listing duties.
3. What makes you different?
Here's where I think people often undersell themselves.
Imagine ten applicants with similar qualifications and experience.
Why should an employer choose you?
Perhaps you have an unusual combination of skills.
Perhaps you've worked in different industries.
Perhaps you're particularly good at dealing with difficult customers.
Perhaps you're bilingual, technically skilled, exceptionally organised or experienced in leading teams.
Perhaps you've demonstrated remarkable commitment, initiative or adaptability.
These are your Unique Selling Points — your USPs.
Think about what you offer that another candidate might not.
And don't simply write:
Hard-working, reliable team player with excellent communication skills.
Almost everybody writes something like that.
Show me why it's true.
4. No experience? You still have something to offer.
If you're applying for your first job, don't assume you have nothing to put on your CV.
Employers understand that everybody has to start somewhere.
Think about:
Part-time jobs, work experience and volunteering.
School or college projects and responsibilities.
Sports teams, clubs, hobbies and community activities.
Caring responsibilities, where you're comfortable mentioning them.
Qualifications, courses, awards and practical skills.
Examples of initiative, reliability, teamwork and commitment.
Perhaps you've helped coach a children's football team.
That might demonstrate communication, patience, responsibility and teamwork.
Perhaps you've volunteered in a retirement home.
That might demonstrate empathy, interpersonal skills and the ability to engage with different people.
Perhaps you've organised an event or helped run a club.
That might demonstrate planning, problem-solving and organisation.
The important thing is to connect your experience and personal qualities to what the employer is looking for.
Don't just tell them you're responsible. Give an example that demonstrates it.
5. Tailor your CV to the job
One CV sent to fifty different employers isn't necessarily the best approach.
Read the job description carefully.
What skills are they asking for?
What experience matters most?
What qualities would make someone successful in that role?
Then make sure your CV clearly demonstrates the relevant experience you genuinely have.
You don't need to rewrite the entire document every time.
But you may want to change your opening profile, highlight different achievements or give more prominence to particular skills.
Make it easy for the employer to see why you're a good match.
6. What about AI and keywords?
Recruitment has changed.
Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage applications, and some use automated tools to help screen or rank candidates.
This means the words you use can matter.
If a job description asks for experience in customer relationship management, project coordination, Microsoft Excel or budget management, make sure those terms appear naturally in your CV if you genuinely have those skills.
Use recognised job titles, qualifications and industry terminology.
But don't simply cram in keywords.
Your CV still needs to make sense to a human being.
And keep the layout straightforward. Complicated graphics, unusual formatting and elaborate tables can sometimes make automated processing more difficult.
Write for both the technology and the person who may eventually read it.
7. How long should a CV be?
I personally like a CV that gives me a good picture of someone's experience.
I've never been particularly impressed by a document that's so brief I can't work out what the person has actually done.
But there's a balance.
For most UK applications, one or two A4 pages is a sensible target.
A school leaver might need only one.
An experienced professional may need two, occasionally more for specialist or senior roles.
The important distinction is between useful detail and unnecessary waffle.
Don't leave out relevant experience simply to make the document shorter.
But don't describe every responsibility you've had since 1994 in equal detail either.
Give the most space to your recent, relevant experience.
Detailed enough to be convincing. Concise enough to be read.
8. What should your CV include?
A clear structure might look like this:
Name and contact details
Your full name, mobile number, professional email address and town or general location. Include LinkedIn or a portfolio link if relevant.
You generally don't need your date of birth, marital status, photograph or full home address for a UK CV, unless specifically required for a legitimate reason.
Personal profile
A short, tailored introduction explaining your experience, strengths and what you offer.
Key skills
A concise selection of relevant professional, technical and transferable skills.
Employment history
Your most recent role first, with dates, employer, job title, responsibilities and achievements.
Education and qualifications
Relevant qualifications, professional training and certifications.
Additional experience and interests
Volunteering, languages, community activities or interests that strengthen your application or give useful insight into you.
References
Have suitable referees ready and ask their permission. You can state “References available on request”, although you don't have to include this line. There's usually no need to publish their personal contact details on your CV.
And always follow any specific instructions in the application. Some employers request anonymised CVs or particular formats.
9. Don't ignore gaps or career changes
Perhaps you've taken time out to raise children.
Care for a relative.
Travel.
Recover from illness.
Retrain.
Or simply reconsider what you want from life.
An employment gap doesn't automatically make you a poor candidate.
You don't have to disclose private details, but be prepared to explain your career history honestly and confidently.
Think about the skills you've developed outside paid employment.
Organisation, budgeting, problem-solving, communication, adaptability and managing competing demands can all be relevant.
If you're changing careers, explain how your previous experience could benefit your new employer.
You are not starting from nothing simply because you're starting something new.
10. Your CV should sound like you
AI can be very useful for improving the wording, structure and presentation of a CV.
But be careful.
A beautifully written CV full of impressive-sounding phrases is no good if it doesn't accurately represent you.
Don't invent achievements.
Don't exaggerate your responsibilities.
Don't claim skills you can't demonstrate.
And don't let AI turn you into a generic corporate superhero.
Use it to help you communicate your genuine strengths more effectively.
Your CV should present the best version of the real you.
The final test — would you put yourself at the top of the pile?
Before sending your CV, ask yourself:
If I knew nothing about this person, would I understand what they've actually done?
Does the CV clearly demonstrate the skills the employer is looking for?
Have I explained my responsibilities rather than simply listed job titles?
Have I included achievements and examples that demonstrate my abilities?
What makes me different from other applicants?
Is there anything important about my experience or character that I've left out?
Is the information easy to find and the document easy to read?
Have I tailored it to this particular opportunity?
Is everything accurate, with correct dates, spelling and contact details?
If I were the employer, would I want to interview me?
And perhaps one more:
Would I put my CV at the top of the pile — or would I keep looking?
If the answer isn't what you'd like it to be, don't automatically assume you're not a strong candidate.
Perhaps you simply haven't sold yourself particularly well.
Something to take away
A CV isn't the place to be unnecessarily modest.
It's your opportunity to explain what you've done, what you've learned, what you're capable of and why you might be exactly the person an employer is looking for.
Be specific.
Be relevant.
Be distinctive.
Be truthful.
And give the employer enough information to make an informed decision.
Because no matter how wonderful you might be at the job, you have to get through the door first.
Something to think about, don't you think?
FUSION FIT UK
MOVE WELL • EAT WELL • LIVE WELL
General UK career guidance. CV requirements vary by employer, sector and application process. Always check the instructions for the particular vacancy.
For client use only. Please do not reproduce or distribute without permission.