3 key takeaways
- A CV format is the layout and organizational structure of your Curriculum Vitae.
- There are three standard CV formats you should know that are widely accepted in the U.S.
- Teal's AI Resume Builder can help you format your Curriculum Vitae without the manual work or stress.
Your Curriculum Vitae format can make all the difference between grabbing a recruiter’s attention or being passed over for an interview.
Of course, the content is still the most important part. But with remote work and global hiring on the rise, employers are reviewing more applicants than ever, meaning your CV needs to stand out in content and presentation. A disorganized CV format could cost you an opportunity—no matter how qualified you are. If recruiters can’t quickly grasp your key qualifications, they'll simply move on.
So, how do you get it right?
If you want the best CV format for your experience without more research and manual work, try our Resume Builder.
Understanding the Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A Curriculum Vitae, or CV, is a record of your academic and professional accomplishments. More than just a high-level account of your qualifications, it’s a comprehensive document that highlights your career history, academic achievements, and specific skills.
Previously in the United States, CVs were used in academia, research positions, law, and medicine—where detailed accounts of publications, research, and presentations are necessary.
But CVs are not longer limited to those fields.
As the job market becomes more global—with remote work increasing and, according to a survey by Deloitte, 35 percent of organizations allowing employees to work remotely from other countries—employers are hiring candidates from different regions. This shift means more roles are accepting CVs simply because it is often the norm outside of the U.S.
What is a CV format?
A CV format refers to the layout and structure of your Curriculum Vitae. The way you organize and present your information can significantly impact how potential employers perceive your qualifications.
Just like resumes, there are different Curriculum Vitae formats to choose from, each serving a purpose depending on the stage of your career and industry.
Why a CV format is important
A clear, organized, professional CV template highlights your strengths and makes it easier for hiring managers to assess your fit for the role quickly.
Good curriculum vitae formatting is also important because it:
Grabs attention: By using a clean layout with bold headings, bullet points, and plenty of white space, your CV becomes more visually appealing and easier to read.
Organizes career experience: Arrange your sections logically, listing your career experience in reverse chronological order. This allows employers to quickly see your most recent roles and understand your career progression.
Highlights achievements: Your CV should showcase your key accomplishments with impact. Use bullet points to clearly present your achievements and back them up with measurable details (think data, percentages, or numbers).
Presents a professional image: Consistent font, alignment, and spacing signal attention to detail, while proofreading ensures you avoid errors that could detract from your credibility.
Types of CV formats
When selecting the right curriculum vitae format for your job search, it’s important to understand the available options. Each format offers unique advantages, and choosing the best one largely depends on your experience and the role you’re targeting.
Whether you need to emphasize a solid career progression or showcase your skills for a career change, picking the right format can make a big difference.
Below are some of the most common CV formats. You’ll learn more specifics about each later in the article.
Reverse-chronological CV format
This is the most traditional CV format. In it, your work experience and education list your most recent accomplishments first. It’s an ideal format for those with a steady, consistent work history.
Skills-based CV format
Also known as a functional CV, the skills-based format emphasizes your abilities over your job history. It can be ideal if:
- You’re changing careers
- Have significant employment gaps
- Want to focus on specific strengths
Instead of organizing your experience by job titles, it’s structured around key competencies. This lets you draw attention to what you bring to the role—even if your path hasn’t been the most traditional.
Combination CV format
A combination CV merges elements of both the chronological and skills-based formats.
This format is particularly effective if you have a solid work history but also want to highlight key skills. It allows you to strike a balance between showing career progression and demonstrating the talents you’ve honed over time.
Bonus: Creative CV format
Used primarily in fields like art, design, or media, this format allows for more visual and creative expression. A creative template is not recommended for U.S. roles due to applicant tracking systems (ATS) unless specifically requested. An alternative to the creative CV is to use a portfolio link in the contact information section of your CV.
How to choose the best CV format
Selecting the right CV format is crucial to presenting your qualifications in the best light.
Below you learn how to choose the best CV format for your experience. You'll also find CV examples—including one and two-column options—to help you decide which format fits your career and industry needs.
Pros and cons of CV formats
Each curriculum vitae format comes with its own set of advantages and drawbacks. Here’s a quick overview:
1. Reverse-chronological CV
The most widely accepted and popular format, this is also called a chronological CV. And it's ideal in most situations.
This CV format emphasizes your career progression by listing career experience from newest to oldest, showcasing your most recent positions and accomplishments at the top. The best part? This format is widely accepted across most industries and is best for anyone who wants to highlight a consistent career trajectory.
Here are 9 free reverse-chronological templates you can use for free.
Teal Note: The standard curriculum vitae format uses two columns, with sections like education and skills typically on the right side. However, depending on the type of CV you choose, you can opt for a more simple, one-column layout.
How to format a chronological CV
In a reverse chronological CV, the layout follows a straightforward structure, with your work experience listed from the most recent to the earliest roles. Most CVs in this format use two columns, placing sections like Education and Skills on the right for easy access. However, if you prefer a more streamlined look, a single-column format works just as well.
Regardless of the layout you choose, the main focus remains on presenting a clear timeline of your career history, making it easy for employers to track your professional growth.
A chronological CV typically includes the following sections in this order:
- Contact information
- Personal statement (as long as it adds value)
- Career experience (in reverse-chronological order)
- Educational background
- Skills
- Optional: Certifications, Awards, and Professional Associations
How a chronological CV format is organized
A chronological CV is organized by time, with your most recent roles at the top. It’s designed to highlight your professional growth and recent achievements.
Each role includes your job title, employer, dates of employment, and key accomplishments—ideally quantified to demonstrate impact. Education and skills sections typically support your experience by showcasing relevant qualifications.
When to use a chronological CV format
A chronological CV is perfect when you have a steady work history that reflects growth in your career. This format is particularly useful in industries like finance, law, and healthcare, where employers prioritize experience and career progression.
It works best if your goal is to emphasize your professional development and showcase how your recent roles have equipped you for the position you’re applying for. By highlighting your career trajectory, you demonstrate a clear path of advancement that aligns with the expectations of these fields.
Chronological CV format sample
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2. Skills-based CV
A skills-based CV, also known as a functional CV format, emphasizes your abilities and expertise over your work history. This format can be useful for those changing careers, professionals with gaps in employment, or individuals with varied job experience.
Instead of focusing on your job titles and dates, a skills-based CV highlights the specific skills that make you an ideal candidate for the role.
How to format a functional CV
In a skills-based CV, the focus shifts from the timeline of your employment to your key skills and accomplishments. This format allows you to showcase your expertise by organizing your CV into distinct skill categories. Under each category, you’ll provide examples of relevant experiences, projects, or achievements that demonstrate your abilities.
While many skills-based CVs use a two-column layout for efficiency, you can opt for a one-column approach here, too. This layout places sections like Education, Certifications, and Publications directly beneath your Career Experience, offering a streamlined and straightforward presentation.
Pro Tip: If you're looking for some inspiration, check out these CV examples and use them as a guide to format your own. Or, use one of our functional templates to save yourself time. All templates have been professionally-designed and optimized by our resume experts.
A skills-based CV includes the following sections in this order:
- Contact Information
- Personal Statement (optional)
- Skills Categories (e.g., leadership, project management, technical skills)
- Examples of Achievements or Projects Under Each Skill
- Career Experience (briefly listed with job titles, employers, and dates)
- Education
- Optional: Certifications, Awards, and Professional Development
Functional CV format example
3. Combination CV
A combination CV merges the best of both the chronological and skills-based CV formats. It allows you to highlight your career progression and the key skills you’ve developed over time.
This format is ideal for professionals who want to showcase a strong work history while emphasizing particular skills—preferably tech and tools—aligning with the role they’re applying for. It’s a flexible option that works across many industries and career stages.
How to format a combination CV
In a combination CV, your work experience and skills are given equal importance.
Begin with a Skills section that highlights the abilities most relevant to the job. This is followed by a chronological listing of your work history. While this format can be presented in either one or two columns, a two-column layout often works best, with education and additional sections placed on the right for easy reference. Just be cautious not to overload each page with too much detail.
A combination CV includes the following sections in this order:
- Contact Information
- Personal Statement (optional)
- Skills Section (highlighting key abilities)
- Career Experience (in reverse-chronological order)
- Education
- Optional: Certifications, Awards, and Professional Associations, etc.
How a combination CV is organized
A combination CV equally showcases both your skills and work experience. After your contact details and personal statement, it starts with a Skills section, allowing you to highlight your most relevant competencies right away.
This is followed by a chronological listing of your career experience, offering context for how your skills have been applied in real-world scenarios.
This balanced layout not only highlights your capabilities but also shows how they’ve contributed to your past roles, making it easier for employers to see the full picture of your qualifications.
When to use a combination CV
A combination CV is ideal for mid-career professionals who want to highlight a blend of skills and experience. It works well if you have a solid career history but also want to emphasize certain abilities that make you a standout candidate for a specific role. It’s particularly effective in roles that require a mix of hard and soft skills, such as management, marketing, or tech positions.
Combination CV format example
Pro Tip: Still not sure which option is best for you? Take advantage of Teal’s CV Builder and its flexible design to seamlessly switch between different formats.
Whether you’re using a chronological, skills-based, or combination CV, you can easily rename sections, move them to different positions, and customize your layout—all without the hassle of manual formatting.
Curriculum Vitae format best practices
A well-formatted CV can make a world of difference in how employers perceive you. Here are some best practices to help you get it right every time you hit apply.
Keep it clear
Keeping your CV easy to read is important. It ensures hiring managers can quickly understand your qualifications. Here's how:
- Write with a clean and easy-to-read 10- or 12-point font
- Keep the formatting consistent throughout
- Break up text with white space
- Don't overload one page with too much information
Use CV bullet points
Bullet points are a great way to make your CV more readable.
They allow the reader to scan your document and recognize key information. Use them to list your:
- Skills
- Professional accomplishments with impact
- Certifications or degrees
Be consistent
Consistency makes it easier for hiring managers or recruiters to read and understand what you bring to the table.
Ensure consistent formatting for headings, font sizes, and bullet points.
Tailor your content
Tailoring your CV to the specific job connects the dots between what you've done before and how you can bring that experience to a new position.
Rather than sending out the same generic CV with every application, take the time to customize it to the specific job and company.
To tailor your CV:
- Review the job description
- Note the required skills, qualifications, and experiences.
- Customize your CV by emphasizing the skills and experiences aligning with the job requirements.
Use an ATS-friendly CV format
Especially in the U.S., recruiters use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to organize applications during the hiring process.
To make sure your CV parses correctly into these organizational systems, make sure to use an ATS-friendly CV template that's widely accepted and easily scanned by any modern ATS.
CV formatting mistakes to avoid
Even a strong CV can be undermined by common errors. To make sure your CV stands out for the right reasons, here are some mistakes you should avoid:
- Overcrowded layout: Don’t try to cram too much information into your CV. Use white space wisely to give the document a clean, organized look.
- Inconsistent formatting: A professional CV needs to be consistent. Make sure your font sizes, styles, and spacing are uniform throughout the document.
- Neglecting achievements: Simply listing job responsibilities isn’t enough. Highlight your accomplishments using numbers or measurable results to make your experience more impactful.
- Creative formats for ATS applications: While creative CVs may look visually appealing, they can be a nightmare for ATS systems.
- Leaving out essential details: Skipping basic sections like Contact Information or neglecting to include your academic background can leave gaps in your CV. Always cover the essentials.
- Typos and grammar mistakes: Double-check your CV for errors. A small typo or grammatical mistake can make you appear less detail-oriented.
- Including unnecessary personal information: Personal details like your date of birth, marital status, or nationality are not needed on most CVs, especially in the U.S.
How to format a Curriculum Vitae with Teal
Step 1. Create your CV
Start by logging into Teal. (If you don't have a Teal account, get started for free to see if Teal is right for you.)
Then, click the Resume Builder icon from the left navigation menu. Then click "New Resume" in the top right corner. (Don't worry, these are still directions for CVs!)
Now, write your CV. Fill in the sections step by step, following the built-in guidance. (You can also upload an existing CV or even your LinkedIn profile in one click to save time.)
Step 2. Format your CV
Teal gives you complete control over your CV formatting so you can choose the best version for your industry, experience, and the job you're applying for.
To see flexible CV formatting, click the Design tab at the top of your screen. Teal's flexible design allows you to focus on:
Presentation
- Choose from 10+ ATS-friendly modern, traditional, or creative CV templates
- Select new fonts, accent colors, & line height
Sections
- Reorder all of your CV sections
- Rename any of your resume sections to match your experience and preferred format
CV settings
- Format dates, experience, and location
- Opt to focus on specific positions, companies, degrees, and more
Advanced CV design
If you opt for Teal+ to take advantage of more advanced tools, it's $9/week. With Teal+, you can:
- Change your CV bullet points and dividers
- Choose different font sizes, text weights, and customize titles, headings, and more
- Opt for all CAPS or as written—depending on your preferences
- Vary your white space between sections
- Add, remove, and format section borders
3. Download your CV
With Teal's CV Builder, you can easily create, save, and download as many versions of your curriculum vitae as you need—completely free. This allows you to tailor your CV to each unique job application and quickly download it as a PDF, ensuring it's ready in minutes.
When you're finished formatting your Curriculum Vitae Just click "Export PDF" at the top right of your screen. Then click "Resume" and you're all set.
How to Format a CV in Word
Formatting your Curriculum Vitae in Word is more complicated and manual than with a CV builder.
While Word offers flexibility, the process can become tedious—changing one element (margins, headers, spacing, etc.) can affect the entire document's layout. This makes it crucial to get the structure right from the start to avoid unnecessary formatting headaches later on. Here's a step-by-step guide to help:
1. Choose the right CV template
- Open Word and click "File"> "New."
- In the search bar, type "CV" or "Resume."
- Browse through the templates and select one that aligns with your style and industry.
If none of the templates match what you need, you can start with a blank document and format it manually.
2. Set up margins and spacing
Ensuring that your CV has enough white space helps with readability. Set your margins to 1 inch on all sides:
- Go to "Layout"> "Margins"> "Normal."
- Use line spacing of 1.15 or 1.5 to prevent your text from looking too cramped. To adjust:
- Select your text, go to "Home"> "Line and Paragraph Spacing," and choose your preferred setting.
3. Use a professional font
- Go to "Home" and select your desired font and size (between 11 and 12 points).
- Ensure headers stand out by using bold or a slightly larger font size. But remember, if you change one header, you have to change them all.
4. Create section headings
- Clearly defined sections make your CV easier to navigate.
- To create consistent headings, highlight the text, and use the "Heading 1" or "Heading 2" options in the "Styles" section under "Home."
5. Align and organize details
- For job titles and dates, align them consistently using the tab or ruler function to keep them straight across the page.
- To use the ruler, go to "View" and select "Ruler," then drag the tab stop to align your text.
Choose the best CV format with Teal
The format of your CV matters. The best CV format is visually appealing, organized, and highlights your top skills and career experience—making it easy for employers to see why you’re the right fit.
Teal's CV Builder offers a complete solution for all your CV formatting.
With a wide range of design options and CV templates, you can skip the tedious manual work of formatting and worrying about best practices.
Whether you want to change your CV's layout or revive its style, Teal's user-friendly platform will help you adjust your format with just a few clicks—giving you complete control.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does order matter on a CV?
Yes, order matters on a CV. A reverse-chronological format, where your most recent experiences are listed first, is preferred because it highlights your most current qualifications, making it easier for recruiters to assess your recent achievements and career progression.
What is the proper format for a CV?
The proper format for a CV typically follows a reverse chronological order, where career experience is listed from the most recent to the earliest.
Include sections for contact information, a personal statement, career experience, education, skills, and optional categories like certifications and publications.
How do you structure a curriculum vitae?
To structure a curriculum vitae, begin with your contact information, followed by a personal statement if relevant. Then, list your career experience in reverse chronological order, along with education, skills, and any additional sections like certifications or publications, ensuring the format is clear and organized.
What is the format of curriculum vitae for the USA?
In the USA, a CV format typically includes contact details, career experience, education, skills, and relevant sections such as certifications and research, especially for academic or specialized roles. The reverse-chronological format is widely accepted, with emphasis on recent roles and accomplishments.
