How To Write a CV: Tips, Tools, & Examples for 2024

A strong CV has long been one of the best ways to advance in specialized fields.

In areas like academia, research, law, and even when applying to graduate school, your CV isn't just a thrown-together document of responsibilities or courses—it’s a comprehensive record of your academic and professional journey. And you have to get it right because a poorly constructed CV can derail opportunities before they even start.

But CVs aren’t limited to specialized fields anymore—companies and organizations now ask for them when they need a more thorough record of specific experience.

Below, you'll learn how to write a CV. From the best practices for creating your base and writing your personal statement to how to add grants and incorporate fellowships. Whether updating an existing CV or starting from scratch, this guide will help you construct a document representing your expertise and potential.

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Looking to write or update a CV? Try Teal's CV Builder to create one that aligns with every unique opportunity.

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Basics of a CV

A CV is a comprehensive record of your professional experience. Also known by the Latin "Curriculum Vitae," a CV tells a thorough story of your career, academic accomplishments, and intellectual contributions—unlike the snapshot approach of a resume. CVs are often used in fields like academia, research, and international job applications, where a detailed understanding of your qualifications is needed.

All of that to say, companies (and even institutions) requesting CVs over a resume are looking for a more complete picture of your background.

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Difference between a CV and resume

A CV and resume are different in length and scope.

A resume is a concise, one to three-page, high-level summary focused on your most relevant skills and experiences for a specific job.

In contrast, a CV can be longer and include additional sections like research or presentations. The structure of a CV also varies with certain sections—like a Personal Statement replacing a resume's Professional Summary. 

You should opt for a CV over a resume when applying for academic positions, research roles, grants or when specifically requested.

It's also important to note that even though a CV is more detailed when applying within the US, you should still emphasize the experiences and skills most relevant to the position.

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‍Essential elements of a CV

It's vital to include the right sections in your CV, as missing key info can weaken your application. A job-winning CV with clear, organized sections offers a holistic view of your qualifications. Missing parts might not provide a good picture of your experience.

To make sure your CV is strong (and competitive if you're using it for a job search), ensure it's thorough and covers all the necessary details.

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Here are the CV sections you need:

• Contact Information
• Personal Statement
• Career Experience
• Education
• Certifications
• Skills

Optional sections:

• Research
• Teaching Experience
• Publications and Presentations
• Awards
• Professional Associations or Volunteer Work

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How to write a CV

Whether you're writing your CV from square one or updating an outdated document, streamlining this process all comes down to clear steps.

Below, you'll learn the right way to:

• Prepare for making a CV
• Select a CV format
• Present your contact info
• Write your personal statement
• Build your career experience 
• Focus on your education and certifications
• Include specific hard skills
• Incorporate other optional details

Now, when it comes to how to write a CV, you can do this in one of two ways:

• Create a base CV with every job, achievement, metric, skill, etc., which you then customize for each application by pulling the most relevant details.
• Create your CV from scratch each time you apply, tailoring it specifically to the role you're targeting.

While a base CV takes more time on the front end, it can help significantly cut the time it takes to apply for every unique job.

For ease, the content below is focused on creating your CV for a unique job—something you'll need to know how to do regardless of how you opt to build your CV.

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Managing multiple CVs

As you apply for different opportunities, you'll need to find the best way to manage multiple versions of your CV.

As each prospect requires a slightly different emphasis on your skills and experience, version control becomes not just important but crucial in managing multiple CVs.

You can do this in two ways:

1. Opt to save each CV to a specific folder (whether on your computer or in a cloud). In addition to the unique CV, you need to manually save the JD or the overview so you know which CV goes with what opportunity.
2. Use a comprehensive platform (Teal, for example) that allows you to save as many CVs and opportunities as you need to. You'll want to be sure the platform permits you to attach specific CVs to specific opportunities, so you've never left scrambling to remember what application materials you sent where.

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Step 1: Get organized

Getting organized is crucial before you start writing your CV.  Here are four things to do before you start:

1. Gather career details: Make sure you have current and accurate company details, start and end dates, each job title, quantifiable contributions, and a list of skills.
2. Document education: Take note of schools attended, degrees earned, and all current certifications. If you're a recent graduate, jot down courses, awards (or qualifications if you're outside the US), your GPA, and projects.
3. Compile online profiles: Create a list of online profiles, including LinkedIn, websites, or portfolio links.
4. Build your base: If you're planning on creating a base CV, you'd then put all of this information into a CV builder, doc, or CV template.

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Step 2: Choose your format

The layout of your CV is the foundation. The format you use helps shape the presentation of your experience.

The best CV formats ensure you highlight your qualifications clearly and thoroughly.

Here are a few things to consider:

• The most widely recognized format is the reverse chronological CV. It presents your career experience in a clear, linear progression.
• If you're just starting out, pivoting careers, or working in an industry where tools and software are a focus, a skills-based CV might be appropriate, as the Skills section sits just above your Career Experience section.
• In choosing your format, consider your career, what you're applying for, and which design best conveys your accomplishments.

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Best CV design

Your CV presentation goes beyond content. The look, feel, and readability shape a first impression. As you make it, you need to consider elements like spacing, font, margins, and more. Traditionally CVs are also two columns, so planning for this is a must.

If you're using a CV builder, a lot of these pieces are considered and customizable after you've input your details—saving time and skipping manual work. But if you're building a CV outside of a streamlined builder, here are some tips:

1. Use a template: Free CV templates help maintain a consistent format and make your CV visually appealing right from the start.
2. Keep it clear: Clarity is key. Use simple fonts and consistent formatting to make your CV easy to read. Avoid overcrowding the page with text.
3. Include white space: Adequate spacing between sections makes your CV easier to scan and prevents it from looking cluttered.
4. Use bullet points: Bullet points are a great way to highlight your professional success without a block of overwhelming text.

Once you've organized your assets, potentially uploaded them all in one central location (depending on the method you've chosen), and selected a format, it's time to learn how to write a CV for a specific job.

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Step 3: Add contact details

The first section is your Contact Information section. It might sound simple, but one wrong number or character in your email address could potentially prevent a committee, hiring manager, or recruiter from being able to reach you for a follow-up or job interview.

Your CV Contact Information section sits at the top and should include:

1. Full name
2. Phone number
3. City and State (If you're outside the US, consider opting for your full physical address.)
4. Professional email address
5. LinkedIn profile URL 
6. Portfolio or personal website URL (if applicable)

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Example of how to write a CV Contact section

Full name as your CV header

Location | Phone number | Email address | LinkedIn URL | Portfolio or website URL

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Step 4: Write your personal statement

Your personal statement (the equivalent of a resume professional summary) is a brief snapshot of your most impressive outcomes.

Rather than a CV objective that talks about your goals and isn't relevant in the US, this section is a highlight reel—zeroing in on top accomplishments, skills, and qualifications.

Your personal statement should be tailored to the job application, using language and keywords from the job description to highlight your relevant skills, impact, and qualifications. 

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Here's how to write one:

1. Keep it brief; between three to five sentences
2. Use the first-person voice
3. Use action verbs that indicate movement. For example, words like "developed" and "executed"
4. Avoid generic buzzwords or clichés
5. Align your statement with the rest of your CV

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When creating academic CVs, a personal statement might align more with a research statement or statement of teaching philosophy.

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Here's an academic CV example of a personal statement:

With 10+ years of experience in cognitive psychology, my teaching philosophy centers on fostering critical thinking and inclusivity. I developed a focused approach to research, executing over 10 studies using mixed-methods methodologies to explore cognitive development in diverse learning environments. This work resulted in three peer-reviewed publications and a 15% increase in student engagement through active learning strategies while mentoring over 20 graduate students in applying evidence-based research methods to their studies and professional growth.

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Writing a personal statement with no experience

If you're new to your career, writing a CV personal statement without relevant work experience means you need to concentrate on other achievements.

Consider focusing on:

• Coursework with tangible skills
• Projects and the outcome
• Relevant volunteer experience
• Leadership roles in clubs or organizations
• Certifications you've obtained
• Software and tools you've used

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If you're your personal statement with no experience, it could look something like the graduate CV example below.

As a recent biology graduate with a minor in statistics, I bring hands-on experience in cutting-edge genetic research techniques. While at Purdue, I developed a novel CRISPR gene editing approach that improved editing efficiency by 18% in model organisms. I'm proficient in PCR, gel electrophoresis, and next-generation sequencing, with practical application through advanced lab courses and a summer internship at Purdue's Genomics Center. I'm also experienced in research communication, having presented findings at two regional conferences and co-authored a peer-reviewed article on emerging gene therapy technologies.

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Step 5: Build your Career Experience section

If you're following reverse chronological order, next is your Career Experience section. This is the equivalent of a resume's Professional Experience. The job of this CV section is to bridge your background with the opportunity you're applying for—emphasizing your career's depth, relevance, and impact.

Here's what you should focus on:

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Relevance

Every position and achievement you highlight should be relevant to the role.

For example, if you're applying for a research role in computational sciences, your experience in optimizing algorithms to reduce processing time by 40 percent would be highly relevant. However, the same experience might need different emphasis when applying for a professor position, where your ability to simplify complex concepts for college students would take priority."

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Quantifiable bullet points

Focusing on metrics, numbers, and impact in your Career Experience section provides concrete evidence of your contributions. Quantifiable bullets demonstrate the actual difference you made in your roles.

Why metrics matter:

1. Provide concrete evidence of success
2. Demonstrate value
3. Show clear impact

This can look like increased efficiency, time-savings, increase in publication rate, grant funding outcomes, and other measurable results.

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Format

The core of your experience is your accomplishments and their impact. The best way to write each bullet is by using the following formula:

Action Verb + Noun + Metric + [Optional Strategy] + Outcome = 1 bullet point

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Here are some CV examples of bullet points:

Developed a data analysis pipeline using Python and Pandas that improved the accuracy of experimental results by 15%, leading to more reliable findings and 3X publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Developed and implemented a laboratory management system using LabArchives that optimized resource tracking and utilization, reducing lab material waste by 15% and lowering operational costs by $20,000 annually.

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Consistency

Consistency is key in the Career Experience section of your CV. Every relevant role should showcase the same type of information:

• Company name
• Job title
• Location
• Dates of employment
• 3-5 achievement-based bullet points

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Teal Note:  If you're applying outside of the US, your career experience section may be more comprehensive and include additional details like job responsibilities. It also might need to cover other non-relevant experiences in a specific order. These details depend on the best practices in the region you're applying and your specific industry.

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Step 6: Add your educational background

Next up is your CV's Education section. This section is pretty straightforward and highlights your academic background and the foundational knowledge or specialized training needed for a specific position.

Start your list with your highest level of education first (this usually flows in a reverse-chronological format), then move backward, listing each subsequent degree or educational qualification. 

Here's what you should include:

• University
• Year graduated
• Degree
• For international applicants, spell out the location and institution's name

Recent grads:

• Honors (outside of the US, these are called qualifications)
• Coursework
• Projects
• Your expected graduation date if you're pursuing a degree

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Teal Note: The Education, Certifications, and Skills sections should be displayed in the right column of your CV. A CV builder or template should handle this formatting for you. And the order of the sections will vary based on your preference and the importance of each section in your industry.

If you're creating your CV without a streamlined tool, you'll need to ensure the formatting aligns with standard CV practices to maintain a professional and organized appearance.

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Step 7: Include relevant certifications

A dedicated CV Certification section highlights your credentials, offering insight into your commitment to professional development.

To incorporate certifications into your CV, you need:

1. The name of the certification and any common acronyms or abbreviations (like CRA or TEFL)
2. The certification agency with business, institution, or organization name
3. The date the certification was completed

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CV Certifications should look something like this:

Certified Research Administrator (CRA)
Research Administrators Certification Council
June 2023

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Step 8: Add your skills

Your CV Skills section comes after your certifications (or education if you don't have relevant certificates). Think of this as a snapshot of your strengths, allowing hiring managers to assess your fit for the role without reading your entire CV. 

The best skills for this section are tangible ones (think technical abilities, tools, languages, methodologies, and analytical techniques). To make it even easier to read, consider organizing them even further in categories.

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Pro Tip: While soft skills are an important part of your skillset, there are better places for them than this dedicated section. Things like communication, collaboration, organization, and time management are hard to measure objectively. The best way to show skills like those is to weave them into your other CV sections to show how you used them for impact.

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Step 9: Add optional sections

Now that you have all of the necessary CV sections, you might have additional relevant details you want to include, like publications and presentations or additional teaching experience. Creating dedicated sections for this information is the key to keeping everything clear and readable. 

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Research

CVs are often used for research positions like academic research roles, postdoctoral fellowships, or research scientist positions. These positions require more in-depth experience and expertise than listed on a traditional resume—which is why a CV is often preferred.

In your Research CV section, highlight the following information:

• Projects completed: Detail the scope and objectives
• Your role(s) in each: Specify your responsibilities (e.g., principal investigator, co-investigator, or research assistant)
• Methodologies and frameworks: Describe the research methods and theoretical frameworks applied
• Findings or outcomes and impact: Summarize the key results, publications, or contributions
• Funding details or sources (if applicable): Include information on grants or funding sources that supported your research

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Teaching Experience

If you're applying for an academic position, like a graduate school instructor or law school lecturer, your teaching background should be the focus of your Career Experience section.

On the other hand, an additional Teaching Experience section might be worthwhile if you have positions that complement your background or if you're applying for roles where instruction is not the direct focus but still plays a relevant role.

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Here's an example of a situation where this optional CV section makes sense:

Imagine you're an attorney applying for a graduate program in legal education, and you've also led workshops in your field. Including a Teaching Experience section allows you to highlight this instructional role, demonstrating your ability to lead and communicate complex ideas—skills crucial to success in a graduate program focused on legal education.

In this section, include the following:

• Courses, workshops, or seminars
• Institutions or organizations
• Dates
• Specific accomplishments and results

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Publications and Presentations

Publications and presentations provide tangible evidence of your expertise, especially in fields like healthcare and medicine, research, law, and education. More than just accomplishments, they prove your abilities through the recognition and validation of your work by others.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Peer-reviewed journal articles showcase your ability to conduct high-quality, rigorous work that experts have validated.
• Book chapters demonstrate your capacity to synthesize complex information, provide new insights, and contribute to broader academic or professional conversations.
• Conference presentations indicate you aren't just absorbing information but actively participating in and contributing.
• Technical reports highlight your ability to document and communicate specific research projects' methodologies, findings, and implications.

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Awards

Adding awards to a CV offers additional concrete evidence of your skills, dedication, and exceptional performance. And whether the award is a scholarship for academic excellence or recognition for professional accomplishments, if it's relevant to the role or opportunity you're applying for, consider adding it.

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In your CV Awards section, add:

Academic awards like making the Dean's List or earning honors

Research grants speak to the value of your research and your ability to write persuasive proposals

Fellowships are competitive and often prestigious

Scholarships underscore your dedication and achievements, reinforcing your qualifications

Professional honors like industry recognition or awards from peers highlight your impact and reputation

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A CV awards section could look something like this:

Young Researcher Award (2023)

International Synthetic Biology Symposium

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Professional Associations and Volunteer Work

Professional associations and volunteering are an important part of your career profile.

Being part of professional associations shows you stay up-to-date on industry trends and best practices, which is crucial in any industry experiencing rapid change. Meanwhile, relevant volunteer work highlights your commitment to giving back to your field and developing leadership or team-oriented skills.

By including these on your CV, you not only show that you are equipped with up-to-date skills and knowledge but also that you are proactive in contributing to your industry or community.

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When listing your professional associations, they should look something like:

• Organization names
• Membership status
• Titles or leadership roles held
• Contributions to the organization and impact, if applicable

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Tailoring your CV for different applications

In the US, your CV should be comprehensive, but that doesn't mean including everything you've ever done. It's important to keep your content relevant to the opportunity.

Whether you're targeting a job in a specific industry or applying for a graduate program, a well-tailored CV shows you understand what's required and have the right skills and experience. 

Customizing your CV makes it easier for the person reading it to see why you're a strong fit and increases your chances of standing out in a competitive pool of applicants.

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How to tailor your CV

If you’re starting from scratch, don’t worry. The process is similar to the one below, but you’ll need to spend a bit more time building out each section following the steps above while keeping the information below in mind for each specific opportunity.

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If you started with a base CV, then half of the work is already done. Here’s how to tailor it for a specific job or program:

1. Read the JD or application overview: Carefully review the job or program description to understand what the employer or committee is looking for. Identify the top skills, experiences, and qualifications.
2. Choose your most relevant details: Go through your base CV and pull the skills and experiences that directly align with the job or program requirements. These are the aspects of your background you want to emphasize.
3. Tweak the language to match: Adjust the wording in your CV to mirror the language used in the job description or overview. This doesn’t mean copying it word for word but reflecting the important terms and phrases the reader is likely looking for.

Pro Tip: If you tailor your CV with clarity instead of murky guesswork, the Teal CV Builder has a Match Scoring tool that compares the language and skills in your CV to any unique JD—giving you a breakdown score of how well they align. It also offers suggestions for improvement and customizable keyword options to help improve your original score—and your alignment with the position.

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CV ATS compatibility

When applying for jobs through online portals in the US, it's important to understand how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) work.

An ATS is a digital filing system recruiters use to streamline hiring. These systems scan and organize applications. But, if your CV isn't formatted correctly and can't be parsed or doesn't contain the right keywords a recruiter is searching for once it's scanned into the system, it'll be hard to get in front of a human.

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How to make your CV ATS-friendly

• Keep the design simple: Use a straightforward CV layout that's easy for the ATS to scan. Avoid complex formatting that might confuse the system.
• Avoid pictures or graphics: In the US, including images or graphics can cause issues with ATS software, which might not be able to parse them correctly.
• Opt for consistent, clean formatting: Use a consistent font and style throughout your CV, with clear headings and bullet points. Plenty of white space makes your CV easier to scan for both the ATS and recruiters.
• Save as a PDF: Some ATS systems have trouble with different file formats. A PDF is usually the safest bet.
• Include relevant keywords: Review the job description and include keywords matching the required skills and experience. This increases your chances of being found by a human hiring professional searching the ATS.

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Write your CV with Teal

A well-crafted CV communicates your professional value and increases your chances of landing more interviews and opportunities. By following the guidelines above, you'll present your achievements and expertise in a clear and organized manner relevant to the person reading it.

If you need help getting started, Teal's CV builder offers customizable sections, keyword optimization, and version control. Create and store as many CVS (and opportunities) as you need, store your entire career or academic history, and streamline your applications—all in one dynamic platform.