How to Write a CV From Scratch

What you will learn

A CV is a document that helps an employer understand your relevant experience, skills, education, and potential contribution. It supports an application; it is not a full personal history or proof that you meet every requirement. You can create a useful first draft even if you have never held a professional role.

• Understand what belongs in a first CV and how terminology varies.
• Collect genuine evidence and arrange it in clear sections.
• Create, check, and save a draft that you can tailor later.

CV, resume, and academic CV: check the context

In many countries, CV describes the document used for ordinary job applications. In U.S. employment contexts, resume is commonly used for a concise, targeted application document, while an academic CV may record research, publications, teaching, and other academic work in greater detail.

Terminology and expectations vary between countries, employers, and professions. Follow the actual request rather than treating a page-count rule as universal. An academic application may need a different document from a junior software application.

Start with one target vacancy or role family. Your first draft is a working version that you can improve; it does not need to describe every possible direction at once.

Collect evidence before choosing a template

Create a private list of employment, study, projects, volunteering, internships, training, and relevant responsibilities. For each, note dates, what you did, what you produced, and what you can explain or show. This becomes the raw material for the CV.

Beginners can use a project, academic assignment, part-time job, or volunteer activity. Label the context honestly. A personal application is not employment at a software company, and a course exercise is not a professional certification.

Keep uncertain details marked for checking. Do not invent dates, numbers, qualifications, or a job title to make the draft look complete.

Choose sections that help the reader find your evidence

Use clear labels and put the most relevant evidence where it is easy to find. An early-career candidate may place education and projects before paid work. A career changer may highlight relevant transferable experience alongside new projects.

Choose a readable layout and prepare a draft

Use a simple, single-column document with clear headings. Include education, projects, volunteering, and work that demonstrates relevant skills. Describe what you did and what changed; quantify only outcomes you can support.

• Choose a readable font, consistent spacing, and a sensible hierarchy rather than decorative skill bars.
• Use normal text for contact details and headings, and check that links are public when intended.
• Start with a standard readable size, such as 11–12 point body text, and check the exported document rather than shrinking it to fit arbitrary limits.
• Adapt length to the employer, country, and relevant evidence. Remove repetition before reducing readability.

[Your name]
[City/region where relevant] | [Professional email] | [Phone with country code]
[LinkedIn or relevant portfolio link]

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY (optional)
[Target area] with [demonstrated skills] through [honest evidence].

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
[Actual role or activity] | [Organisation or context] | [Dates]
- [Action] + [task or method] + [verifiable outcome or deliverable]

PROJECTS
[Project title] | [Personal, academic, volunteer, or freelance] | [Dates / link]
- [Problem, your contribution, tools, and checks]

EDUCATION
[Actual qualification, institution, dates, and status]

SKILLS
[Relevant skills you can demonstrate and discuss]

CERTIFICATIONS / TRAINING (if relevant)
[Actual title, provider, date, and completed or in-progress status]

Step by step: create your first CV

Work from your evidence list and a real target. Keep a master copy before creating application-specific versions.

1. Add and check your contact information and relevant links.
2. Choose an order for education, projects, and experience based on relevance.
3. Write a few clear contributions for each important activity using action, method, and evidence.
4. List skills supported by those examples, then write an optional summary last.
5. Label qualifications and training accurately, including ongoing work.
6. Proofread dates, spelling, and consistency. Ask a trusted reviewer whether the evidence is easy to find.
7. Save an editable master and the employer’s requested file type; check the saved text and links.

Common first-draft mistakes

Avoid filling space with unsupported claims or waiting until you have an impressive job title. A small, honest example is more useful than a vague claim of expertise.

• Turn experience into useful bullet points
• Prepare a CV with limited experience

Practical activity: complete a first draft

Use the copyable structure as a starting point and replace every placeholder. If a section is not relevant, remove it rather than inventing content.

1. Choose one target vacancy and save its requirements for reference.
2. List at least one genuine project, role, or activity with dates and context.
3. Draft the sections above and mark details that need verification.
4. Check each skill against evidence and remove unsupported claims.
5. Read the saved version, ask for feedback, and choose one revision to make today.

Further reading and local conventions

These resources provide additional guidance, not endorsements of these examples. Harvard and Yale address U.S. audiences; the National Careers Service addresses UK conventions. Use the employer’s instructions and relevant local guidance when applying elsewhere. No format or wording guarantees an interview.

• National Careers Service: How to write a CV — UK conventions and section guidance (opens in a new tab)
• Yale Office of Career Strategy: Resumes — U.S. guidance and templates (opens in a new tab)
• Harvard MCS: Creating a Strong Resume — U.S. guide; access may be rate limited (opens in a new tab)