How to Write a Great CV

An employer or recruiter typically spends only a few dozen seconds on a CV before deciding whether to call the applicant. So the best CV is not the longest one, but the one that quickly shows who you are, what you can do and how to reach you. Here is what to pay attention to, whether you are looking for your first job or you are an experienced professional.

1. Make sure your contact details are flawless

This matters most, and this is where many applications fail. If a single digit or letter in your phone number or e-mail address is wrong, we cannot call you back, even if you are the best candidate.

• A phone number where you can be reached during the day
• A professional e-mail address (firstname.lastname@... works better than a nickname)
• Where you live (the town is enough), because commuting matters for many jobs

Read it through letter by letter once more before you send it.

2. Short, clear structure

One page, two at most, is plenty. Suggested order:

1. Personal details and contact information
2. Work experience (starting with the most recent)
3. Education and qualifications
4. Licences and courses (e.g. forklift, driving licence category B, welding, professional certificates)
5. Languages and computer skills
6. Other: shift availability, when you can start

3. In your experience, the tasks matter, not just the job title

"Production operator" on its own says little. Briefly describe what you did:

• what machine, line or warehouse you worked on or in,
• what product (e.g. automotive parts, cosmetics, food),
• how many shifts,
• whether you had responsibilities (quality control, training others, team leading).

Two or three lines per job are enough. For dates, the year and month will do.

4. Licences and certificates are worth their weight in gold

A forklift, crane operator, welding or any other professional certificate often decides whether you get invited. If you have one, put it where it is easy to see, and add how long it is valid.

5. First job or student work? That counts too

If you do not have long work experience yet, write down what you do have: summer jobs, student work, volunteering, school placements. Employers also look at whether you are reliable and willing to learn.

6. Photo: if you add one, keep it tidy

A photo is not required. If you add one, it should be a simple, clearly visible portrait against a plain background, not a holiday or group photo.

7. Tailor it to the job ad

Check what the ad asks for (shift pattern, licences, experience), and make sure whatever you have from that list is easy to spot in your CV. A few minutes of adjustment is worth more than sending the same CV everywhere.

8. Format and sending

• Send it as a PDF, so it looks the same everywhere.
• Give the file a clear name: "Anna_Kovacs_CV.pdf".
• If you make it on your phone, open it before sending to check that nothing has shifted.