Writing a CV and Cover Letter That Get Read
Build a clear CV and a focused cover letter by selecting relevant experience, showing concrete results, and making every section easy to read.
A CV and cover letter should help an employer understand what you can contribute without making them search for the evidence. The CV presents your relevant experience, skills, and education. The cover letter explains why those qualifications fit a particular opportunity. Start with the job description, identify its main requirements, and choose truthful examples that show how your background connects to the work.
Put the most relevant information first
Keep your CV to one or two pages, giving the most space to experience that matters for the position. Use clear headings such as Experience, Education, and Skills. Within sections covering employment or education, reverse chronological order is a common choice: list the most recent entry first, then work backward.
The order of the sections can reflect your background. An experienced applicant might lead with employment history, while a recent graduate might place education or relevant projects earlier. Include your name and current contact information where they are easy to find. A brief professional summary is optional. Keep it only if it communicates useful qualifications rather than broad claims about being motivated or hardworking.
Describe contributions with concrete evidence
For each relevant role, include the job title, employer, and dates, followed by concise descriptions of your work. Begin with action verbs such as organized, analyzed, trained, or developed. Then explain what you worked on and, where possible, what changed because of your contribution. This gives the reader more information than a list of duties alone.
For example, "Responsible for training" is vague. If accurate, "Created onboarding instructions and guided new team members through daily procedures" shows both the task and your involvement. Include results when you can support them, but do not manufacture numbers to make a statement sound stronger. Relevant evidence can also come from coursework, volunteer activities, independent projects, or other experience, provided you label it clearly.
Tailor the content and simplify the layout
Tailoring means selecting and arranging truthful information for each application. Compare the job requirements with your experience, then give matching qualifications appropriate prominence. Use the employer's terminology when it accurately describes your skills. Avoid copying entire phrases merely to repeat keywords, and remove details that take attention away from stronger evidence.
Keep the layout simple so it works with applicant tracking systems as well as human readers. Use straightforward headings, consistent spacing, and readable text. Avoid placing essential information inside graphics or complicated tables. Follow any instructions about file type and required documents. CV conventions differ by country, so check the expectations for the location where you are applying before deciding what personal details or sections to include.
Give the cover letter a clear purpose
Keep the cover letter short and focused. Open by identifying the role and explaining what draws you to it. Connect your interest to something specific about the work or company that you have verified. General praise contributes little unless you explain why that feature matters to your application.
Use the next paragraph or two for one or two concrete examples that address important requirements. Explain the situation, your contribution, and the relevance to the prospective role without repeating whole CV entries. Close briefly by expressing interest in discussing the opportunity. The letter should leave the reader with a clear connection between your experience and the employer's needs.
Review both documents together
Proofread for spelling, grammar, and consistency, then compare the documents side by side. Check job titles, dates, and descriptions for contradictions. Confirm the company name and role in the cover letter, inspect the final file for formatting problems, and remove any claim you could not comfortably explain in an interview.