Build a CV step by step, from blank page to PDF

Writing a CV is easier when you do it in a fixed order. Most of the stress comes from staring at a blank page and trying to write and format at the same time. This guide splits the work into eight steps, based on advice from the UK's National Careers Service, CareerOneStop in the United States and Canada's Job Bank. You can follow them with any tool, including the CVPebble builder.

Step 1: Collect the facts first

Before you write sentences, list the raw material in one place: every job, internship, volunteer role or project with its dates and employer, your education and training, and the skills and tools you use. Add results you can state plainly, such as what you made, improved, handled or learned. Do not worry about wording yet. This list is your master record, and you will pull from it for each application.

Step 2: Read the job advert

CareerOneStop says showing that you meet the minimum qualifications is your top priority and suggests using terms that match the job posting. Read the advert and mark the requirements and the words it uses. Keep the marked version next to you while you write. If you are not applying yet, pick a typical advert for the kind of job you want.

Step 3: Choose a format

CareerOneStop describes two basic resume formats. A chronological format puts the focus on your employment history and works when you have a solid work history in a similar field. A functional format highlights skills and can help when you change careers, although CareerOneStop notes that the chronological format does not work as well when you have gaps or are switching careers. If you are unsure, a chronological CV with a clear skills section is the safest default for most readers. If you have a short work history, our guide for writing a CV with no experience shows how to organize one.

Step 4: Write the top of the page

At the top, give your full name and contact details. The National Careers Service lists personal details first, and CareerOneStop's guide suggests a name, address or location, phone number and email. Use an email address that looks professional. Skip details that are not needed. Canada's Job Bank, for example, advises leaving out age, marital status and similar personal information, and the National Careers Service advises against including age, date of birth, marital status or nationality. Practice differs by country, so check the employer's instructions.

Then add a short summary or profile of two to four lines. CareerOneStop suggests three or four top accomplishments or skills. Write it last if that is easier, so that it reflects what the rest of the CV says.

Step 5: Describe your experience

Work experience is usually the most important section. List jobs from the most recent to the oldest, with the job title, the employer, the place and the dates. Under each, add a few short bullet points. Job Bank suggests five to seven bullets for a section, and fewer for older jobs works too. Start with an action verb, say what you did and what came of it, and include a number only if it is true and you can explain it. The guide on writing experience bullets has examples. If you have little paid work, include volunteering, projects and study, and label them honestly.

Step 6: Add education and skills

Give the name of each qualification, the institution and the dates. If you are early in your career, you can place education above experience. In the skills section, list the skills that matter for the job and that you can show or discuss: tools, languages with an honest level, and relevant strengths. Do not add a skill just because the advert names it. If an interviewer asks about it, you should be able to speak to it.

Step 7: Tailor, shorten and proofread

Compare your draft with the advert you marked in step 2. Move the most relevant points higher, cut what does not help, and change wording only where it truthfully describes what you did. CareerOneStop says resumes should be one to two pages, so be ready to cut. Then read the CV slowly, aloud if you can. Check dates, spelling, names and consistent formatting, and ask another person to read it. See the guide on common CV mistakes for a checklist.

Step 8: Save the right file and test it

Send the file type the employer asks for. If none is specified, CareerOneStop says Word, PDF or plain text are options. Save it with a clear name such as your name plus "CV". Open the saved file, check every page, and confirm that you can select and copy the text. A layout with columns, text boxes or headers and footers can cause problems for some applicant tracking systems, so when you apply through an online system a simple single-column layout is safest. The format and PDF checklist covers this in detail.

Using the CVPebble builder

The builder runs in your browser, so the details you type stay on your device. You choose a layout, fill in the sections above and save the result as a PDF through your browser's print dialog. It follows the same order as this guide. It does not write the content for you and it does not create Word files.

A quick final check

• Is every statement true and something I can talk about?
• Do the first lines show why I fit this job?
• Is it one or two pages, with a layout that is easy to read?
• Does the file open, and is the text selectable?
• Did someone else read it?

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to write a CV?

The first version takes the longest because you are collecting facts. After that, adapting it to each job is much quicker.

Should I write the summary first or last?

Either works. Many people write it last, because it is easier to summarize a CV that already exists.

Should I use a template?

A template can save time on layout. Choose a simple one that is easy to read, and check how the saved file looks.

Do I need a different CV for each job?

You need a master record, and a version adapted to each job. The core stays the same while the order and wording change.