CVPebble
This guide accompanies our short video on YouTube.
Tense is a small detail, but mixed tenses make a CV look rushed. The good news is that one rule covers almost every case: match the verb to what is actually true today.
1. The basic rule
Career services such as Ramapo College's advise present-tense verbs for jobs you currently hold and past-tense verbs for jobs you held before. So “Manage a small team” belongs under your current job, and “Managed a small team” belongs under a job that has ended.
2. Current role: duties and wins
Inside a current role, split your bullets in two groups. Things you still do every week, such as managing a team or answering customer questions, go in present tense. Things you have already finished, such as launching a new rota or training two colleagues, go in past tense. This is our suggested approach, because it keeps each bullet true. Some employers or schools ask for a different style, so follow their instructions if they give any.
3. Habits that keep it tidy
- Start every bullet with a verb, and prefer a specific one over “is” or “have”, as UC Santa Barbara's career team suggests.
- Keep tense steady inside each group of bullets.
- Apply the same rule to volunteer roles and projects.
- Past roles stay in past tense, even if you loved them.
4. Check it before you send
Read only the first word of each bullet, top to bottom, and look for a tense that does not fit. Then read the whole CV slowly, as in our read your CV out loud tip. For stronger bullets, see how to write experience bullets and put a number on a bullet, and check the list of common CV mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use past tense in my current job?
Yes, for things you have completed. Keep present tense for duties that are still ongoing.
What about a job that ends soon?
Until your last day, treat it as current. After it ends, switch the bullets to past tense.
Do I need first person, like “I managed”?
Most CVs leave out “I” and start with the verb. Choose one style and keep it throughout.
Sources and scope
This guide, “Past or present tense on your CV?”, is original general guidance informed by the career-advice sources below. Reviewed 23 October 2026. Employer instructions take priority. No interview, hiring or ATS result is guaranteed.
