How to write a CV

Having a well written skills-based CV is essential to a successful job hunt. No matter what industry you’re in, hiring managers need to be able to look at your CV and see your most relevant skills, qualifications and work experience clearly and quickly. 

It also helps to write a short self-introduction, so anyone reading it gets an accurate first impression of who you are and the skills and experience you offer.  

Key CV writing tips

There are some CV-writing tips that are universal, and apply whether you’re creating a skills-based CV or a resumé with no experience at all. These include formatting your CV neatly so it’s easy to read, using powerful action words to convey competency, and including keywords so your CV can be properly read by applicant tracking systems. 

The goal is to make yourself look like the best person for the job.  

“Sell, sell, sell. That’s what a CV is all about," says Andrew Morris, director of Queensland and Western Australia at Robert Half. It’s about scoring a bulls-eye and making that recruiter pick up the phone and call you. 

How to write a CV step by step 

To highlight what makes you a good match for the role, the information on your CV should be grouped into separate, clearly labelled sections. This makes it easy for the ATS and the hiring manager to scan. Here is how to write a CV step by step. 

Step 1: Personal information. At the top of the first page, put your name, contact details and social media handles 

Step 2: Personal summary. Include a brief statement about you and your professional goals 

Step 3: Key skills. Make a bullet list of your technical abilities and transferable skills. 

Step 4: Qualifications. List your education with the qualifications you received, mentioning the name of the school, TAFE or uni and the level of education reached. Start with the most recent at the top. 

Step 5: Work experience. List out where you worked, your position title/s there, your main responsibilities and any achievements or impressive results. 

Your CV should not be longer than two pages, so you don’t need to include references if you don’t have the space. Don’t PDF your CV or use graphics as many ATS can’t read them.   

When to use a skills-based CV

Most CV's are formatted in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent qualifications and experiences first. But sometimes a traditional chronological CV isn’t right for the position and a skills-based CV that focuses on transferrable skills is the answer. 

Transferrable skills are skills that aren’t specific to an industry or role; they can be used in different jobs and fields. Communication skills, computer literacy, project management, and leadership skills all fall into this category.  

Use a skills-based CV if:

• Your work history doesn’t appear relevant for the job.
• You are looking to change career direction
• You don’t have a lot of work experience

Skills-based CV writing tips 

Even though a skills-based CV is similar to a ‘regular’ CV that includes more work experience, there are some specific skills-based CV writing tips that can help make your application stand out.  

1. Consider your audience 

Before you start, think about what information will make the recruiter or employer call you for an interview? What have they specifically mentioned in the job ad that you can answer in your CV? 

2. Start with a personal profile, summary or ‘about me’ 

This is 30 to 40 words that describe why you’d be a great hire for this job. Try to demonstrate the value you’ll bring to the organisation. Make sure you weave the keywords from the advertisement into your profile. 

3. List your transferable skills 

Ask yourself what you’re good at that could be used in the role. Think about skills you may have developed through membership of organisations or activities you’re involved in. You may have refereed sport or organised fundraising. There are most likely important skills you’ve picked up doing hobbies or playing sports. 

4. Divide your skills up under sub-headings 

They should be directly related to the job ad. If the job requires computing skills, communication skills and problem-solving skills, for example, those should be your headings. Put bullet points beneath them. 
 
For example: 

Computer literacy skills 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365, G Suite software and Canva 
• Intermediate skills in WordPress and Drupal 
• Basic knowledge of Workday, Monday and Salesforce 

Communication skills 

• Business writing: emails, reports, minutes, etc. 
• Stakeholder management and customer liaison 
• Meeting facilitation 

Problem-solving skills 

• Negotiation
• Critical thinking 
• Conflict resolution and mediation 

Tell your success stories 

“Employers want to hear about your successes,” says Morris. “They like staff who get things done.” 

Include the basics 

A skills-based CV still needs to include education, employment history, and interests. You can’t leave this out, even if there is less emphasis placed on it. Even holiday jobs can benefit your application because they show that you’ve got the ability to commit to a job. But keep the list to two or three. 

Rewrite your CV for every job 

Use a CV template and target each job with a different CV. Your CV should reflect the advertisement. One marketing co-ordinator job, for example, might want the ability to analyse market research, whilst another advert might ask for skills in developing and executing events. Tailoring a skills-based CV to the job will give you a much better hit ratio for landing interviews. 

Be honest about gaps 

Recruiters and employers see CVs every day and have developed a ‘radar’ that detects if someone has glossed over a gap. It’s best to include the gaps, but explain them says Morris. “I was on maternity leave,” "I was travelling,” “my entire department was made redundant,” for instance.  

How to format a skills-based CV versus a traditional CV 

The main difference between a regular CV and a skills-cased CV is that the latter places more emphasis on skills over work experience. This translates to a bigger section for skills, that is broken down into sub-sections. Here are some examples of skills sections for different industries.  

Nursing 

Interpersonal skills 

• Communication: verbal, written, answering the phone 
• Adaptability: flexible and  
• Emotional intelligence 
• Empathy 
• Patience 
• Active listening 
• Negotiation 
• Conflict resolution 
• Building rapport 
• Friendliness/positive attitude 
• Teamwork and collaboration 
• Stakeholder management  

Analytical skills 

• Critical thinking 
• Attention to detail 
• Problem solving  
• Numeracy 
• Note taking 
• Report writing 
• Decision-making 
• Accuracy 

Retail  

Communication skills 

• Phone and email support 
• Active listening 
• Empathy 
• Patience 
• Speaking  

Customer service skills 

• Time management 
• Flexibility/adaptability 
• Persuasion 
• Conflict resolution 
• Resilience 
• Data entry 
• Computer literacy 
• Cash handling 

Leadership skills 

• Critical thinking 
• Stakeholder management 
• Organisation 
• Project management 
• Confidence and assertiveness 
• Multi-tasking 
• Intuitive decision-making 
• Coaching/mentoring 

Marketing 

Communication skills 

• Presenting and pitching 
• Reporting 
• Public speaking 
• Business writing 
• Copywriting: social media, newsletters, banners 

Project management skills 

• Time management 
• Stakeholder management 
• Teamwork 
• Decision-making 
• Negotiation 
• Organisation 
• Troubleshooting 

Analytical skills 

• Critical thinking 
• Attention to detail 
• Numeracy 
• Data collection 
• Auditing 
• Data entry 

Writing a skills-based CV is similar to writing a regular experience-focused CV. The biggest difference is that your skills section will be much more comprehensive, to make up for a lack of relevant work experience. What you want to show a hiring manager is that you have the transferable skills required – and the right attitude and enthusiasm – to be a great fit for their company.

Download free CV template here

FAQ 

What is a skills-based CV?  

A skills-based CV is one that focuses more on skills than on prior work experience. They can be used to highlight relevant transferable skills for graduates, people pivoting to new careers, or those returning to the workforce after a gap – anyone who might lack recent relevant work experience.  

How do I list skills on a CV?  

You should list skills on a CV grouped by sub-set. For example, group all your communication skills together in one section under a sub-heading, then all your teamwork skills, then your retail skills and so on. List them as bullets, with an optional short explanation afterwards. 

What makes a good CV? 

A good CV is well formatted and easy to scan, concise (no more than three pages), relevant to the position, and an honest representation of your abilities and experience.  

How long should a CV be? 

A CV should be no longer than two-three pages. If you’re just starting out, two pages is likely enough.  

What are CV references? 

References are people who can vouch for your skills and work experience. You don’t need to include them on your CV, as the hiring manager won’t contact them until after they’ve interviewed you.  

What should I not include in a CV? 

You should not include your full home address, your references (you can provide those later), any skills that aren’t relevant to the job advertised, and – if you’ve been in the workforce for a couple of years – the details of your secondary education. You also don’t have to include details of any tertiary studies – just the qualification you received.