How to Make a CV That Gets Interviews (Step-by-Step)

Why your CV matters (and what recruiters actually do)

Recruiters usually scan a CV fast, looking for role fit, evidence of impact, and clarity. A strong CV makes it easy to answer three questions:

• Can this person do the job?
• Have they done similar work before?
• Can I see results, not just responsibilities?

Step 1: Pick the right CV format

Choose a format based on your situation:

• Reverse-chronological (recommended): Work history first, newest to oldest. Best for most people.
• Skills-based (use carefully): Leads with skills, then experience. Helpful for career changes or gaps, but still needs proof.
• Hybrid: Skills summary + clear work history. Great when you want both. Keep it simple and ATS-friendly:
• One column layout
• Standard headings (Experience, Education, Skills)
• No text boxes, heavy graphics, or tables

Step 2: Write a clear header

Include only what helps a hiring team contact you and assess fit:

• Full name
• Location (city, country)
• Email + phone
• LinkedIn and/or portfolio link Skip:
• Full address
• Date of birth, photo, marital status (unless required in your region)

Step 3: Add a short professional summary

Write 2–4 lines that connect your background to the role. Template:

• Role + years of experience
• Domains or strengths
• Proof (1 metric or big outcome)
• What you want next Example:
• Product designer with 5+ years in B2B SaaS. Experienced in discovery, design systems, and shipping complex workflows. Improved activation by 18% on a self-serve onboarding redesign. Looking for a role focused on platform UX.

Step 4: Tailor your CV to the job description

Tailoring is the difference between “nice CV” and “interview.” Do this every time:

• Copy the job’s key requirements into a checklist
• Match your experience to each one (using the same language when truthful)
• Move the most relevant projects/roles higher A simple rule:
• If the job mentions it, your CV should reflect it (if you have it)

Step 5: Write experience bullets that show impact

Strong bullets are specific and outcome-driven. Use this formula:

• Action verb + what you did + how you did it + result Weak:
• Responsible for improving the website Strong:
• Redesigned the landing page information architecture and hero messaging, increasing trial sign-ups by 22% over 6 weeks Good action verbs:
• Built, launched, redesigned, automated, led, improved, reduced, increased, delivered, partnered If you don’t have metrics:
• Use scope and signals: “for 30+ stakeholders,” “across 12 markets,” “reduced steps from 9 to 5,” “cut turnaround time by ~1 day”

Step 6: Keep skills scannable (and honest)

Group skills into 2–4 buckets. Example:

• Tools: Figma, Notion, Jira
• Methods: user interviews, usability testing, A/B testing
• Core skills: product thinking, interaction design, information architecture Avoid rating yourself with bars or “expert/intermediate” unless asked.

Step 7: Education and certifications

Include:

• Degree, school, graduation year (optional if long ago)
• Relevant certifications (only if recognized or role-relevant) If you’re early career:
• Add 1–3 relevant courses, projects, or awards.

Step 8: Make it ATS-friendly

Most applicant tracking systems prefer clean text. ATS checklist:

• Use standard section titles
• Save as PDF (unless the application asks for .docx)
• Avoid icons instead of words (e.g., use “Email:” not an envelope symbol)
• Use consistent dates (e.g., 2023-05 to 2024-02)
• Ensure your name and contact details are plain text

Common CV mistakes to avoid

• Too long: aim for 1 page (early/mid) or 2 pages (senior)
• Generic summary that could fit anyone
• Bullets that list tasks without outcomes
• Dense paragraphs (use bullets)
• Inconsistent formatting and messy alignment
• Old or irrelevant roles taking up space

A quick final CV checklist (copy/paste)

• CV matches the job description keywords (truthfully)
• Summary is specific and role-relevant
• Each role has 3–6 impact bullets
• Most recent and most relevant experience is easiest to find
• Skills are grouped and scannable
• File name is clean (FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf)
• No spelling errors (read it out loud once)

Bonus: A simple structure you can follow

• Header
• Summary
• Experience
• Education
• Skills
• (Optional) Projects / Certifications / Volunteering