Your CV should help an employer answer one question: can this person do the job? A document that lists every detail of your life can make that answer harder to find. A focused CV puts your most relevant qualifications and experience where the reader can see them quickly.
Whether you are applying for your first job, moving into a different industry or looking for a better opportunity, start with the requirements of the position.
Match your CV to the vacancy.
Read the job description before editing your CV. Identify the main duties, required qualifications, and skills the employer mentions. Then consider which parts of your background provide evidence that you meet those requirements.
For a customer service position, your experience handling inquiries, resolving complaints, or maintaining customer records may deserve more attention than unrelated duties. For an IT support role, troubleshooting, software installation, and network maintenance may be more relevant.
Use the employer’s terminology where it accurately describes your experience. Do not add skills you cannot demonstrate simply because they appear in the advert.
Start with clear contact information.
Place your name, phone number, and professional email address at the top. Include your town or county where useful, along with a relevant portfolio or professional profile link.
Check that your contact details work and that any linked portfolio is accessible. A strong application loses value if the employer cannot reach you or open your work samples.
Avoid including sensitive personal information that the application does not require, such as your national identification number or bank details.
Write a specific professional summary.
A short summary can introduce your qualifications and strongest relevant skills. Avoid filling it with broad claims such as “hardworking individual seeking a challenging opportunity.”
A fresh graduate could instead write:
“Business Information Technology graduate with practical experience in software installation, user support, and network troubleshooting. Developed customer service and documentation skills through industrial attachment and academic projects.”
Only use statements that reflect your actual background. A useful summary gives the employer a clear starting point for reading the rest of your CV.
Describe your contribution, not just your duties.
Under each role, explain what you did and, where possible, what your work achieved.
“Responsible for stock” gives little information. “Maintained stock records, checked deliveries, and reported discrepancies to the supervisor” provides a clearer picture of your contribution.
Include numbers when you have accurate records. These might show the number of customers supported, equipment installed, or reports prepared. If you cannot verify a figure, describe the work without inventing a measurement.
Use projects and attachment experience.
Limited formal employment does not mean you have nothing valuable to include. Industrial attachment, volunteering, freelance assignments, and academic projects can demonstrate relevant abilities.
For a project, explain the problem, your contribution, and the result. If you worked in a team, make your own responsibilities clear.
For example, a student who helped develop an inventory application could describe designing the database, testing stock calculations, or preparing user instructions—whichever tasks they actually completed.
Keep the layout easy to read.
Use clear headings, consistent dates, and a readable font. Organize information into sections such as Professional Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.
For many early-career applicants, one or two pages provide enough room. Let relevance guide the length rather than shrinking the text to fit everything.
Follow the employer’s file-format instructions. Before submitting, open the final document to check for missing text, awkward page breaks, and formatting errors. Give it a recognizable filename, such as Hamisi_Yusuf_CV.pdf.
Review every application.
Check spelling, dates, contact details, and the name of the position. Remove information that distracts from your suitability and make sure your strongest evidence is easy to find.
Your CV does not need to make you sound perfect. It needs to present an honest, clear account of what you can contribute.
