What Should Be Included in a CV Checklist?

A well-written CV typically consists of 6 essential elements: contact information, personal statement, work experience, education, skills, and additional sections. Here are the key components you should include in each:

1. Contact information:

• Full name
• Professional title
• Phone number
• Email address
• LinkedIn profile
• Personal website or portfolio
• Location (city and country)

2. Personal statement:

• 2–3 sentences summarising your key qualifications, experience, and what you bring to the role.

3. Work experience:

• Job title
• Company name
• Location
• Dates of employment
• Bullet points highlighting key achievements
• Quantifiable results to demonstrate impact

4. Education:

• Degree(s) earned
• Major/Field of study
• University/School name
• Graduation date
• Grades or classification (e.g., 2:1, First Class)
• Relevant coursework (optional)

5. Skills:

• Hard skills
• Soft skills

6. Additional sections:

• Languages spoken
• Certifications and training
• Awards and honours
• Publications
• Presentations
• Relevant activities
• Hobbies and interests

Remember that a successful CV not only has a good structure, but it is also well-formatted, customised to the job offer, and ATS-compliant.

To tick all the boxes, consider using a professional CV builder. It will guide you through a well-structured, ready-made CV template that follows best practices and makes CV writing much easier.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.