CV Templates for Professional Success

CV (short for Curriculum Vitae) is the Latin word for "course of life." In a nutshell, a CV is a summary of who you are as a professional, including your work history, education, and skills. Done right, a CV is supposed to "sell you" to potential employers and land you a job.

Technically speaking, a CV and a resume are the same exact document, the only difference being that Americans call it a "resume," whereas Europeans (and most other countries) call it a CV. A European CV can be between one and three pages long, depending on your career level and work experience. A US resume, on the other hand, should (optimally) not be longer than one page (or two pages maximum, if you're a seasoned professional with a lot of work experience to show for it).

There's a lot that goes into writing an attention-grabbing CV. Here are some effective tips to get you started:

1. Pick a CV template that works for you and suits your industry
2. Get the CV layout right with consistent headings and professional font
3. Add all must-have contact details (name, phone, email, LinkedIn)
4. Include a concise CV summary highlighting top achievements
5. Show off relevant work experience with quantifiable achievements
6. Keep your education section short and to the point
7. List each relevant soft and hard skill for the job
8. Include optional CV sections like certificates, languages, or projects
9. Follow the tips in our CV builder to help you polish your CV

Some of the essential sections to include in your CV are:

• Contact Information - Phone, email, name, title, and relevant profiles
• Resume Summary - A concise overview of experience, skills, and achievements
• Work Experience - Relevant positions with achievements and responsibilities
• Skills - Relevant hard and soft skills for the position
• Education - Your education history (focus on highest and most recent degree)
• Optional sections - Awards, certificates, languages, projects, etc.

If you're a recent college graduate applying for an entry-level position, you likely have little-to-no work experience to add to your CV - and that's totally OK. The hiring manager won't expect you to have much work experience anyway.

There are other things you can add to your CV to stand out from other applicants, such as:

• Academic achievements
• Completed internships
• Volunteering experience
• Personal projects
• Hobbies and interests

For most jobs, a CV can be between one and three pages. That said, we always recommend keeping your CV short and to the point (i.e. one page long). The more concise you make your CV, the more likely it is for the hiring manager to read it from start to finish. If you're based in the US, though, and you're applying for a job or admission in academia, your CV can be as long as it needs to reflect your lengthy academic career (i.e. eight pages or more).

There's no one-fits-all answer to this question. A better one to ask is: what's the best CV template for you?

Here's our take on this:

• Applying to a company that values innovation and creativity? Pick a creative CV template.
• Are you applying to a more conservative company, such as a bank or law firm? Pick a more traditional and professional CV template.
• Does the company you're applying for fall somewhere between the two types we mentioned? Then pick a modern or simple CV template.