The sections of a CV

Template & design Foundation

Before a single word goes in, you set the layout, font and accent colour. Recruiters decide in seconds whether a CV looks organised – long before they read the first line.

What goes in:

• A layout that suits the field: restrained for finance, law or administration, a little bolder for marketing or design.
• One discreet accent colour is enough – not three.
• A single consistent font, clear sections, and ideally everything on one page (two at most).

Browse all templates

Personal details Essential

The header of your CV. This is where an employer sees who you are and how to reach you – it has to be findable at a glance.

What goes in:

• Full name, city, phone number and a professional email address.
• Optionally a link to your LinkedIn profile, if it is up to date.
• Leave out age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. In the UK, US, Ireland, Canada and Australia these are not expected and can invite discrimination – only include them if a role genuinely requires it.

Photo Optional

Whether a photo helps depends entirely on the country. In the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada and Australia it is best left off; in much of continental Europe a professional photo is still common.

What goes in:

• If you do include one, use a professional headshot – never a holiday picture or a selfie.
• Neutral background, friendly expression, clothing that fits the field.
• When in doubt, leaving it out rarely hurts – a weak photo does more damage than none.

Work experience Essential

The backbone of your CV. List your roles in reverse-chronological order – the most recent one first.

What goes in:

• Per role: job title, company, location and dates (month and year).
• Below that, two to four bullet points – and about achievements, not just duties. An achievement says what changed, ideally with a number.
• Not every job you have ever had, but the ones relevant to the role you are applying for.

Education Essential

Your formal background. Career starters put this section high up; experienced applicants place it after work experience.

What goes in:

• Qualification, institution, location and dates – again in reverse-chronological order.
• Add your grade only if it is strong. Mention a specialism or dissertation topic if it fits the role.
• From school, the highest qualification is enough – there is no need to go back to primary school.

Skills Recommended

Your list of competencies – often the first thing an applicant tracking system and a recruiter scan for. That is why the job advert is part of the preparation.

What goes in:

• Hard skills first: software, programming languages, methods, tools – ordered by what the advert asks for.
• An honest read of your level; you will be asked about it in the interview.
• Soft skills sparingly, and only ones you can back up. “Team player” with no evidence is in every second CV.

Languages Recommended

Language skills usually get their own short section. For many roles they are a genuine selection criterion.

What goes in:

• Language plus level, using clear labels such as Native, Fluent, Advanced, Intermediate or Basic.
• Alternatively the CEFR scale (A1 to C2).
• Stay honest – a language level can be checked in seconds during an interview.

Interests Optional

Shows the person behind the CV and often gives the interviewer a way in. Only worth it if you have the space and something meaningful to name.

What goes in:

• Two to four specific interests that say something about you – team sport hints at collaboration, volunteering at commitment.
• Skip generic filler like “travelling, music, reading” – it tells the reader nothing.

Certificates Optional

Proof of training and qualifications beyond your degree. A dedicated section is worth it once you have more than a handful.

What goes in:

• Certificate name, issuing body and year.
• Only what is relevant and current – language certificates, professional certifications, or a driving licence if the role needs one.
• Leave out expired or off-topic certificates.

References Optional

People who can vouch for your work. In the UK and US these do not have to sit on the CV itself – a short note that they exist is usually enough.

What goes in:

• “References available on request” is perfectly standard and keeps the space for content that sells you.
• If you do list them: name, position, company and contact – but only with the person’s prior agreement.
• Never give out someone else’s contact details without asking first.

For how to word each section and the order that works best in your case, see our guide How to write a CV. You will find matching layouts under CV templates.