Table of Contents
- What Is a CV Format?
- Why Is a CV Format Important?
- 3 CV Formats
- #1. Reverse-Chronological CV Format
- #2. Functional CV Format
- #3. Combination CV Format
- 5 Steps to Format Your CV
- #1. Choose the Best Format
- #2. Adjust the Layout
- Or Use a CV Template Instead
- #4. Consider Additional Sections
- #5. Optimize for the ATS
- 7 Ready-to-Use CV Templates
- #1. General
- #2. Functional
- #3. Combined
- #4. Tech
- #5. Creative
- #6. Modern
- #7. Academic
- FAQs About CV Formats
- Key Takeaways
Creating a job-winning CV starts by choosing the best format.
Before hiring managers read your CV, they’re going to look at it. And if what they see is a cluttered, incomprehensible mess, they’re probably not going to bother reading it at all.
This is where your CV format comes in - it sets the stage for your CV contents and the overall look of your document.
But how do you know which CV format to choose?
No worries! In this article, we’re going to cover:
- What Is a CV Format?
- The Main 3 CV Formats
- 5 Steps to Format Your CV
- 7 Pre-Formatted CV Templates
…and more!
Let’s get started.
Want to instantly format your CV and land that dream job? Use our professional CV builder to create your CV in minutes!
Choose a CV template to get started.
What Is a CV Format?
A CV format is the structural framework that organizes and presents the information on your CV in a clear, logical way. It’s like a blueprint that determines how your work experience, education, skills, and achievements are arranged on the page.
Your CV format includes the order of your CV sections, the visual layout, font choices, spacing, and how information flows from top to bottom. It's not just about what you include, but how you present it to make the strongest possible first impression on hiring managers.
Why Is a CV Format Important?
The format you choose directly impacts how hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) read and process your CV. A well-structured format helps hiring managers quickly find the information they need, while a poorly-organized one can mean your CV gets rejected.
Hiring managers spend less than ten seconds skimming each CV before deciding if it’s worth reading in depth. So, you need to capture their attention fast by using the best CV format for your application.
A professional CV format enhances readability and ensures that your most relevant qualifications are immediately apparent. When your information is well-organized, hiring managers can easily find the specific skills and experience they're looking for, which increases your chances of landing an interview.
Not to mention that a properly formatted CV performs much better with the ATS, which usually does the first screening. If your CV isn’t formatted properly, the ATS will automatically reject it before it ever reaches human eyes.
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Quick Tip
New to CVs? Learn how to write a CV with our step-by-step guide!
3 CV Formats
There are three main CV formats you can use. Each one works best for different situations, so picking the right one depends on your background and the job you want.
#1. Reverse-Chronological CV Format
The reverse-chronological CV format lists your work experience starting with your most recent job first, then moves backward through your past roles. It's the most common CV format worldwide, and it’s the one that hiring managers expect to see.
This format puts your work experience front and center, making it ideal if you have a strong employment history in your field. Your job titles, employers, and dates of employment are all clearly laid out, so hiring managers can quickly see your career progression and how your experience builds on itself.
The reverse-chronological format works best for people who have been working in the same industry for a while and want to show steady career growth. It's also the safest choice if you're not sure which format to use, since it's what hiring managers expect.
This format is also the most ATS-friendly, which means applicant tracking systems can easily read and process your information. Most ATS are designed to work with this standard format, so you won't run into formatting issues that could get your CV rejected.
The main downside is that this format can highlight employment gaps or frequent job changes, which might raise questions with hiring managers. It's also not ideal if you're making a drastic career change, since it emphasizes your previous work experience over transferable skills.
#2. Functional CV Format
The functional CV format, also called the skill-based format, focuses on your skills and abilities rather than your work experience. Instead of listing jobs in chronological order, it groups your experience by skill categories or areas of expertise.
This format puts your skills section at the top, right after your contact information and CV summary. You can organize your experience under headings like "Project Management," "Customer Service," or "Technical Skills," showing what you can do instead of where you’ve worked before.
The functional format works well if you're changing careers, have gaps in your employment, or are a recent graduate with limited work experience. It's also good for freelancers or people with varied work experience who want to show how their different roles connect.
Since this format highlights your abilities over your job titles, it can help you get noticed for positions where your skills matter more than your specific work history. It also lets you downplay any employment gaps or short-term jobs that might otherwise stand out.
However, some hiring managers are suspicious of functional CVs because they can hide red flags like job hopping or lack of experience. Some hiring managers will immediately look for the work history section, and if it's buried or vague, they might assume you're trying to hide something.
This format also doesn't work as well with the ATS, which are usually designed to look for standard chronological work experience.
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Quick Tip
The functional CV format relies on transferable skills. Learn how to highlight yours with this full guide!
#3. Combination CV Format
The combination CV format, also known as the hybrid format, mixes the best parts of both the reverse-chronological and functional formats. It starts with a skills summary at the top, then follows with your work experience listed in reverse-chronological order.
This format lets you highlight your most relevant skills upfront while still showing your work experience in a way that hiring managers expect. You get to showcase what you can do and prove where you learned to do it.
The combination format works well for people who have strong skills but want to show career progression too. It's good for career changers who have transferable skills, experienced professionals moving into leadership roles, or anyone who wants to emphasize both their abilities and their solid work history.
Since you're including both a skill summary section and chronological work experience, you can appeal to different types of hiring managers. The downside, however, is that combination CVs can get very long, especially if you have extensive work experience.
You might struggle to fit everything on just one or two pages, and some hiring managers might find the dual focus confusing. There's also the risk of repeating the same information in both your skills section and work experience, which is a waste of valuable space.
5 Steps to Format Your CV
Now that you know the three main CV formats, let's walk you through how to format your CV step by step.
These five steps will help you create a professional CV that gets noticed:
#1. Choose the Best Format
Your CV format determines its entire structure, so you need to figure this out from the get-go.
In 99% of cases, we recommend the reverse-chronological format – it's what hiring managers expect and it works best with the ATS. It’s the optimal choice if you have some steady work experience in your field and want to show career progression. It highlights your work history and makes it easy for hiring managers to see how your experience builds over time.
Only go with the functional format if you're changing careers, have employment gaps, or have very limited experience. This format focuses on your skills instead of your work experience, but some recruiters are wary of it.
But if you have both strong skills and solid work experience, pick the combination format. It works well for senior professionals or those moving into leadership roles, as long as you keep it concise.
So, which one is right for you? Check out this table to decide:
When in doubt, stick with the reverse-chronological format. It's always the safest choice, whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional.
#2. Adjust the Layout
After picking a CV format, the next step is adjusting the layout.
You want to make sure your CV looks neat and organized, not too cluttered or too empty.
Follow these tips to get it right:
- Stick to one page. You should be able to summarize your most important qualifications on one page; just keep things relevant to the role you’re applying for and use the space on the page wisely.
- Leverage white space. Your CV needs some white space to look neat, so set the page margins to one inch on all sides so your text fits just right on the page.
- Choose a professional font. Use a font that’s professional but not overused, like Ubuntu or Overpass, instead of Times New Roman. Make sure the size is 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for titles to keep your details clear and easy to read.
- Set the line spacing. Adjust the line spacing between text to be about 1.0 to 1.15 so your text has room to breathe without taking up too much space.
- Use clear headings. You want the sections of your CV to be clearly defined, so use consistent section headers with the same colors and font sizes. This way, your CV will be easy to navigate for the hiring manager.
- Save it as a PDF file. Unless specifically requested otherwise, save your CV as a PDF. Sending it as a Word file could mess up your document’s formatting if the hiring manager opens it with a different software from the one you use to make it.
Or Use a CV Template Instead
Formatting a CV from scratch is hard work.
You have to set the page margins, adjust the line spacing, and balance the white space with the text size – all of this while making sure you stick to one page.
So why not skip all the hassle?
Just use one of our CV templates and create your job application in minutes.
Each template is designed in close collaboration with HR professionals from around the world to make sure your CV is ATS-friendly, easy to read, professional, and great to look at.
Just see how one of our templates compares to a standard text editor CV template:
Begin by creating a CV header at the top and including your contact information in it. After that, your approach depends on the CV format, such as:
Reverse-Chronological Structure
- CV summary or objective
- Work experience (detailed)
- Skills (brief)
- Education
Functional Structure
- Skill summary
- Skills (detailed)
- Work experience (brief)
- Education
Combination Structure
- CV summary or objective
- Skills (detailed)
- Work experience (detailed)
- Education
These are the five sections that hiring managers expect to see, no matter what CV format you’re using. Your header keeps your contact information neatly defined and lets employers reach you.
Next, you might write a CV headline. You have two approaches here:
- CV summary. If you’re leveraging your work experience, write a CV summary. It gives the hiring manager an introduction to your years of experience, top skills, and achievements.
- CV objective. If you’re a recent graduate or changing careers, use a CV objective. It provides an overview of your skills, relevant experience, and professional goals.
However, if you’re going for the combined CV format, your skill summary section merges with your CV headline.
Next are your work experience and skills sections. These prove you can do the job you’re applying for, so these sections are what hiring managers will be reading carefully. How much you expand on them depends on the CV format you choose.
Finally, the education section shows your qualifications and training. You only need to mention it briefly and only your most advanced degree. There’s no need to list your high school education if you’re a college graduate.
#4. Consider Additional Sections
If you have extra space left on your CV, you can leverage some optional sections.
These sections can help you back up your skills and experience and give you an advantage over candidates with similar professional backgrounds.
Some sections include:
- Certifications and licenses. Include professional certifications, industry licenses, or training certificates that relate to the position. List the certification name, issuing organization, and date received.
- Projects. Show off some personal, academic, or professional projects that demonstrate relevant skills. Include a brief description and the technologies or skills you used.
- Languages. If you speak multiple languages, highlight it, especially if the job involves international work or a diverse customer base. Make sure to include your proficiency level for each language, from beginner to native/bilingual.
- Honors and awards. List professional awards, academic honors, or recognitions that show your excellence in a given area, particularly if it’s relevant to the role.
- Volunteer work. Volunteer experience can show relevant skills or demonstrate your character. This is especially valuable if you're a recent graduate or changing careers.
- Professional affiliations. Include any memberships in industry organizations or professional associations that show your commitment to the field.
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Quick Tip
One of the most popular optional sections is hobbies and interests. Learn how and when to add this section to your CV with our detailed article!
#5. Optimize for the ATS
Most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen CVs before human hiring managers see them at all. So, if your CV isn't ATS-friendly, it might automatically get rejected, no matter how qualified you are.
Here's how to make sure your CV passes through the ATS:
- Use standard section headings. Stick to titles like "Work Experience," "Education," and "Skills." Avoid quirky titles like "My Journey" or "What I Bring to the Table" because the ATS just won't recognize them.
- Keep formatting simple. Use clear fonts like Ubuntu, Roboto, or Lora, and avoid fancy graphics, images, tables, or text boxes that can confuse the software.
- Use bullet points. List your information with simple round or square bullets instead of special symbols or characters that might not display properly.
- Include relevant keywords. Use the same terms the employer uses in the job posting to describe skills, qualifications, and job titles. But don't stuff keywords unnaturally - they need to make sense in your content.
- Spell out acronyms first. To make sure the ATS understands your qualifications, write the full term followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, like "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)" before just using "SEO."
- Submit the right format. PDF and Word are the standard formats, unless the job specifically asks for something different. Most modern ATS can read both formats well.
- Avoid headers and footers. Keep all your important information in the main body of your CV. Some ATS can't read headers and footers properly, so any important information you include there could be lost.
7 Ready-to-Use CV Templates
You know how CV formats work, so let’s put it to the test. Here are seven tried-and-tested CV templates you can choose from to create your job application:
#1. General
#2. Functional
#3. Combined
#4. Tech
#5. Creative
#6. Modern
#7. Academic
FAQs About CV Formats
Do you still have some questions about CV formats? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below:
Key Takeaways
And that’s our article! Congrats on making it to the end.
By now, you know everything there is to know about CV formats. But before you go, let’s do a quick recap of what we discussed:
- Your CV format is the structural framework that organizes your information, and choosing the right one impacts how hiring managers and the ATS process your CV.
- The reverse-chronological format works best for most people, but the functional and combination formats are a good choice for career changers.
- Always start with a CV header and contact information, then move on to the other mandatory sections, such as your CV headline, work experience, skills, and education.
- Add optional sections to boost your application. Certifications, languages, or volunteer work can always give you an edge over other candidates, so long as they're relevant.
- Optimize for the ATS by using standard section headings, including relevant keywords from job ads, and avoiding graphics.
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