How to Create a CV in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide + Template

# How to Create a CV: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

To create a CV, gather your work history, education, skills, and contact details, then arrange them in a clear format that fits the job you want. Put your most relevant information near the top, describe your experience with specific examples, and check the employer’s instructions before sending it.

A CV—called a résumé in some countries—is a short, focused summary of your background for a particular opportunity. You do not need to include everything you have ever done. The goal is to help an employer quickly understand what you can contribute and why your experience matches the role.

1. Read the job description first

Before editing your CV, read the vacancy carefully. Note the main duties, required skills, qualifications, location, and application instructions. Look for repeated terms that describe the work, such as “customer service,” “inventory control,” “financial reporting,” or “project coordination.”

Use relevant terms when they accurately describe your experience. Don’t add skills you don’t have or repeat keywords unnaturally. A tailored CV should make the connection between your background and the role easier to see.

2. Choose a simple CV structure

For most applications, use clear headings and list your latest experience first. A common order is:

1. Name and contact details
2. Short professional summary
3. Relevant skills
4. Work experience, projects, or volunteering
5. Education and qualifications
6. Certifications, languages, or other relevant details

If you are applying for your first job, put education, projects, volunteering, or relevant training before work experience. Follow any format or section requirements in the job advertisement.

3. Add accurate contact details

At the top of the first page, include your name, city and country, a professional email address, phone number with country code, and relevant LinkedIn profile or portfolio.

Keep this section easy to find. You generally do not need to include sensitive personal details such as a passport number, full home address, or family information unless the employer or local application process specifically requires them. Norms differ between countries; see our guide to UAE CV format and Gulf recruiter expectations for regional considerations.

4. Write a short professional summary

Use two or three sentences to describe your experience, strongest relevant skills, and the kind of work you are prepared to do. Avoid generic claims such as “hard-working team player” unless you support them with evidence elsewhere.

Example structure:

Customer service professional with three years of experience supporting busy retail teams. Skilled in resolving customer questions, processing transactions, and training new colleagues. Seeking a customer-facing role where clear communication and reliable service are important.

Change the example to match your real background and the role. If you are new to work, describe relevant coursework, projects, volunteering, or practical skills instead.

5. Show what you did in each role

For each job, list your title, employer, location if useful, and dates. Add a few concise bullet points describing your responsibilities and results. Begin with strong verbs such as organized, supported, prepared, resolved, or improved.

Where you can, add truthful details that show the scale or outcome of your work. For example, instead of “helped with customer enquiries,” you might write:

Responded to customer enquiries by phone and email, recorded follow-up actions, and escalated unresolved issues to the team lead.

Use numbers only when you can verify them. If you don’t have a measurable result, explain the work clearly rather than inventing one.

6. Include skills and education that support your application

Create a skills section that is easy to scan. Include relevant tools, languages, technical abilities, and role-specific skills. Be ready to explain each one in an interview.

For education, include the qualification, institution, and completion date or expected graduation date. Add coursework, projects, licenses, or certifications when they are relevant to the vacancy. If your work history is short, these details can show useful knowledge and initiative.

7. Keep the design readable

Use a consistent font and heading style, readable text size, and enough spacing between sections. Use short bullet points instead of dense paragraphs. A straightforward layout helps people review your CV and reduces formatting surprises when a document is opened in another system.

Recruitment software differs between employers, so no particular design guarantees that a CV will pass automated screening. As a practical precaution, use standard section names, keep important information in the document body, and avoid decorative elements that make the text difficult to read or copy. Follow the employer’s instructions for file type; if none are given, send a clean PDF or DOCX and check that it opens correctly.

8. Tailor and proofread before sending

Keep a master CV with your complete work history, then make a copy for each application. Adjust the summary, skills, and most relevant experience to reflect that role. Remove old or unrelated details when they distract from your fit.

Before sending, check spelling, dates, email address, phone number, and file name. Ask someone else to review it if possible. Career services such as the UK’s National Careers Service recommend clear formatting, concise language, and tailoring a CV to the opportunity. The EU’s Europass CV guidance also recommends clear language, relevant experience, and reverse-chronological work history.

Copyable CV template

FULL NAME
City, Country | Phone with country code | Professional email
LinkedIn or portfolio (if relevant)

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Two or three sentences connecting your experience and strongest skills
to the kind of role you are applying for.

KEY SKILLS
• Relevant skill
• Relevant tool or system
• Relevant language or qualification

WORK EXPERIENCE
Job Title | Employer | City, Country | Month Year–Month Year
• Describe a relevant responsibility or achievement.
• Add a verified result or useful detail where possible.

Job Title | Employer | City, Country | Month Year–Month Year
• Describe your work using clear, specific language.

EDUCATION
Qualification | Institution | Year
Relevant project or coursework (optional)

CERTIFICATIONS, PROJECTS, OR LANGUAGES
Include only details that support this application.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a CV be?

There is no single length that fits every country, profession, or career stage. Keep it focused and remove details that do not help explain your fit. Follow the employer’s instructions if they specify a page limit.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

Photo expectations vary by country, industry, and employer. Check the local convention and the application instructions. If no photo is requested, you can usually leave it out.

Should I send my CV as a PDF or Word document?

Use the file type requested by the employer. If none is specified, a clean PDF usually preserves the layout, while some application systems request DOCX. Open the saved file before sending to check that the text and formatting are intact.

How do I make a CV if I have no work experience?

Include relevant education, projects, volunteering, internships, community activities, and practical skills. Explain what you contributed and what you learned. Keep the details honest and connect them to the role.

Do I need a different CV for every job?

You don’t need to start from scratch each time. Keep a master version, then tailor the summary and most relevant skills and experience to each vacancy.

Your next step: Choose one vacancy, mark its main requirements, and tailor your CV so the most relevant evidence is easy to find. For more regional advice, read UAE CV Format: What Gulf Recruiters Actually Expect.