CV formats and templates

Compare chronological and skills-based CV layouts and see what to look for in a template before exporting your CV.

Use a chronological layout to show progression

List your most recent job first, with the employer, title, dates, and two or three relevant achievements. This layout works well when recent roles show how your responsibilities grew or when the employer asks for a clear employment history.

Bring relevant skills forward when changing careers

Start with two or three skills the role needs, then give a short example for each. A retail supervisor applying for an operations role could highlight scheduling, stock checks, and training new starters. Keep a dated work history below so readers can see where you applied those skills.

Choose a template you can scan quickly

Look for readable type, familiar section headings, and enough space for your strongest examples. CVWriter offers Classic, Editorial, and Compact layouts for the same CV. Preview each design and check whether role titles, employers, and dates are easy to find.

Check the reading order

Select and copy a few lines from the exported PDF into a plain text editor. Check whether the headings, dates, and bullets appear in a sensible order. If the employer provides formatting instructions, follow those when choosing your layout and file type.