Zipnify Fast image tools. Zero uploads.How to write a CV that passes screening
Many companies receive dozens or hundreds of applications for each position. Before a person reads your CV, it sometimes goes through a system that sorts or filters it, and then it is read in a few seconds. A clear, honest and well-structured CV makes the difference. Here are practical criteria to achieve it.
What reviewers look for
Whoever reviews applications wants to answer three quick questions: what have you done, what results did you achieve and do you fit the role. That is why order matters. The most relevant information must be at the top and easy to find: contact details, a short profile, recent experience and education.
One page is enough for most profiles with under ten years of experience. Two pages are justified if your career is long and everything you include contributes to the job you are after.
Recommended structure
Start with your name and contact details: phone, email and city. You do not need to include a full address, ID number or marital status. Continue with a two or three line profile summarising who you are professionally and what you bring. Then experience in reverse chronological order, education, skills and, where relevant, languages and courses.
Avoid decorative sections such as 'interests' unless they add value to the role. Every line of the CV should earn its place by answering the question: does this help me get chosen for this job?
How to write your experience
Describe achievements, not just duties. Instead of 'sales assistant', write 'managed a portfolio of 40 clients and increased sales by 15% in six months'. Concrete numbers make what you say believable. If you do not have exact figures, use honest approximate magnitudes, such as 'team of five people' or 'over 200 orders per week'.
Begin each point with a past-tense action verb: coordinated, implemented, reduced, organised, designed. Limit each position to three to five bullets and prioritise whatever is closest to the job you are applying for.
Keywords and automated filters
Some applicant tracking systems compare the CV text with the job posting. It is not magic: it looks for matching terms. Read the job description and, if you truly have that experience, use the same words: for example, 'customer service', 'advanced Excel' or 'inventory management'. Never include skills you do not have just to appear in the results.
To help the system read your document properly, use a simple layout: a main column, clear headings, common fonts and no important information inside images. Bar charts to rate skills look attractive but provide no readable data; it is better to name the skill and its level in words.
Clean, readable design
A professional design shows in its order: even margins, space between sections, a maximum of two fonts and a single accent colour. Body text should be between 10 and 11 points. A photo is optional and depends on the country and industry; if you include one, use a recent image with a neutral background and good light.
In the Zipnify CV maker you can choose between several templates, change the colour, adjust the photo with zoom and crop, and download as PDF or Word. Everything is processed in your browser, so your personal data is not sent to any server.
Final check before sending
Read everything aloud to catch mistakes. Verify dates, company names and contact details. Ask someone else to read it and tell you what they understood in ten seconds. Save the file with a clear name, such as 'CV - First Last', and send it as a PDF so the layout does not change when opened on another computer.
Finally, tailor the CV to each application. Changing the profile and reordering achievements according to what the posting asks takes ten minutes and greatly increases your chances of getting a call.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages should a CV have?
One page for most profiles. Two if you have a long career and everything you include is relevant to the role.
Should I include a photo?
It depends on the country and industry. If you do, make it recent, with a neutral background and good light. In many cases it is not required.
PDF or Word?
PDF is usually safest because it keeps the layout on any computer. Use Word only if the posting explicitly asks for it.
Which personal details are not needed?
ID number, full address, marital status and exact date of birth are usually unnecessary. Phone, email and city are enough.