A CV can look professional and still make your value difficult to understand. It may contain the right sections but give too much space to duties, hide relevant skills or use a structure that is hard to scan.
Good CV editing starts with a specific problem, not a general feeling that everything needs to change.
1. Check the first impression
Can someone quickly tell what kind of work you do, what level you work at and where your strongest experience lies?
If the answer is unclear, improve the summary and order of information before polishing individual sentences.
2. Separate duties from evidence
Duties explain what the role involved. Evidence shows how you contributed. Where possible, include outcomes, improvements, scale or responsibility.
Do not invent numbers. A clear, truthful example is stronger than an impressive claim you cannot support.
3. Remove detail that competes with your strongest work
More information does not always mean more credibility. Older or less relevant detail can make the experience an employer needs harder to find.
Keep enough context to show your career clearly, but give the most space to recent and relevant work.
4. Check structure and readability
- Use clear headings and consistent dates.
- Keep contact information easy to find.
- Avoid dense blocks of text.
- Use a layout that remains understandable without decoration.
- Proofread names, dates and contact details carefully.
For more detail, see our guide to choosing a practical CV format.
5. Compare the CV with the role
Read the job specification and identify the experience and skills you genuinely share. Make that overlap easy to see without copying the advert or adding qualifications you do not have.
A general CV can be useful, but focused applications usually benefit from a focused review.
Start with your own CV
Run a free analysis to identify the main areas that need attention. You can use the results to make focused changes rather than rewriting blindly.
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