Perfect CV Templates for 2021
A curriculum vitae, also known as a CV, is an overview of your skills, entire work history, education and other accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying to. CVs vary by country, job, industry and purpose. The U.S. style of CV is mostly geared towards academic, medical, scientific, government and legal positions, and is only submitted upon request, whereas international CVs work like a U.S. resume.
Create an eye-catching CV using our templates and in-depth tips.
Professional CV Templates
Our library of professional and customizable templates includes styles for every career, from traditional roles to more creative professions.
Structured Template
Easily stand out from the crowd with this colorful and modern layout. The design features a header at the top for contact information, and section headings flush to one side for easy navigation.
Pinstripe Template
With its horizontal lines, classic font and bold headers, this layout works perfectly for experienced candidates who want a tidy presentation.
Contemporary Template
The two-column layout and bold colors make this template perfect for less traditional jobs. It’s also a good choice for first-time job seekers who don’t have a lot of work experience.
Distinguished Template
This classic design wonderfully organizes all of your information without compromising readability and professionalism. It’s ideal for more traditional roles.
Acclaimed Template
This layout is the perfect mix of modernism and simplicity. The bold header makes your name easily stand out and the clean fonts give a professional vibe.
Qualified Template
With crisp bullet points and headings flushed to the left, this template is attractive, easy to navigate and classically modern.
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Anatomy of a CV
The contents and layout of a CV will depend on its purpose and the candidate’s experience.
If you’re creating a U.S.-style CV to get a job or a grant, Harvard University Career Services advises that “Different academic disciplines have different standards and expectations, especially in the order of categories,” so we recommend researching CV examples in your field or talking to colleagues to make sure you meet the standards.
In general, however, your CV may include:
Summary/Personal Statement
A paragraph of two to three sentences where you introduce yourself — use this section to feature the top qualifications that the employer wants. For example, suppose a litigator job posting says they’re looking for someone driven. In that case, you could write: “Driven and analytical litigator with over seven years of experience representing clients and providing legal advice. Committed to cultivating a transparent process through trust and excellent communication.”
Experience
Write your work history in reverse-chronological order with your latest job on top. If you don’t have any work experience, include internships, personal projects or extracurricular activities related to the position you are applying to.
Using three to five bullet points, write a short sentence explaining your tasks and responsibilities for each job.
Skills
Include 6 to 10 relevant skills to the job. They should be a mixture of soft skills (abilities or personal traits that are not tied to one job, like well-organized and fast learner) and hard skills (abilities acquired through practice, like editing and photography).
Education and Training
List all relevant educational experiences in reverse-chronological order with a maximum of four items (unless it’s an academic, medical or scientific CV — these may have more experiences).
Other Accomplishments
You can include separate sections with accomplishments that apply to your application. For example: Awards and Honors, Hobbies and Interests, Languages, Certifications and Publications.
How to Create a CV in Our Builder
Creating and customizing a professional CV using our Builder is incredibly easy. Just follow these steps and you’ll be done in no time!
- Select one of the templates on this page by clicking the “Customize This” button.
- On the new page that appears, select “Create a New Resume” to begin the process.
- Follow the steps on the page and fill in the blanks using the information above as a guide. The builder will automatically guide you through creating the summary, and adding your work history, skills and education.
- After writing your summary, you’ll be able to add extra sections and begin customizing your document. Click the box next to the section (or sections) you want to add to your CV, or click “Add Your Own” to manually type in a section that isn’t on the menu.
- When you reach the end of the builder, you’ll see your CV just as the example shows. If you go over a section with your mouse, that area will be selected and an icon with arrows will pop on your right. By pressing this icon, you’ll be able to move that section to a different part of the document. This way you can organize the layout of your CV accordingly.
- You can change the formatting of your document on the menu at the bottom of the page. After clicking the arrow next to “Normal,” press the “Custom” button. A new menu will appear, where you can adjust the margins, font size, font style and spacing.
- If you want to change the color, a menu with different options will appear when you click the “Color” tab.
- Be sure to click “Spell Check” at the top left to ensure there are no grammatical errors or typos.
- Once you’re satisfied with your CV, you can click “Download” and save the document on your computer. If you don’t want to download it just yet, press “Save and Next” so your work isn’t lost.
CV Examples by Industry
Our CV templates work for different industries and varying years of experience. Below are some examples that you can use as a base to create your own.
Health Care: Patient Coordinator – Executive Template
This strong, orderly and timeless layout uses left-justified headings, dark lines and bullets to organize your experience and show how meticulous you are.
Sales: Coordinator – Modern Template
This minimalist design with sleek fonts shows that you’re on top of the latest trends, and features a mix of colors for the prominent header, along with ample spacing.
Education: University Professor – Professional Template
As the name implies, this template is perfect for candidates in more traditional roles who want to show off a professional look and keep their information well-organized.
Computer Software: Software Engineer – Standout Template
Add a dash of personality with this graphical approach. This layout is great to read through and helps you stand out without looking unprofessional.
Marketing: Media Planner – Strong Template
Make an excellent first impression with a strong design that wonderfully displays your skills and accomplishments. The bolded fonts and thick horizontal lines make for easy navigation.
Finance: Consultant – Knowledgeable Template
Show that you know what you’re talking about with this simple but stylish template that offers a clean design, elegant fonts and a readable layout.
6 tips for creating a CV with our templates
- Make it job-specific. Tailor your CV to the job posting you’re applying to by highlighting the skills that match the job description and including hobbies and interests (mainly in the UK and if the CV is light in content), or credits and coursework relevant to the job. We also recommend researching the most commonly requested qualifications for that job.
- Numbers get attention. Including them when you talk about your work experience can better present your accomplishments. For example, instead of writing “Served customers,” go for the more impressive “Served an average of 40 customers per day and waited on eight tables.”
- Balance out your skills. A survey by CareerBuilder found that 77% of employers believe that soft skills are just as important as hard skills. Some of the top qualities employers look for include listening skills, emotional intelligence and communication skills.
- Keep it concise. Unless you’re writing an academic or medical CV or have over 10 years of continuous experience in your field, your document shouldn’t be longer than two pages — the standard CV is in double-sided A4 format. Most hiring managers spend less than a minute reviewing your information.
- Avoid spelling and grammatical errors. It’s one of the most common mistakes job seekers make and it can make a difference in whether you get called for an interview or not. Fortunately, when you create a CV in our Builder, our tools help check your document by marking any spelling errors.
- Keep your layout classy. Choose a font type that’s professional and easy to read, like Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica. Use a font size between 10 and 12 for the body text and 14 or 16 for the headers.
CV Templates FAQ
- Is it OK to use a CV template?
- What should not be included in a CV?
- How can I make my CV interesting?
- What do I put on my CV if I have no experience?
Is it OK to use a CV template?
Yes! Some templates work best for more traditional fields, like health care or legal, and others are more suited to creative careers, like marketing or animation. Be sure to choose one that fits the job you’re applying to.
What should not be included in a CV?
Your CV should not include irrelevant job experiences, skills or hobbies, personal information (like marital status or religious preferences), references, an unprofessional email or personal pronouns. Don’t miss out on possibly getting called for an interview and follow our expert advice to create a professional CV.
How can I make my CV interesting?
To make your CV interesting and eye-catching, it’s best to tailor it to the job you’re applying to, using keywords written in the job posting. You can also impress the recruiter or hiring manager by including quantifiable achievements.
What do I put on my CV if I have no experience?
To write a CV with no experience, we recommend broadening your definition of what work means. Feature internships, personal projects or extracurricular activities (like a volunteer experience) related to the position you are applying to. Having relevant experience is just as important as work experience.
