Regardless of experience, all jobseekers need to make a good first impression with their CV. Knowing what format suits your career choice and what employers are looking for can be a challenge. Once you’ve identified which career description best fits your circumstances and experience from the options below, click through to the versatile Europass CV editor and start creating.
If you’re struggling to write a CV, here are some examples to help you stand out whether you’re a graduate, career changer, freelancer or ladder climber.
Graduate or Entry Level?
- Whether you’re leaving school, college or university, a qualification-style CV is for you. This format shows off your qualifications first and other skills where appropriate – placing work experience second since you’re likely to lack experience at a young age.
- Remember that it’s not just about showing off your good grades. Backing up qualifications with additional skills, such as volunteering, computer literacy or extra-curricular interests are of most interest to employers as it shows skills which can be applied in a job setting.
Promotion or Progression?
- The reverse chronology CV gives prominence to work experience – listing your most recent position first.
- This format is most useful for those who want to progress in the same industry or those who are applying for a promotion with the same employer.
- It helps to identify relevant experience and expertise you can immediately bring to a role.
Changing Career?
- The skills-based CV is becoming increasingly more popular as labour market trends (such as the gig economy) encourage a more project-based approach to careers. This format encourages first list your most notable achievements and transferable skills from different sectors.
- Just because you’re changing sector doesn’t mean you’ll start in a junior position – previous experience is still important. It’s about showcasing yourself properly.
Freelancer or Consultant?
- Whether you are a graphic designer, influencer or project manager, the portfolio CV template is designed to illustrate your expert knowledge and, similarly to the skills-based CV, your most notable achievements in the hope of showing how you can be beneficial to businesses.
- For those that work in creative sectors you may want to think about how you present your CV in addition to a document. You could point employers to a YouTube channel, blog or social media accounts. This will help you to stand out since a personal website or video will show a lot more than a paper CV.
Looking for a job? Upload your Europass CV to the EURES Job Mobility Portal to have access to millions of job opportunities. Thousands of employers can also search for candidates who best suit their job openings.
