Recruiters often spend less than a minute on a first look at a CV. The goal is not to list everything you have done, but to make it easy for them to see quickly that you fit the job they are hiring for.
1. Keep a simple structure
Use one clean layout: name and contact details, a two- or three-line summary, work experience (most recent first), education, and skills. One page is enough for most freshers and early-career candidates; two pages is fine with several years of relevant experience. Save and send it as a PDF unless the employer asks for another format.
2. Write results, not duties
"Handled social media" tells the reader little. "Grew the Instagram page from 2,000 to 9,000 followers in eight months" shows what you achieved. For each role, write two to five points that start with an action and include a number where you honestly can: time saved, sales, customers served, projects delivered.
3. Match each CV to the job
Read the job post and note the skills and tools it mentions. Make sure the ones you genuinely have appear clearly in your summary and experience, using the same words. Many companies filter CVs with software before a person reads them, so a CV that uses different terms for the same skill can be missed.
4. Freshers: use projects and internships
If you have little work experience, give more space to internships, college projects, freelance work, volunteering and certifications. Explain what you built or did and the result, and add links to a portfolio, GitHub or published work where relevant.
5. Remove what does not help
- Photos, date of birth, religion or marital status, unless the employer or local norms require them.
- Long objective statements that could apply to anyone.
- Skills everyone is expected to have, such as "MS Word" for an office role.
- References; say they are available on request if you like.
6. Check before you send
- Spelling of company names, tools and your own contact details.
- Dates are consistent and gaps are explained briefly if asked.
- The file name is clear, for example "Priya-Sharma-CV.pdf".
- Links open and point to the right pages.
When your CV is ready, browse genuine vacancies on the MyDealNinja job board or join job alerts. Never pay anyone to get a job; see our guide on spotting fake job offers.
