1. Put things where people look for them
Recruiters skim. They don't read top to bottom like a novel, they hunt for a few specifics. So put those where they expect to find them: name and contact details at the top, a short summary, then experience, education, and skills.
One page is plenty if you've got under ten years behind you. Two only if you genuinely need the room. Stick to one clean font and even spacing, and skip the multi-column designs that fall apart the moment software tries to read them.
2. Make the summary earn its place
The first few lines do the heavy lifting. Say what you do, how long you've done it, and the one result you're proudest of. Drop 'hard-working team player.' Everyone writes it, and it tells a recruiter nothing.
Tip
Write the summary last. It's far easier once the rest of the CV has reminded you what you're actually good at.
Weak
Responsible for marketing activities and team coordination.
Better
Marketing specialist, 5 years in B2B. Grew qualified leads 40% in a year through SEO and lifecycle email.
3. Show what happened, not what you were assigned
A recruiter already knows what a sales manager does. What they don't know is whether you were any good at it. Lead with the result, not the job description.
Weak
Managed the company's social media accounts.
Better
Grew Instagram from 2k to 25k in 8 months, which drove 18% of new signups.
Start each line with a verb. Put a number on it wherever you honestly can. Numbers stick in a way adjectives never will.
4. Use the words the job ad uses
Most companies run your CV through software before a person reads it, and that software matches your words against the posting. If the ad says 'project management' and you wrote 'ran projects,' you might not register at all.
Use the same terms the ad uses, where they're true for you, and weave them into your experience instead of dumping them in a list. A recruiter can spot a keyword pile, and so can the software.
5. Don't lose the job to small stuff
Watch out
Typos, mismatched dates, and a filename like cv-final-FINAL-v3.pdf are quiet killers. None of them say anything about your skills, and all of them can get you cut.
Read it out loud before you send it; you'll catch things your eye glides over. Then run it through a checker that reads it the way an ATS does, so the formatting problems you can't see on screen don't sink you.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a CV be?
One page if you have under ten years of experience, two at most for senior roles. Recruiters would rather skim something short than dig through three pages.
Should I put a photo on my CV?
In the Gulf a professional headshot is normal and often expected. In a lot of Western markets it's discouraged. Follow the norm of wherever you're applying.