Along with the content of your curriculum vitae, your CV’s layout is also very important. A professional, formal and clear CV layout can help ensure that those who look at your document get that impulse to invite you for a job interview.
Naturally, the opposite is also true: if you send out a curriculum vitae with a sloppy, poorly organised layout, chances are you won’t be invited for an interview. On this page you can read how to achieve the best CV layout when composing this document.
The first step in creating a curriculum vitae with a professional CV layout is selecting the right font. The most-frequently used fonts for a CV are Helvetica, Arial, Georgia and Times New Roman. Try out all of the fonts with your CV and discover for yourself which one works best.
If you want your curriculum vitae to stand out amongst the many CV’s of other candidates, you can embed a picture in your document. For example, choose a representative photo of yourself where you look professional and business-like and insert it neatly into your CV. When doing so, be sure not to break up any important text of the document, but find a logical position for the picture in your CV.
Creating a CV might seem easy, but a surprising number of documents that get sent to companies still don’t really satisfy the quality requirements for a good CV. To avoid being rejected for a position on the basis of your CV’s layout, carefully consider the three following tips for ensuring that your CV looks professional.
Use bullet points in your curriculum vitae. If you have to present a great deal of information, bullet points definitely keep things clearer than having one big block of text.
Use colour in your curriculum vitae to make it more striking. Carefully choose colours that fit the purpose of your CV, i.e. getting the perfect job. Colours like pink, orange and green might not be the best way to go...
Don’t put too much on a single page; keep it clearly organised.
The most important tip for creating the best CV layout is that you not send off your curriculum vitae immediately to the company you want to apply to. Always let someone else look at your document first, so you still have a chance to remove any mistakes or obscurities from the layout of your CV before sending it out. Once you’ve sent off your CV, it’s too late to correct any errors in the layout.
Aren’t particularly skilled with computers and don’t know how to get your CV into professional shape? Then don’t waste time putting together a curriculum vitae that’s going to look amateurish, but decide to entrust the design of your CV to a professional graphics designer. In this case, of course, you’ll have to pay a small amount for the latter’s work on your document - but in return you’ll get a perfect CV.
The curriculum vitae or cv determines the first impression a potential employer has of you. Be sure to pay enough attention to the content and the format of it.
Download our cv template for free and increase your chances of a job interview.
1. Download the example as a Word file
2. Enter your details
3. Export as a PDF
4. Mail your brand new resume along with your motivation letter to companies
5. Don't hesitate to send in your resume to Robert Half, we are happy to help you with
your job search
6. Print it and take it with you to your first interview
