How to create a quality CV and what to look out for
During our career we have encountered countless CVs. Although we do not reject candidates based on the (in)quality of their CV, a well-crafted CV always leaves us with a positive impression of the candidate’s self-presentation, not to mention speeding up mutual communication and additional information gathering.
1. Personal details: the first impression starts with you
This section includes your name, phone, email and a link to a professional profile such as LinkedIn or a personal portfolio.
Personal data such as marital status, address or date of birth are usually not necessary unless specifically requested.
💡 Tip: Use a professional email address. For example,“jmeno.prijmeni@email.com”works better than“coolboy92@email.com”or“kacenka123@email.cz”.Recruiters may unknowingly perceive an unprofessional email negatively.
2. Profile/Introduction.
This section is optional but can be very effective. A brief introductory paragraph will summarise who you are, your experience and what you have to offer. It’s the perfect way to impress the recruiter right from the start.
Example: “Experienced project manager with more than 10 years of IT experience. I focus on process optimization and leading international teams. I am looking for an opportunity to use my experience in an innovative environment.”
Inappropriate example: “I am an experienced manager with many years of experience.”
3. Work experience: prove your worth
One of the most important parts of your CV. Focus on relevant positions and describe them in a way that highlights your achievements and contribution to the employer.
List the positions in reverse chronological order (from newest to oldest).
For each position, please specify:
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Name of the company and the position you held.
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Period of employment.
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Your key responsibilities and, most importantly, your results. Focus on quantifiable achievements – concrete numbers and facts are always more credible.
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Example result: ‘I managed a team of 8 developers and successfully completed 5 projects worth €2.5 million, exceeding our targets by 15%’.
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An inappropriate example of a result: “I was leading a team of developers and was in charge of several projects.”
4. Education
Education is particularly important for graduates or professions that require a specific academic background. If you have many years of work experience, just provide brief information.
What to include:
- Highest education attained
- Period of graduated study
- Key courses, certifications or training that support your expertise.
Example:
XYZ University, Faculty of Economics and Management
Engineering studies, major Business Economics (2015-2020, Ing.)
- Master thesis: “The impact of digitalization on the strategic management of companies”
- Relevant certification: Project Management (PMP, 2022)
💡 Tip: If you have an academic degree, please indicate it after the year of graduation in parentheses, for example “(Bc.)” or “(Ing.)”. This will help the recruiter to quickly find your qualifications.
5. Skills: what can you do?
Divide your skills into:
- Technical: This includes, for example, MS Office, programming languages, design tools or specific systems.
- Soft skills: include skills such as communication, teamwork or leadership.
Pay attention to the graphical representation of skill levels
If you choose to indicate your skills using graphs, bars or icons (e.g. 4/5 stars), make sure it is still clear and unambiguous. The recruiter should clearly understand what your level means – for example, “JavaScript – 3/5” may be vague, while “JavaScript – Intermediate (3 years experience)” will give a more specific idea.
6. Languages: your language competences
Indicate the level of proficiency for each language according to generally accepted standards, e.g. “English – C1 (advanced)”.
The same principle as above applies to language skills – use a standardised label, for example:
English – C1 (advanced level) instead of the vague “English – 4/5”
7. Optional sections: what makes you special?
You can include awards, volunteer activities, publications or interests in this section if they are relevant to your professional profile. This information may be of interest to the recruiter and show your personality.
Example:
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Publications: co-author of the expert article “Trends in Cyber Security” published in XYZ magazine (2023).
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Honours: Employee of the Month – 3 times awarded for excellence in team leadership (2021, 2022, 2023).
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Volunteering: organizing training for students at XYZ, a non-profit organization focused on software engineering development.
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Personal projects: creating a web application for task management, available as open-source on GitHub.
💡 Tip: Only add activities that are relevant to your career or can demonstrate valuable skills. For example, “I like to travel” won’t impress a recruiter much, but “I planned and led an adventure expedition to South America for 10 people” will!
CV design: make a good first impression
Design is an often overlooked but essential part of a good CV. Remember that your CV needs to be visually appealing as well as strong in content.
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Simple fonts: use fonts like Arial, Calibri or Helvetica. Avoid decorative fonts.
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Text hierarchy: highlight headings and use a consistent bullet style.
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Document length: ideally, the CV should be no more than two A4 pages.
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Professional: If you are adding a photo, choose a professional portrait with a neutral background.
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Customising your CV to suit the position
Every job offer is unique, so your CV should be tailored to your specific requirements. Recruiters can easily spot a generic CV that doesn’t reflect the needs of the position.
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Analysing the job advert: read the job description carefully and identify the keywords that should appear in your CV.
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Customizing sections: Emphasize the skills, experience, and accomplishments that are relevant to the position.
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Minimizing the irrelevant: Do not include unnecessary details that are not related to the offer.
Example of specific requirements
The most common mistakes to avoid
- Typos and errors: always check the text carefully or have someone else read it.
- Vague or general information: recruiters need specific facts, not vague descriptions.
- Outdated data: for example, old jobs or courses that are no longer relevant.
- Too personal information: omit marital status, political views or other sensitive information.
Inspection and finalisation
Before you send your CV, do a thorough check. Take a look at:
- Content: is all the information accurate and relevant?
- Formatting: is everything consistent? Does your document have a consistent style?
- File format: save your CV as a PDF to avoid unwanted changes.
- Contact information: are the phone number and email up to date?