CV Template and Suggestions

There are many pages online offering advice for writing the best Curriculum Vitae possible, but let’s start by getting the simple things right. Make sure that you have good quality content, a clear layout/design, relevant information, and the correct length. In terms of writing a CV, you can use your own personal style as long as you stick to a few standard rules. Generally speaking:

  • The content and the layout should include personal details, professional experience, education, skills, (interests - if you have space) and personal references.

  • CVs are no more than two pages in length, unless they’re academic CVs, in which case they may be longer. In either case, sentences should be detailed but concise.

  • The content should be made relevant to the specific job that you are applying for.

  • Grammar, punctuation and spelling must all be correct and also consistent.

  • You should use a font that’s clear and easy to read, such as Arial or Helvetica.


My personal preference is to add a section with bullet points at the top of the CV just after your personal details, noting your achievements, competencies or anything else that you’d like to highlight. That way, an employer can see the best things about you instantly - and that’s what you want. 

CV sample

List of action verbs for describing previous jobs:

Trained
Taught
Explained
Presented
Conducted
Distributed
Organised
Solved
Represented
Persuaded
Calculated
Completed
Arranged

Negotiated
Designed

Planned
Responsible for
Devised
Achieved
Developed
Liaised (spell it right!)
Evaluated
Supervised
Co-ordinated
Managed
Administered
Controlled
Selected
Created
Instructed

Researched
Analysed
Discovered
Recommended
Tested
Diagnosed
Budgeted
Monitored
Evaluated
Examined
Assessed
Promoted
Sold
Advised
Selected

Also, for anyone who would like to use the styles that I use, Here is the link to the CV template in Google docs. You can copy and paste it into your own document. Or simply go to FILE - MAKE A COPY, and it’s yours!

Please note that this template is MY STYLE and is therefore, subjective. Others will disagree with this layout and that will be their style/opinion.

Thanks for reading and I hope this has been useful to you. Ronan

CAREERRonan KennedyCV