Building Your CV With Confidence
Linkedin Home Become a Founding Partner Apply for an Internship Become a community partner Resources Contact Build a CV That Shows What You Can Do Need help turning a blank page into a confident CV? You’re in the right place. This toolkit is your step-by-step guide to creating a CV that’s not only honest and clear but also tailored to you. Whether you’re just starting out, returning to work, or switching paths, your CV should show your value, potential, and personality. 📄 A good CV is a key to opportunity. Employers use it to decide who gets an interview, so it’s worth taking the time to get it right. This toolkit brings together trusted templates, writing tips, real-world examples, and free tools to help you: Understand what to include (and what to leave out). Highlight your experience, even if it’s not traditional. Make your CV friendly for both humans and bots. Tailor your design to fit the role. Proof, polish, and press send with confidence. – Why You Need a CV Your CV is your personal story on paper. It tells employers: Who you are What you’re good at Why you’d be a great addition to their team Even if you’ve never had a formal job, your experience still matters. Volunteering, caring for others, school projects, or community involvement all show skills that employers value. – What to Include You don’t need a perfect background, just an honest one. Here’s what to include: Must-Haves Your name and contact details Short personal summary (just 3–4 lines) Key skills (e.g. communication, teamwork, problem-solving) Experience (paid work, volunteering, community roles, or informal jobs) Education or training (courses, school, online learning) – Nice to Include Hobbies and interests (only if they show useful qualities) Languages or awards Access needs (if you’d like to share this in a cover letter) – ✅ Quick-Reference: CV Do’s Why it matters What to do Simple tips First impressions Keep it short 1 page is best if you’re early in your career. Use clear fonts like Calibri or Arial, size 11 or 12. Easy to read Use clear structure Order it like this: Contact info → Personal summary → Education → Skills → Experience → Extras Relevance Match each role Use keywords from the job ad. Move the most important points to the top. Strong impact Show achievements, not just tasks ❌ “Did social media” → ✅ “Increased Instagram followers by 35% in 4 months” Works for people & software Use plain words and standard headers Skip tables, columns, and fancy designs that confuse automated systems. Confident tone Start bullet points with power verbs Use words like “led,” “created,” “organised,” “supported” Finishing touch Proofread twice Read it out loud. Use a grammar checker. Ask someone you trust to check it. Contact ready Use a simple, professional email john.smith@gmail.com looks better than xxgamerqueenxx@hotmail.co.uk 🚫 Don’ts (Common Mistakes to Avoid) Don’t cram the page. Leave space between sections so it’s easy to scan. Don’t lie or stretch the truth. It can backfire later. Don’t list everything you’ve ever done. Only include what matters for the job. Don’t mix tenses. Past jobs = past tense. Current roles = present tense. Don’t add personal info like your photo, date of birth, or marital status. Don’t use fancy fonts, emojis, or colours. Stick with one clean font. Don’t start with “I’m seeking a challenging role…” Instead, say what value you bring. Don’t paste long links. Use short links or hyperlink your words. Don’t talk about pay or references unless asked. Don’t name your file “cvfinalNEW.docx.” Use something like: FirstName-LastName-CV-May-2025.pdf Pick a Template That Fits the Role Job Type Best Template Creative Canva, Google Docs Admin or Office National Careers Service Word Template Academic or Tech Overleaf or Word Chronological Layout First-time Jobseeker Skills-based layout with short bullets 🧰 Free Tools to Build and Improve Your CV Templates & Layouts Canva Resume Builder – Easy drag-and-drop designs (Free) Google Docs Templates – Clean layouts (Free) Word Templates – “Modern” or “Swiss” designs (Free with Microsoft Word) Overleaf LaTeX – Best for science/academic roles (Free) Feedback & Proofing Grammarly – Spelling and grammar help (Free) Hemingway Editor – Makes writing clearer (Free) Jobscan – Matches your CV to job ads (5 free scans per month) ResumeWorded – Suggests changes to language and keywords (1 free scan per week) People to Help You National Careers Service – Free phone advice and templates Manchester Work Clubs – In-person CV help and job support LinkedIn Resume Builder – Creates a CV from your profile 📝 How to Use This Toolkit Choose a template Write a rough first draft Run it through 1–2 feedback tools (Jobscan, Grammarly, etc.) Edit and clean it up Ask someone to read it over Save it as a PDF Apply with confidence – CV Example One (1) Jane SmithManchester, UK📧 jane.smith@email.com | 📞 07900 123456🔗 linkedin.com/in/janesmith Personal Statement Creative and organised individual with strong communication and teamwork skills. Passionate about inclusive storytelling and digital content creation. Looking to start a career in communications where I can support projects that make a social impact. Key Skills Clear and engaging written communication Social media content creation (Instagram, Canva, TikTok) Team collaboration and meeting deadlines Community outreach and event support Basic design and layout using Canva Organisation and time management Education & Training Digital Marketing Short Course – Google Digital Garage (2024)Topics included SEO basics, social media strategy, and content planning. BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Media – Manchester College (2021–2023)Achieved: Distinction Merit Merit Experience Volunteer Social Media AssistantManchester Community Food Bank (Oct 2023 – Mar 2024) Created weekly Instagram posts using Canva to share donation needs and success stories Increased follower engagement by 40% over 5 months Wrote short blogs for the website to highlight volunteer voices Peer MentorManchester College (Sept 2022 – June 2023) Supported new students with settling in and study tips Ran drop-in sessions to answer questions and build confidence Built active listening and problem-solving skills Projects &