Why are communication skills wanted by recruiters on your CV

What skills, activities and accomplishments help you highlight your communication skills

Communication skills: key takeaways for your CV

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Learn how to select the best communication skills to reflect your experience and align with job requirements.

Most Wanted CV Communication Skills for 2025: 50+ Skills and Examples

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How to Tailor Your CV To the Job

You keep sending out your old CV, but you hardly get any calls.
Truth is, often your qualifications, skills, and experience alone would not be enough to get the job you want.
The hiring manager would also like to see that you are really interested in the job you are applying for.
Most hiring managers can spot a generic CV from miles away. You would not want to be one of these candidates who get dismissed because they did not tailor their CV to the job position and company they are applying for.
In this article, we are going to answer the two most important questions about tailoring your CV:
Why should you tailor your CV?How to tailor your CV?
And once we are done, get ready to get some great amount of calls, and finally get the job you want.
Before that, don’t forget that your CV design also matters. Make sure you perfect it using our CV Builder.
But if you are ready to learn how to tailor your CV, stick around.

Why should you tailor your CV?Tailoring your CV is the best way to improve your chances of getting an interview for the job you want.
Fact is, hiring managers have to go through tons of CVs on a daily basis, and there is no easy way to do so.
Through the years, two possible solutions have dominated as a solution to this problem.
The first one is for the hiring manager to do a quick scan around the CV and decide whether this candidate may be a good fit for the position. Typically, these scans last about 6-7 seconds and are mainly focused on important keywords for the job.
In more recent times, that process has been automated using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). That software scans through your application documents automatically and ranks your suitability for the job depending on keywords it finds.
You can probably see what these 2 methods have in common – it’s all about the keywords.
Using a generic CV that you send out to all job postings you like will most definitely fail. What you need to do is find all the important keywords from the job description and tailor your CV using them.
Furthermore, tailoring your CV shows the hiring manager that you are really interested in the job. Focusing on your most relevant experience and skills can really show them that you are a great fit for the job.
How to tailor your CV?
Now that you understand the importance of tailoring your CV, let’s find out how to do it right. There are a few things you need to do every single time to get the best results.

Research the company
Before you get started with the actual tailoring of your CV, you need to know who you are tailoring it for.
Take your time and find everything you can about the company’s values and culture.
Typically, you can find all the information you need on their website, but you can also check out their social network accounts, like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Every piece of information may help you in tailoring your CV to match what they are looking for.

Carefully review the job description
After you learn the company’s values and culture, and match them in your CV, you need to also match what they are looking for in the specific role you are applying for.
Reading the job description and deciding you are the guy for the job is not enough, you need to really dig deep in every word and find out everything the hiring manager would be looking for in your documents.
By reading the job description carefully and multiple times, you will get a better understanding of the position, and will already be one step ahead of all the competition for the job.

Find all the important keywords
You have now read the whole job description back and forth and you fully understand the job position you are applying for, and what the hiring manager would be looking for in your CV.
But to make sure they will find exactly what they look for, you need to take out all the important keywords from the job description and list them in your CV.
That’s the first and most important step of actually tailoring your CV.
An important thing to do here is keep the language and phrasing the same as the job description. Hiring managers have very limited time to scan through job applications, and providing them with just what they are looking for can really set you ahead of other candidates.
Furthermore, more and more companies are using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for their pre-selection. In that case, if you don’t have enough keywords that match exactly the job description, you might be dismissed, no matter how qualified.

Make you skills and experience relevant
But just listing keywords all over your CV won’t do the trick, you need to show that your experience and skills are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Some of your experience may seem irrelevant at first, but take the time and really think about what skills are transferable from your old job to the job you want.
Nobody expects you to be a perfect match for everything the hiring manager is looking for, but you need to show yourself in the best possible light.
And that’s what tailoring your CV is all about – making the skills and experience you have appear to the best advantage.

Include measurable results
All your experience and skills are now relevant and using all the right keywords.
Unfortunately, in most cases that’s still not enough to impress the hiring manager, you need to take it one step further.
You need to prove your work-related achievements in a way that is easy to understand by just one glance.
The best way to do so is to use the numbers in your favor.
Every achievement you would like to list on your CV can be measured by some metrics, and you need to show off your results using them.
By adding metrics to your experience, skills, and keywords, you can really nail tailoring your CV.

Proofread
You seem to be all done with tailoring your CV, but there is still one thing you need to do, and you should never forget about it.
What you should be particularly on the lookout for are:

Spelling and grammar mistakesInconsistent punctuationBroken website linksIncorrect contact informationLong or unclear sentences
If you want to be extra careful, you can always ask some family and friends to proofread it for you as well.

Takeaways
We are all done, you now know why tailoring your CV is so important, and how to do it right.
Let’s go through it all one last time, you need to:
Research the company and learn about their values and culture, so you can match that in your CVRead the job description, and then read it again and again, until you are sure you fully understand what the hiring manager would be looking for in your applicationFind all the keywords from the job description and use them in your CV, using the same language, as your CV might go through an ATS pre-selectionMake sure all experience and skills you have listed on your CV are relevant to the job position you are applying forUse numbers in your favor, they can really prove all your work-related accomplishments in a great and attention-grabbing wayDon’t forget to proofread your tailored CV, and once you are done, you are ready to get your dream job.

What is the difference between CV and resume?

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What is a CV? Definition, Structure, Purpose, Types & Meaning

No matter what job you are applying for, you will most definitely need to present your professional experience, achievements, and skill set.
In most cases, you can achieve that with a resume, but in some industries, a different format is required – a CV.
But all that raises more question, and provides us with no answers.
That’s why we are here, in this article, we are going to get the answers of the most important CV-related questions:
What is a CV?Who really needs to write a CV?What is the difference between CV and resume?How to format a CV?
And once you are done, you would have a better understanding of what is expected from your application documents.
If you want to really nail your job hunt with your CV, you should absolutely check out our CV Builder.
But before that, make sure you learn all the essentials around what a CV is.

What is a CV?
The term Curriculum Vitae (CV) literally translates to “the course of your life” from Latin. And that pretty much sums up what it should consist of.
A CV is supposed to go through your whole life, your whole work history, education, academic accomplishments, research, any publications that have your name on them, and anything else you have done in your professional life.
If employers expect more candidates for a given position, they may ask for a CV summary. That is a shortened version of your CV, typically 2-3 pages long, that helps them pre-select candidates before they see your full CV.
And one last thing – if you are applying for a job in Europe, you should know that there the term CV is used for what is called a resume in the USA. So feel free to just rename your resume file to “[Name] CV” and you should be good to go.

Who really needs to write a CV?
Most of the time, you would need to write a resume to apply for job positions.
However, there are a few fields of work where a CV would be required. The most common ones are:

Academia – whether you are a researcher, or a professor, you would most likely need to present your potential employer a CV. That’s because most of your qualifications depend on past research, presentations, and keeping up to date as an expert in your field.Medicine – if you are in medicine, you most definitely need a CV, even if you are in your early years in your practice, or not actively researching.Law – if your field of work is law, especially in academia, or if you are teaching law, you will also improve your chances by writing a CV.Research – you probably can already guess that, but your CV would be a great asset and should be the preferred type of application document for any kind of research, even if it outside of academia.
If you are not sure whether you would need a CV or a resume for your application, don’t be afraid to ask. Hiring managers would gladly help you out, and the answer is just one phone call away.

What is the difference between CV and resume?
CVs and resumes have some important similarities, like:

They are both professional application documents for job positionsThey include similar sections, and are structured similarly
But what sets them apart?
Apart from their use, that we already talked about, their most key difference is their length.
If you are used to writing resumes, you might be tempted to shorten your CV, so that it would become a one-pager.
However, that should not be applied to a CV.
The answer of why they differ in their length, may be found right there in the name of the document type.
A resume translates to “summary”, and should be used to summarize your work history, skills, and anything else relevant to the position. The goal in that document format is to present yourself as a professional in just one page.
On the other hand, a CV (or Curriculum Vitae) means “course of life”, and is supposed to present a detailed overview of your professional career.

What should a CV include?
Now that you know that you should go into detail when writing a CV, there is one last thing you need to think about – what sections you should include.
You no longer have to worry about length, so you can freely make it 2-3 pages long, or even exceed 10 pages, if you have lots of experience to show.
Typically, would you would want to include on your CV is:

Your nameContact informationEducationSkillsExperience
But apart from the basics, you should consider listing also:

Research and teaching experiencePublicationsGrants and fellowshipsProfessional associations and licensesAwards and honorsLicenses and certificatesVolunteer workOther relevant information
TakeawaysWe are all done, now you know what is a CV, and how to get the best out of it.Let’s go through the most important points one last time:A CV is an application document that is most often used for academic or research jobsUnlike a resume, a CV does not have a page limit, and is typically 2-3 pages long, but if you have lots of experience, you can exceed even 10 pagesA CV shares the same purpose as a CV, and can include the same sections, but you should never try to cut out information to shorten it, as you would do with a resumeDon’t forget that a CV means different things in US and Europe. The European CV is similar to the format we call a resume in the USNow that you know all that, you are good and ready to start writing your own CV.

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24 Best Curriculum Vitae (CV) Tips for 2025 [Tricks, Advice, Help]

If you want to grab the hiring manager’s attention and get your next job in no time, you will need to create a really compelling CV.
But that’s easier said than done.
Every job position you apply for has different requirements not only for your qualifications, but also for your CV design to be noticed.
And while your CVs get outdated, and you have to update them regularly, there are some tips that are always relevant for any CV you would like to write.
In this article, we are going to explore the 24 most important tips you need to remember and use in order to get the best results.
So let’s not waste any more time and jump right into it.
CV Tips1. Tailor your CV to every job you apply for
Even though your work experience and skills does not change when you are writing your CV, your CV should change depending on the role you are applying for.
You need to highlight different strengths, and really show the hiring manager that you know what job you are applying for and that you are qualified enough to take it.
A one size fits all kind of CV would not only get you the job, but it would most probably not even get you an interview.
So make sure you read carefully the job description and get the best of all the qualifications and history you have.

2. Show your passion
Nowadays, the competition for every open job position out there is greater than ever.
There are hundreds of candidates for each job opening, and having all the right qualifications is no longer enough to get it.
That’s why you need to show your potential employer that you are not only qualified, but you also have passion for what you do.
If you have no experience, you can briefly explain that in your CV objective.
But overall, the best way to go is to list relevant side projects, and show in detail your passion for the job.

3. Be specific and show your impact
You have most definitely heard that tip before, but what does it really mean?
Basically, what it is trying to tell you is that you should ensure every bullet in your work experience section answers the question “What was the result of my work?”.
A while ago, these bullet lists were used mostly for responsibilities for every job position you have held, but in today’s competitive job market, you need to focus much more on achievements.
As much as 3-5 bullet points per job entry would do the trick, but you need to make them count.
To get the best result, you need to do three simple things:

Start each bullet point with an action verbUse some kind of metrics to explain your impactExplain what actions you took to achieve that impact

4. Be confident
Your CV’s main goal is to present your professional experience in the best possible light for the hiring managers.
But if you want to get the best results, you need to show some real confidence in your experience and achievements.
Even though your CV is a professional document, it should still balance between the professional (experience, education, projects, skills, etc.) and the personal (passions, most proud of, life philosophy).

5. Proofread
One of the most important things you need to do before you send out your CV is checking it for any mistakes.
In today’s competitive job market, hiring managers use every chance they have to downsize the stack of CVs they have. You would not want to be dismissed just because you did not want to spend some time proofreading.
If you want to be extra careful (and you should be), you can ask a friend or a family member to proofread it for you as well, as they might spot some errors that you have missed.

6. Use keywords and power words
These two kinds of words are the most important step from tailoring your CV for the role you are applying for.
The keywords are most commonly skills that you find on the job description, and include in your CV to emphasize that you are a suited candidate for the job.
On the other hand, the power words are what makes keywords really stick out, when they are read by the hiring manager.
Power words emphasize your chosen keywords, and simultaneously tell a story of your greatest work-related achievements.

7. Use a professional email address
Your CV should present you as a professional, and using anything less for your email address, can only backfire.
What you need to do is sign up for a well-accepted email provider, like Gmail, and use your first and last name in your email address. The best way to go is “firstname.lastname@gmail.com”.

8. Provide proof and use hard numbers
One of the most impactful things on your CV are your achievements. But just putting them alone won’t do the trick, you need to provide some proof.
And what is more eye-catching for the hiring manager than numbers.
You need to find a way to quantify your achievements and use hard numbers to really impress the hiring managers.
A great habit to develop as early as possible is keeping track of your work, so that you would find it easy to implement this tip into your CV.

9. Make every section count
You might feel proud of all your experience, achievements and skills, but you need to remember that your CV should be at all times relevant to the job position you are applying for.
Furthermore, it should not be too long, as hiring managers have very limited time to go through hundreds of CVs.
If you want to increase your chances, make sure you cut out any irrelevant entries, or even whole sections.
The first thing you should consider leaving out is any old job experience that is no longer relevant, and you have gained a much more valuable one since then.

10. Use reverse chronological order
While we are on the topic of your work experience section, you should know that all your entries should follow a reverse chronological order.
That means that your most recent entries should come at the top of the page, and the oldest one should go to the bottom.
That’s the format hiring managers expect on your work experience section, and if you provide them anything else, you might be dismissed before they have even started reading.
11. Name your file properlyYour CV name is the first thing a hiring manager would see before opening it up. And if the name of your file seems unprofessional, or in any way off-putting, it may never be opened.What you need to include in the file name is:Your first and last nameThe type of the document (in this case – CV)The position you are applying for (optional)Furthermore, if you also send out a cover letter with your CV, it would be easier for the hiring manager to connect the two documents with you, and your hard work would not be in vain.12. Use the right file formatYour file format is of great importance as well. You need to follow any instructions of file format that were listed in the job description, or your CV might again not be opened.However, if there are no requirements about the file format, you should absolutely save your CV as PDF. This way you ensure that all your formatting would be preserved, and your CV would look its best.13. List your contact information correctlyNo matter how impressive your experience, skills, and qualifications are, that would not matter at all, if your contact information is incorrect.You need to carefully double-check it every time, so that you would be sure it is up-to-date, and any hiring manager would be able to contact you.14. Don’t mention personal detailsWe already mentioned that it is great to balance the professional and the personal on your CV. But make no mistake, that does not mean any personal details have a place in your CV.Any of the following personal details should at all times be omitted:Full addressDate of birthMarital statusSocial security numberGenderSexual orientationReligious beliefsPolitical affiliation15. List all the right skillsWhenever you are writing a CV, it is important to make it all relevant. That specifically applies to your skill set.To make the choosing process for your CV skills easier, it is a great idea to scan the job listing.That’s the place where you can find all the required skills for the position, and you can start tailoring your CV with those which you possess.16. Use the right font size When listing all your greatest accomplishments, skills and work history, you need to consider one important thing – the hiring manager should be able to read it easily.That’s why font size might be more critical than you think.Luckily, there are just two rules here to make your CV look its best:Use between 14-16pt for sections’ titlesUse 10-12pt for all other text in your CVThere is one exception, though, that you should not forget – your name should at all times be the biggest text in your CV.17. Choose a professional font But font is not all about size, you need to use a professional one, or the size would be of no importance.In this case, the simpler – the better.Consider one of the most common fonts:Times New RomanArialCalibriGeorgia18. Don’t talk about money No matter how much passion you have shown for the job, if you start talking about money on your CV, you have negated any advantage that you might have had.Talking about money on your CV would make any hiring manager think that you are only in it for the money, and that’s not what they are looking for.There is a time and place to talk about money, and it is during your interview, once you play your hand right with your CV.19. Be truthfulWhen you really want a job, you might be tempted to exaggerate the truth, but that is the worst thing you can do.It is part of the job of the hiring managers to spot these exaggerations and lies, and even if you pass on to the interview, you will either be caught in a lie right then, or early on in your job.Either way, you would risk damaging your reputation, or even facing legal charges in some cases.So it’s best to stay truthful, and show them why you really are a great candidate for the job.20. Create a compelling cover letterA great way to compliment your CV is attaching a cover letter to it, and really making your application strong.While your CV is all about your professional qualifications, the cover letter provides a more personal touch, and introduces your character to the hiring manager.It is also a great way to emphasize even more on your most important and relevant skills throughout some more in-depth examples of your work.21. Make sure you have enough white space You have somewhat limited space to work with in your CV, so you should make every square inch count.But make no mistake, if you go too far, you would only get a crumbled mess, that no hiring manager would want to read, or even scan.Make sure you have margins on all sides of your CV, and add 1.0-1.15 line spacing between text to get the best results.Also, don’t forget that bullet lists instead of paragraphs is a great way to save some space and make your CV more visually appealing.22. Make it ATS-friendlyMore and more companies use some sorts of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to help them with pre-selection of candidates.That’s where keywords are really essential, as that software scans for the most important ones for every position, so make sure you take a hard look at the job listing and get the best out of it.Furthermore, you should stay away from any complicated graphs and images for important information in your CV, as ATS often can’t process that information, and your CV might get dismissed.23. Avoid jargon/clichés Last but not least, you should really be careful what words you write on your CV. Usually hiring managers cringe when seeing clichés, so if you have any, you should remove them.Another way to go is with keeping them, but then you need to make sure they serve some purpose.They should make you look better in the eyes of the hiring manager, and for that purpose, you should back them up with some examples and proof.24. Use our CV Builder  If all these tips sound too intimidating, you are in luck, we have saved the best tip for last.To get the best result, you need a greatly formatted, eye-catching CV, and that is just what we can help you build with our CV Builder.Try it out, and make a great CV in no time.TakeawaysWe are all done, now you know all the important tips that you need to make your CV great.Read them carefully as many times as needed, time should be of no concern when it comes to getting your dream job.And once done, start writing your next CV, that would get you all the interviews you have desired.

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CV Design: 3 Unique Curriculum Vitae Designs for 2025

Your CV is all about presenting yourself in the best possible light in front of the hiring manager.
But if you want to get the job done, your work experience, achievements, and skills would not be enough.
Nowadays, hiring managers go through hundreds of CVs on a daily basis, so they don’t have time to be impressed by all your information in the 7 seconds they spent scanning it.
To get their attention and make them read all your qualifications and accomplishments, you need to grab them with a great CV design.
A great CV design can really set you apart from the competition, and increase your chances of getting the job you want.
In this article, we are going to explore all things important about your CV design, how you can optimize it, and we are going to show you 3 unique CV design examples from Enhancv.
If you struggle with creating your CV, you should definitely check out our CV Builder which will help you create a unique CV in no time.
But if you are ready to focus on improving your CV design, stick around.
CV design tipsAdd an eye-catching border
A great way to catch the hiring manager’s attention before they have even started reading is adding in a border to your CV.
Most of the candidates would probably go for a light gray or a dark blue border, which would only make you disappear in the pile of CVs with the same design.
However, adding an interesting border can really help your CV stand out from the crowd, and at the same time show off a bit of your personality to the hiring manager.
A thing to be careful about here is to not overdo it. The best way to go is with a flat color, simple texture, or muted pattern in your border.
After all, you would not want to distract the hiring manager from what is really important – the information in your CV.

Choose a great font
Use one or two modern, professional fonts to establish a clear hierarchy and maximize readability. Be sure to use a consistent size of 10-12pt for body text and 14-16pt for headings
When you choose a font, you should know what each font type represents:

Serif fonts – they are often associated with professional settingsSans serif fonts – much more clear and modern in their appearance, a great choice if you are creative or design-orientedScript – rarely used, but if you are fun, warm, relaxed, or easy-going, it can really work for youThin – if you’d like a text to not stand out, this is the right one. A great choice if you are more reserved, quiet, or calmBlocky – if you want a text to really stand out, like your name and contact information, that’s the way to go. A great font for you if you are extroverted, outgoing, or expressive
Take your time and look through your CV and figure out which time of font is most suited for each part of your CV.

Make your contact information visually appealing
Your contact information is one of the most important elements in your CV, so you need to make sure it is easy-to-find and it grabs the hiring manager’s attention.
It should at all times be on the top of your CV, and have some elements that are visually appealing. To do this right, you need to:

Use icons – simple ones would do just fine, but make sure you add icons, instead of writing “Phone:”, “Email:”, etc.Use white space – you would not want to stack your contact details too close to each other, as it would lose their visual valueUse color – one of the simplest ways to draw the hiring manager’s attention toward your contact information is by using a background color to highlight it

Use infographics when appropriate
Infographics are a great way to take your CV to the next level, or fill up your CV’s page with visually appealing information, if you still lack experience.
A combination of data visualizations and icons can make your CV eye-catching for the hiring manager and considerably improve your chances of getting an interview.
Infographics can be found in many forms, the most common of which are:

Timelines to outline education, work experience, volunteering, etc.Bar charts to explain the level of proficiency in your most essential skills“My time” pie chart, which you can find in our CV builder, and is a great way to show your time management

Stick to a consistent color palette throughout your CV design
We already mentioned that color can be a great way to improve your CV and make it more visually appealing.
But that only applies if you know how to do it right.
In this case, consistency is key, and you need to make sure that the color palette used throughout your CV is consistent.
That does not mean that you should make it just one color, but make sure all colors you have used are working well with each other.

Follow industry norms
All these design tips are good, as long as you know when to use which.
Before you start applying every tip to your CV, you need to consider the industry you are applying for and carefully determine where the limit for your design is.
But no matter the industry, you need to be cautious of how much you tweak your CV. If you overdo it, there is a chance you will turn off your potential employer.

Use the right file type
Last but not least, save your CV in the right file type. The best one for the job is PDF, as it will preserve all your design just the way you want it.
Make sure you also name your file correctly, so that it would be easy for the hiring manager to know what exactly they are about to open.
The best way to go is to include your name and document type, for example “JohnDoeCV.PDF” .
However, if the job listing states that another file type is required, you should follow that instruction.

3 unique CV design examples from Enhancv
And now, as promised, we have some unique CV design examples from Enhancv. Check them out and see everything we talked about above in practice.
TakeawaysWe are all done, now you know how to design your CV just right to grab the hiring manager’s attention.Let’s go through it all one last time really quick, you need to:Add an eye-catching border, using simple elements so that they don’t take the focus away from your CVChoose a great font, and don’t hesitate to use more than one, if you find it appropriateMake your contact information visually appealing by using icons, and adding the right amount of white space, as well as some background color to highlight itUse infographics to highlight all the important elements in your CV in a visually appealing wayMake sure the colors you use throughout your CV work well with each otherSave your file as PDF, as it will preserve all your design just the way you want it (unless the job listing specifies another file type, in which case, you should follow the instructions)Don’t forget to follow the industry norms, as not all design tips are applicable in every situation, you should consider where the limit is for each industry.Take one last look at our unique examples from Enhancv, and improve your CV design in no time.

Why these CV formats are the most popular?

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CV (Curriculum Vitae) Format [Examples & Templates for 2025]

Before starting to write your CV and chase after your dream job, you need to figure out what exactly you want to accomplish with it.
That’s because your CV goal determines what format it is going to use.
And no matter how much you want there to be one universal format that always gets the job done just right, there isn’t one, and you will have to go through the choosing process.
We are here to help you, in this article, we are going to get the answers of the two most important CV format questions:
What are the most used CV formats?Why these CV formats are the most popular?
And we are going to leave you off with some great tips and tricks and 5 unique Enhancv examples to get you going.
If you want a great design just like these in the examples, you should try out our CV Builder and build your own unique CV in no time.
But if you are ready to jump into the topic of CV format, stick around.

What are the most used CV formats?When it comes to CV formats, you have 3 main formats to choose from:

Reverse-chronological CVFunction (or skill-based) CVHybrid CV
But before we go into depth with each one of them, we need to give you one important piece of advice – stay away from the traditional CV format because it’s outdated in a digital economy like today.
Nowadays, the industry relies more on skills and experience over qualifications (although they’re still significant and shouldn’t be disregarded).
Because of how similar candidates can be, even if you meet all the job requirements, you’re not going to be guaranteed a spot. You need to make a memorable impression on the hiring manager.
If your CV is no different from everyone else’s, you will be depending mostly on chance to get your interview.
Now when we have that out of the way, let’s dive into each of the three main CV formats.

Reverse chronological CV
The reverse chronological CV format is the most common one, which often makes it the best choice, as hiring managers are really familiar with it.
This format is mainly focused on your work history, and, as you can guess, it lists it in reverse chronological order.
If you have less than 4-5 years of work experience, the reverse chronological CV makes up for it by shaping the hiring manger’s focus towards your strengths instead. With the way they’re formatted, they’re designed to draw attention away from your employment history gaps while still providing a clear narrative of your career.
Make sure each work experience entry in your work experience section has the following:

Your positionName of the companyDates of employmentA bullet list with up to 5 bullet points – make sure you don’t fill them all with duties, hiring managers are much more impressed with achievements. That’s also the place to quantify your achievements whenever possible.
This CV format is most ideal if:

You have gaps in your career timelineYou plan on working in a new industry or role that’s different to what your background saysYou have limited work experience to show for

Functional CV
Unlike the reverse chronological CV, the functional CV is focused mainly on your skill set, and that’s why it is also called skills-based CV.
The two most important parts of your functional CV are your CV objective and your skills section.
In your CV objective, you would want to briefly explain why you want to pursue a career in the field you are applying for, and give the hiring manager a taste of the most essential skills you have mastered.
When it comes to your skills section, make sure you list only relevant ones.
And don’t just throw in words that sound good, make sure you provide proof and examples of when and how you applied them.
You need to keep in mind that hiring managers are not very fond of that CV format, as it steers away from what is most important to them – your work experience.
But there are cases when this format is your best choice. It’s most ideal for applicants who are:

Recent college or university graduatesLacking in professional work experienceConsidering an entirely new field in the workforce of your career journeyYou have transferable skills or experience that are relevant to the job vacancyYou have gaps in your career timeline or have been unemployed for a long time

Hybrid CV
A hybrid CV is the third, and arguably the best CV format you can use in many cases. It combines all the best feature from the reverse chronological and the functional format.
It’s a great choice if you have work experience to show, but have some work history gaps.
You’re not limited to just one area of your CV. Instead, you can incorporate and merge different parts of the chronological and functional skills-based CV format to showcase the results you can potentially deliver for them.
If you have some work experience in your career to talk about (at least 1-3 years), use this CV format instead of the functional skills-based CV. It makes gaps less noticeable and signifies to hiring managers you have a stable employment timeline.

Why these CV formats are the most popular?
Each of those CV formats have their own goals. What’s more important to know is that they’re effective enough to get the job done.
Hiring managers are likely going to use an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) to check your CV. It’s more time-efficient for the application process and quickly takes out the unqualified candidates.
Of all the CV formats, the reverse chronological format is the most used one. It’s mainly because hiring managers are most familiar with it, and they can instantly see whether you’re experienced or not.
On the other hand, you can combat this by showcasing your personality, as well as making the details and readability level of your CV relatively better and easy to digest.
However, to do this, you need to take a straightforward yet creative approach.
The safest way to go is to present your CV in a simple, minimal way, which will also prevent you from building a CV that’s too complicated to understand.

Tips and tricks
Now that you understand all the basics for your CV format, it is important to go through a few essential details.

Pass the ATS test
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are getting more and more popular with hiring managers in companies of all sizes.
These systems are used for pre-selection of candidates and are designed to use for specific keywords in your CV.
In order to make your CV ATS-friendly, you need to:

Use keywords and buzzwords that match the job descriptionInclude the required CV sectionsUse the right font sizeAdd appropriate marginsName your CV file sensiblySave your CV as a PDF file

Use Enhancv’s Online CV Templates
Enhancv has optimized CV formats that make the whole CV building process enjoyable, since it’s so easy to create your own CV.
On top of that, you can rearrange different building blocks to the way you prefer, and most of the technical details are already taken care of.
The only thing you really need to do is alter the contents of the CV appropriately, personalizing and tailoring it to your job position/company you’re applying for.

Takeaways
We are all done, you are now ready to choose the best CV format for your next application.
Let’s remember the three main format you need to choose from, and what differentiates them:
Reverse chronological CV format – focuses on your work experience, and presents it in reverse chronological order. It is the most preferred CV format, as it is easiest to understand by hiring managersFunction (or skill based) CV format – focuses mainly on your skill set. You should only consider this format if you lack any experience in the field you are applying for, as it is not really liked by hiring managersHybrid CV format – combines all the best features from the reverse chronological and the functional CV formatTake into account our tips and tricks, and don’t forget to check out our unique examples from Enhancv once again, before you get started on your own CV.