How to Write a CV in 2026: The Step-by-Step Guide

How to Write a CV in 2026: Introduction

Writing a strong CV in 2026 requires balancing two audiences: the ATS software that filters 75% of applications before a human reads them, and the human recruiter who makes the final decision.

Step 1: Choose the Right CV Format

Reverse Chronological (Recommended)

Lists your work experience from most recent to oldest
Works for most job seekers with relevant experience
Immediately communicates career progression
Most ATS-compatible format

Hybrid / Combination

Leads with a strong skills summary, then lists experience chronologically
Works well for career changers or those with gaps

Functional (Avoid in 2026)

Confuses most ATS systems
Often signals to recruiters that the applicant is hiding something
Avoid unless you have very specific reasons

Step 2: Set Up Your Header

Your header goes at the top of your CV. Include:

Full name (largest text on page: 20–24pt)
Target job title
Email address
Phone number
City and country
LinkedIn URL
Portfolio URL (if you have one)

Do NOT include: date of birth, nationality, marital status, or photo (for US/UK/Canada applications).

Step 3: Write Your Professional Summary

The professional summary is your CV's above-the-fold — it is read first and sets expectations for everything that follows.

The Formula: [Years of experience] [seniority level] [job title] with [top expertise areas]. Proven track record of [signature achievement]. Seeking [target role type] at [company type].

Example (Strong): 'Results-driven Senior Marketing Manager with 8 years of B2B SaaS experience specializing in demand generation, content strategy, and paid acquisition. Generated $12M in attributable pipeline at Brightwave SaaS. Seeking a VP Marketing role at a Series B or early-stage company.'

What to Avoid: Generic phrases like 'Hardworking professional who loves working in teams' — no keywords, no value.

Step 4: Build Your Work Experience Section

This is the most important section for ATS keyword matching and human decision-making.

Structure for each role: Job Title — Company Name | City, Country | Jan 2022 – Mar 2024

Then 3–6 bullet points, each starting with an action verb.

Strong Bullet Formula: [Action Verb] [what] by [measurable outcome] [in timeframe], [resulting in business impact]

Examples by Seniority:

Entry Level: 'Supported the content team in producing 24 blog posts per month, contributing to a 45% increase in organic traffic over 6 months.'

Mid Level: 'Led a redesign of the company's email nurture sequence, improving open rates from 18% to 34% and click-through from 2.1% to 5.8%, generating 40 additional MQLs per month.'

Senior Level: 'Built and scaled the demand generation function from 0 to $8M in annual pipeline, hiring a 6-person team and implementing HubSpot.'

Step 5: Write the Education Section

Degree in Field University Name | Graduation Year | GPA if strong and recent

Rules:

For under 5 years experience: education can come before work experience
For 5+ years: education goes below work experience
For certifications: list in a separate Certifications section, not in Education

Step 6: Add Your Skills Section

Group skills into clear categories — this massively helps ATS categorization:

Technical: Python, R, SQL, Tableau, Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics
Marketing: Content Strategy, SEO, SEM, Email Marketing, HubSpot, Salesforce
Languages: English (native), Spanish (professional), French (conversational)

Skills Section Rules

15–30 skills is the sweet spot
Do not list skills you could not confidently demonstrate in an interview
Match skills to what the target job descriptions actually ask for

Step 7: Optional Sections That Add Value

Projects (High Impact for Engineers, Designers, Creatives)

Project Name | dates if recent One-line description. Key achievement or technical highlight.

Certifications

Google Analytics 4 Certified — Google | 2025 AWS Cloud Practitioner — Amazon Web Services | 2024

Step 8: Run Your ATS Check

Before sending your CV anywhere, run it through Smart CV Engine's free ATS analyzer:

Upload your PDF or DOCX
Get an instant ATS score (aim for 75%+)
Review the specific issues flagged
Apply one-click fixes for the most common issues
Re-export and re-check

Step 9: Tailor for Each Application

A generic CV is a weak CV. For every application:

Read the job description 3 times
Identify the 10 most important keywords/phrases
Make sure they appear naturally in your summary, bullets, and skills section
Adjust the order of your skills to lead with the most relevant ones
Re-run the ATS check — aim for 75%+ match

Final Checklist Before Sending

[ ] Name in file name: FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf
[ ] Contact info correct and clickable (email, LinkedIn, portfolio)
[ ] Professional summary includes target role keywords
[ ] Every role has dates in correct format
[ ] At least 60% of bullets start with strong action verbs
[ ] At least 40% of bullets include a quantified achievement
[ ] No tables, text boxes, or images used for layout
[ ] ATS score 75%+ in Smart CV Engine analyzer
[ ] Saved as PDF (not DOCX) unless explicitly requested otherwise
[ ] File size under 5MB

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