How to Write a CV in 2026: The Complete Guide to Getting Noticed by Recruiters and AI

Every CV today reaches two audiences before it reaches a hiring manager: an applicant tracking system (ATS) that parses and scores it, and a recruiter who spends a few seconds deciding whether to read further. Getting both right requires different but compatible choices — a clean format that machines can parse, and achievement-focused language that people find compelling. This guide covers both, step by step.

Choose an ATS-friendly format

The single most important formatting rule is to use one column.^[1] ATS parsers read documents as a linear stream — left to right, top to bottom. A two-column layout or sidebar template causes the parser to interleave your job titles with your skills, producing unreadable output that no recruiter ever sees.^[1][2]

Beyond layout, follow these rules:^[3][4]

• One column, full width. No sidebars, no skill rails, no split contact panel.
• Standard section headings. Use Work Experience, Education, and Skills exactly. Creative labels like “My Journey” or “What I Bring” are not recognised by most systems.^[5]
• Contact information in the body. Headers and footers in Word documents are often skipped entirely by parsers. Your name, phone, and email belong in the first lines of body text.^[4]
• No tables, text boxes, graphics, or icons. Tables cause parsing failures in the majority of ATS platforms tested.^[1] Skill bar graphs are unreadable to software.
• Safe fonts at readable sizes. Calibri, Arial, or Aptos at 10–12 pt for body text, 14–16 pt for headings.^[3]
• File format. Submit a text-based PDF unless the posting asks for .docx. Avoid scanned images.^[3]
• Standard margins. 0.5–1 inch on all sides.

Write your header and summary

Put your name, a professional email address, your phone number, and your city or region at the top of the document body. A LinkedIn URL is useful; a full postal address is no longer necessary and creates privacy risk. Add a portfolio or GitHub link if your field expects it.

Below the contact block, write a professional summary — two to four sentences that position you for the target role. This replaces the outdated objective statement, which focused on what you wanted rather than what you offer.^[6][7]

A strong summary:

• States your current level and primary area of expertise
• Names one or two high-level results that prove you deliver
• Mirrors the exact job title and one or two key terms from the posting

Keep it brief. Recruiters read summaries to decide whether to continue; numbers up top signal results orientation immediately.^[6]

Optimise work experience

List roles in reverse-chronological order. For each position, write three to five bullet points that focus on accomplishments, not duties.^[6][7]

Quantify wherever possible: revenue generated, costs reduced, time saved, team size, percentage change, project scale. If you do not have precise numbers, use ranges or relative comparisons (“reduced by roughly half”, “top 10% of the sales team”).

Mirror the job description. ATS systems score keyword presence against the posting, and exact phrasing matters more than you might expect — “project management” and “led internal timelines” are not equivalent to the software.^[8] Read the posting carefully and use the specific terms it uses, where they are accurate to your experience. Aim for 70–80% keyword coverage of the required terms.^[5]

Place keywords in bullet points, not just the skills section — a keyword in a work experience bullet carries more weight because it appears in context.^[8]

Skills, length, and final polish

Skills section

Include a dedicated Skills section with role-relevant hard skills, tools, and certifications. Aim for specificity: name the tools, languages, platforms, or methods explicitly, matching the terminology in the posting.^[5] Spell out acronyms alongside abbreviations (“Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)”) to cover both search patterns. For a deeper checklist, see technical skills on a CV.

Do not list soft skills like “communication” or “teamwork” as standalone bullets — they carry little weight without evidence.

Length

• Under five years of experience: one page.
• Mid to senior level: up to two pages. Do not cut real accomplishments to hit one page; the specifics and metrics are what both the ATS and recruiters are looking for.^[3]
• Academic or research roles may run longer; standard professional roles should not exceed two pages.

Proofreading

Spelling and grammar errors are among the most commonly cited reasons for immediate rejection.^[7] Proofread once yourself, then read it aloud — the ear catches what the eye skips. A second reader catches what both miss.

Keep tense consistent: present tense for your current role, past tense for everything else. Update every mention of your title the moment you change roles.

What hiring research actually recommends

The hiring managers and career editors who study this consistently agree on a short list:^[3][6][7][2]

• Simple, text-based format — no images, no decorative design
• Accomplishment bullets with measurable outcomes
• Language tailored to each posting, using the posting’s own terms
• A professional summary rather than an objective
• Consistent, parsable date formatting throughout

The advice that no longer holds: applying broadly to stretch roles in hopes the company invests in development. Current hiring teams want candidates who can solve a specific problem on day one.^[6] Tailored, targeted applications — even fewer of them — outperform high-volume generic submissions.

How to check that software can read your CV

Before you submit, run this test:

Also check:

• Is all contact information in the body (not in a Word header or footer)?
• Are section headings using standard labels?
• Are there any tables, text boxes, or multiple columns?
• Does every required keyword from the job description appear, in the same phrasing, somewhere on your CV?

Quick tips

• Use one column and standard section headings so parsers read correctly.
• Put contact information in the body — never in headers or footers.
• Lead each bullet with an achievement and a number, not a duty.
• Mirror the exact terms from the posting; synonyms often do not match.
• Keep length to one page (under five years) or two pages maximum.
• Proofread twice and read aloud before submitting.
• Run the plain-text paste test to catch invisible formatting problems.

A CV’s job is to get you an interview — nothing more.^[6] Make every line earn its place with a keyword, a number, or a named tool. Build or update yours in CVmotive whenever you need a clean, polished export ready to tailor for the next application.