5 Golden Rules for Writing a Winning CV in 2026

For years, Brenda, an administration assistant, had been using the same CV for every admin job. When responses slowed down, she decided to get expert help.

Ruth, one of our CV experts, reviewed her CV, made it more targeted, and added more of her strengths and experience.

The new version was aligned with what employers were looking for, and it made all the difference. She soon got her dream job!

Just like Brenda, you, too, could secure a job. Here are the tips shared by Ruth for you to enhance your CV:

1. Always tailor your CV to individual job

It may sound obvious but tailoring your CV (as well as your cover letter!) to the job spec is important. Start by thinking about what you can bring to the role and what the employer is looking for – these questions will help you to focus on the qualities that will help you to stand out. Showcase the skills and experience that the job requires and use keywords from the job description to show how you will add value to the company.

2. Be concise

Being concise is probably one of the most difficult exercises when building a CV. It is easy to fall into the trap of including everything you can without filtering information. But this is counterproductive as it makes your CV less relevant and more difficult to comprehend for recruiters. They have hundreds of CVs to review so if you can make their life easier, you have more chance to be noticed. The structure and length of the final document are both key aspects of any successful and effective CV. Here are some tips you may want to follow:

Limit your CV to two pages. To do so review the layout of your document to use the space in the most effective way possible.

Use bullet points when structuring your examples. It also has the benefit of improving the readability of your CV.

Delete anything that cannot be linked in some way to the job, company, or sector. If you can’t explain why it is mentioned, then it probably isn’t relevant or appropriate to mention.

3. Back up your achievements with evidence

A list of skills on a CV can be meaningless to an employer unless you can back them up. Use clear facts to highlight your value to an employer and take the time to demonstrate your skills (specialist and transferable) wherever possible. One way you can do this is to provide figures as evidence. This can be done in a number of ways, for example, you could provide some statistics about how much revenue you generated from a project, how many followers you gained from a marketing campaign or the sum of the equipment you were in charge of. Another way to provide evidence is to include a link to your digital portfolio, so the employer can see examples of work you’ve produced.

4. Be honest

Be honest. We are not always perfectly suited to the role we are applying for on paper, but a willingness to learn and develop skills can send a powerful enough message to overcome any gaps. Be candid and humble and demonstrate the steps you have taken to prove your commitment and interest. This is a better strategy than implying or stating you have achieved something when you haven’t.

5. Proofread

It is so important to check your CV for typos and mistakes. Don’t waste all the hard work you’ve put into honing your CV by sending it out with errors. Inaccuracies in your CV will tell employers that you don’t have attention to detail. Use a spell checker and get someone else to proofread it.

Looking for your next career move and applying to jobs can be a daunting task and take a lot of your time! If you want a CV make over kindly reach out to our CV writing services.