A CV template is a starting point, not a finished document. The people who get the most from one treat it like a set of shelves: the structure is provided, but they decide what goes on each shelf and in what order. This guide walks through choosing a template, filling every section with real detail, keeping the file readable by software, and knowing when a template is the wrong tool for the job.

Choosing the right how to do a good cv template

The best template is the one that gets out of the way of your content. Before you download anything, answer three questions: who will read this first, how will they receive it, and what is the single strongest thing you want them to remember about you?

If your application goes through a company careers portal, assume software reads it before a person does. That points you toward a single-column layout, standard section headings, and no text inside images, tables or text boxes. If you are emailing a small business owner directly, you have more freedom with design, but clarity still beats decoration.

  • Single-column templates are the safest default for online applications.
  • Choose a layout with room for a short summary near the top, because that is where a reader decides whether to keep going.
  • Avoid templates that split your job titles and dates into separate columns; they often scramble when parsed.
  • Match the tone of your industry: a legal or finance CV usually looks plainer than a design or marketing one.
  • Check that the template lets you list skills without forcing them into a graphic or rating bar.

One practical test: open the template and imagine replacing every line with your own history. If you cannot fit your most relevant experience in the first half of page one, the template is too decorative for your situation.

Section-by-section layout guidance

Header and contact details

Keep this to your name, a phone number, an email address, and one link if it is genuinely useful, such as a portfolio or a professional profile. Skip your full street address, your date of birth, and a photo unless the employer asks for them. Make your name the largest text on the page so a reader finds it instantly.

Professional summary

Three or four lines that say what you do, how long you have done it, and what you are aiming at next. Here is an illustrative example, not a script to copy:

Illustrative summary: 'Operations coordinator with five years in logistics scheduling and supplier communication. Cut missed delivery windows by redesigning the weekly dispatch board and now support a team of twelve drivers. Looking for a role where process improvement and clear documentation matter.'

Notice that it names a job, a duration, one concrete change, and a direction. It does not say 'hard-working team player' or 'seeking a challenging opportunity', because those phrases carry no information.

Skills

A short, specific list beats a long, vague one. Pull the skills straight from the job advert and keep only the ones you can genuinely back up. An illustrative list for the operations example above might read:

  • Dispatch scheduling and route planning
  • Supplier and vendor communication
  • Inventory reconciliation
  • Process documentation (SOPs)
  • Spreadsheet reporting (pivot tables, VLOOKUP)

If you are unsure how to describe a skill you have used but never named, look at how the employer phrases it and use plain language rather than jargon you would not recognise in an interview.

Experience

List roles in reverse chronological order. For each one, give the job title, the employer, the location, and the dates. Then write three to five bullets that describe what changed because you were there. This is where most templates are wasted, because people fill them with duties instead of outcomes. If that sounds familiar, our guide on turning duties into achievements walks through the rewrite step by step.

Here are five illustrative bullets, again written for the operations example so you can see the level of detail:

  • Rebuilt the weekly dispatch board in a shared spreadsheet, which reduced double-booked routes from about nine per week to two.
  • Wrote step-by-step onboarding notes for new warehouse staff, cutting the time a new hire needed before working unsupervised from three weeks to ten days.
  • Reconciled monthly stock counts across two storage sites and flagged a recurring mismatch in one SKU category, which was traced to a scanning error.
  • Handled inbound supplier queries for a portfolio of 30 vendors, keeping average reply time under one working day.
  • Trained four colleagues on the new delivery-tracking process and updated the reference guide after their feedback.

Each bullet starts with an action, names a specific context, and ends with a result or a clear scope. If you have numbers but worry about getting them exactly right, our article on adding metrics without inventing them explains how to describe scale honestly.

Education, certifications and extras

Keep this section short once you have work experience. List the qualification, the institution, and the year. Certifications that are current and relevant belong here; hobbies and interests usually do not, unless they connect directly to the role. If you are early in your career, this section can move above your experience, and you can add a short projects or volunteering block.

Formatting rules that keep the file parseable

Applicant tracking systems vary widely in how well they read documents, so you cannot guarantee any outcome. You can, however, remove the most common obstacles. Think of these as housekeeping rules rather than tricks.

  • Use standard section headings such as 'Experience', 'Education' and 'Skills' rather than creative labels like 'My Journey'.
  • Save as PDF unless the employer asks for another format, and check the file opens cleanly on a phone as well as a laptop.
  • Avoid putting contact details or job titles inside headers, footers or text boxes, which some systems skip.
  • Use a common font such as Calibri, Arial or Georgia at 10 to 12 points, and keep line spacing readable.
  • Name the file clearly, for example 'Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf', rather than 'final version 3'.
  • Spell out an acronym once, then use it, so a search for either version can find you.

Practical tip: paste your finished CV into a plain text editor. If the sections still appear in a sensible order, most parsers will cope. If the text turns into a jumble, simplify the layout before you apply.

You can also run your draft through an ATS-focused builder to see how the structure holds up before you send it. That is a check, not a promise, but it catches obvious problems early.

What to change before using the template

A template that still contains the designer's sample content is a red flag to any reader. Work through this checklist before you send anything.

  • Replace every placeholder, including the sample name, phone number and email address.
  • Delete sections you have nothing real to put in, rather than padding them with filler.
  • Rewrite the summary so it names your actual role and direction.
  • Reorder the skills list so the ones in the job advert come first.
  • Convert duty-style bullets into outcome-style bullets wherever you honestly can.
  • Check that the dates line up with no unexplained gaps, and be ready to explain any that remain.
  • Read the whole document aloud once to catch awkward phrasing and repeated words.
  • Ask someone who does not know your job to read it and tell you what you do.

The most common mistakes people make with templates are subtle. They keep a two-column layout for a portal application, leave the font at the designer's default, write responsibilities instead of results, and list twenty skills when the advert names six. Fixing those four things usually improves a CV more than switching templates ever would. If you want help tightening the responsibility lines themselves, our guide on writing responsibilities that sound specific covers that in detail.

When this template is the wrong choice

Templates are not universal, and being honest about that saves time. A standard chronological template is the wrong choice when any of the following applies to you.

  • You are applying for an academic, research or medical post that expects a long CV with publications, grants and teaching history.
  • You are switching careers and your recent job titles have nothing to do with the target role, so a skills-first layout tells your story better.
  • You are applying to a creative field where a portfolio carries the weight and a conventional CV adds little.
  • You are returning after a long break and need space to explain the gap rather than hide it.
  • You are applying through a portal that explicitly asks for a specific form or format instead of a document.

In those cases, look for a functional or hybrid layout, or build a document from scratch around the sections that matter to your reader. The goal is never to use a template well; it is to be understood quickly by the person deciding whether to call you.

If you have worked through this guide and your content is solid, the next step is simply picking a layout that fits. You can browse resume templates and choose one that matches your industry and application route, then fill it using the section guidance above. If you would rather have the formatting and parsing handled for you while you focus on the words, an ATS resume builder is a sensible companion, and an AI job application assistant can help you tailor each version to the role you are chasing.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use a two-column CV template?

Two-column layouts can look sharp, but some older applicant tracking systems read them out of order and jumble your job titles with your dates. If you are applying through a large company portal, a single-column layout with clear headings is the safer choice. Keep the two-column version for roles where you know a human reads the file first, such as a small agency or a direct email application.

How long should my CV be when I use a template?

Most templates are built for one or two pages. If you have under roughly ten years of experience, aim for one page and cut anything that does not support the role you are targeting. If you have a longer career or a technical field with publications and certifications, two pages is fine. The template's page count is not a rule; your content decides the length.

Do I need to change the template's colours and fonts?

Yes, at least a little. A template that still carries the designer's default blue heading and sample photo looks unfinished. Pick one accent colour that matches your industry, use a standard readable font, and remove any placeholder image unless the employer explicitly asks for a photo. Small changes signal that you read your own document.

What file format should I save my finished CV in?

Follow the employer's instructions first. When there is no instruction, a PDF keeps your layout intact and is widely accepted. If a portal specifically asks for a Word document or a plain text file, send that instead, because some systems parse those formats more reliably. Always open the saved file once to check that nothing shifted.

turn duties into achievements

write responsibility lines that sound specific

add numbers without inventing them

check whether your file passes an ATS

Next step

Ready to put this into practice? resume templates.