Quick answer: the standard professional CV format is 1) contact details, 2) professional summary, 3) work experience (newest first), 4) education, 5) skills, 6) certifications, languages and extras. Keep it to 1–2 pages, use a clean 10–12 pt font and send it as a PDF.
The 3 CV formats (and which one to choose)
| Format | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse-chronological | Lists your jobs from newest to oldest. Experience is the main section. | Most job seekers with steady work history. The safest choice for ATS. |
| Functional (skills-based) | Groups your experience by skill instead of by job. | Career changers or people with gaps — but many recruiters distrust it. |
| Combination (hybrid) | A strong skills summary at the top, followed by reverse-chronological experience. | Experienced professionals and technical roles with many skills. |
Our recommendation: use reverse-chronological unless you have a strong reason not to. If you are changing careers, a combination format with a skills section near the top is a safer alternative to a purely functional CV.
Standard CV format: section by section
1. Contact details
Your full name (largest text on the page), job title, phone number with country code, a professional email address, city and country, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link. You do not need your full street address.
Priya Sharma · Digital Marketing Executive
+91 98xxx xxxxx · priya.sharma@email.com · Pune, India · linkedin.com/in/priyasharma
2. Professional summary
Two to four lines that say who you are, how much experience you have, your key strengths and what you want next. Tailor it for each application using words from the job advert.
Digital marketing executive with 4 years of experience running SEO and paid social campaigns for e-commerce brands. Grew organic traffic 140% in 12 months at ShopKart. Looking to lead performance marketing for a fast-growing D2C company.
3. Work experience
For each job, write the job title, company, location and dates (month and year), then 3–5 bullet points. Start each bullet with an action verb and include a result or number wherever you can.
Marketing Executive — ShopKart, Pune · 06/2022 – Present
- Increased organic traffic by 140% in 12 months through technical SEO and content clusters.
- Managed a monthly ad budget of ₹8 lakh with an average ROAS of 4.2.
- Trained 3 junior team members on Google Analytics 4 and Looker Studio.
4. Education
Degree, institution, location and graduation year. Add your grade, percentage or CGPA if it is strong or if you graduated in the last 3 years. Experienced candidates can keep this section short.
5. Skills
List 6–12 skills that match the job: software, tools, languages, certifications and a few relevant soft skills. Avoid vague words like "hard-working" without proof.
6. Optional sections
- Certifications – with the issuing body and year.
- Languages – with your level (native, fluent, intermediate).
- Projects – essential for freshers, developers and designers.
- Awards, publications, volunteering – if relevant to the role.
- References – "Available on request" is enough unless the employer asks.
Skip the formatting — our templates already follow this structure.
Use the Professional templateCV length, fonts, margins and file type
| Length | 1 page (freshers, under 5 years) · 2 pages (most professionals) · longer for academic CVs |
|---|---|
| Font | Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Roboto, Lato, Georgia or Garamond |
| Font size | 10–12 pt body · 12–14 pt headings · 14–20 pt name |
| Margins | 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1 inch) on all sides |
| Paper size | A4 (most countries) · US Letter (USA, Canada) |
| File type | PDF with selectable text, named like Priya-Sharma-CV.pdf |
CV format by country
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
A 1–2 page reverse-chronological CV is standard. A professional photo is common but optional. Some employers still expect a short personal details section (date of birth, nationality, languages) — include it only if the job advert or local norms require it. Freshers should list academic percentages or CGPA.
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Gulf
Recruiters often expect a photo, nationality, visa status and notice period, because these affect hiring decisions. Two pages is normal. Mention UAE or GCC experience prominently. See CV maker with photo.
United Kingdom and Ireland
Two pages maximum, no photo, no date of birth or marital status. Use "CV" (not resume) and include a personal statement at the top.
USA and Canada
The document is called a resume: usually one page (two for senior roles), US Letter size, no photo and no personal details. Focus on measurable achievements and ATS keywords.
Europe
Formats vary: Germany and parts of Central Europe often expect a photo; the Netherlands and Nordics prefer short, direct CVs. The EU's Europass format is accepted but a modern well-designed CV usually makes a better impression in the private sector.
Common CV format mistakes
- Putting key details in a header or text box – some ATS software skips them.
- Inconsistent dates – pick one style (e.g. 06/2022) and use it everywhere.
- Paragraphs instead of bullets – recruiters skim; bullets are faster to read.
- Listing duties, not results – "Managed social media" is weaker than "Grew Instagram followers from 2k to 25k in 9 months".
- Unprofessional email addresses – use firstname.lastname@…
- Sending a Word file that breaks – export to PDF so the layout never changes.
Free CV templates in the professional format
Each of these follows the structure above. Pick one, replace the sample text and download your PDF.
Professional CV Template
A clean two-column CV with a blue header, photo and a skills sidebar. Our most popular template for office, banking, sales and admin jobs.
Strong CV Template
A centred, traditional one-page resume with no photo or graphics. One of our most ATS-friendly resume formats.
Executive CV Template
A polished single-column CV with skill tags under the header. Made for managers, directors and senior professionals.
Analyst CV Template
A light, single-column CV with no photo and teal headings. A safe, ATS-friendly choice for finance, data, consulting and IT jobs.