Your CV is often the document that decides whether you get an interview, so it is worth getting right. If you are writing one for the first time, or your current CV feels tired, this guide takes you through each section step by step. There is a free Enna CV template to download at the end.
What is a CV?
CV stands for curriculum vitae, Latin for “course of life”. In practice it is a short document that sums up your education, work experience, skills and achievements for an employer.
There is a lot of conflicting advice out there about what to include. The guidance below is the approach we recommend to the neurodivergent jobseekers we support.
How long should a CV be?
It depends on where you are in your career. As a rough guide:
School leavers
One page is usually enough. Focus on your education, any part-time work, and volunteering or activities that show relevant skills.
Graduates
Aim for one and a half to two pages. With limited work experience, lead with relevant modules, projects, internships and volunteering.
Professionals
Once you have some work history behind you, about two pages is right.
Experienced professionals
Two to three pages may be needed to cover your experience, but keep cutting anything that isn’t relevant to the role.
What to include
A strong CV has six parts:
- Contact details: your name, phone number and email address
- Personal profile: a short statement about who you are and what you are looking for
- Work history: your previous roles, with responsibilities and achievements
- Key skills: the main things you can do that matter for the role
- Education: your qualifications, plus relevant courses and projects
- References: a single line saying they are available on request
Writing each section
Start with a clean, clear template. You can download the Enna CV template at the bottom of this page and work through the sections below.
Contact details
Put your contact details at the top so employers can reach you easily. You only need:
- your name at the top of the page (there is no need to write “CV” or “curriculum vitae”)
- a phone number you can answer during the working day
- a professional email address
You don’t need to include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality. The National Careers Service guide to CV sections gives the same advice.
Personal profile
Your personal profile, sometimes called a personal statement, is a few lines at the top of your CV that sum up your skills, achievements and career goals. Its job is to make the employer want to keep reading.
A good personal profile covers three things:
- Career goals: what you want to do next and why this role fits
- Relevant experience: a quick summary of what you have done that relates to the job
- Skills: the strengths you would bring to the role
Work history
This is where you show what you have done and what you achieved. Paid work, volunteering and work experience all count.
- Start with your most recent role and work backwards.
- Give your job title.
- Name the organisation you worked for.
- Add the month and year you started and finished. If you still work there, write the start date followed by “present”.
- Use bullet points for your main responsibilities.
- Wherever you can, include achievements, ideally with numbers.
Education
List your qualifications, plus any relevant coursework, research or projects.
- Start with your most recent qualification and work backwards.
- Name the school, college, university or training provider and the qualification you gained.
- Add the month and year you started and finished.
Key skills
Employers often look closely at this section to decide who goes through to the next stage. You don’t need to list everything. Pick five to ten skills that match the role.
There are two kinds of skill worth including:
Hard skills are specific to a job or industry and usually learned through study or training, such as project management, data analysis or a particular piece of software.
Soft skills are about how you work with people and approach tasks, such as communication, problem solving or leadership. They transfer across roles and industries.
Many neurodivergent people have particular strengths, such as pattern spotting, deep focus on a subject or creative thinking. If they are relevant to the job, say so.
References
Employers usually ask for references after an interview, not before. You don’t need to put your referees’ names or contact details on your CV. A single line at the bottom saying “References available on request” is enough, and if you are short of space you can leave it out.
When the time comes, check with your referees before you share their details.
CV do’s and don’ts
Next steps
Once you have a first version, the real gains come from adapting it to each role. Our guide to tailoring your CV for each job shows you how, and our CV writing tips for neurodivergent jobseekers cover the finer points. If you are autistic, you may also find our guide on building a CV as an autistic adult useful. When you are ready to apply, our cover letter tips will help with the next document.
Download the Enna CV Template (Word document)
How Enna can help
Your new CV is ready for its first outing. Search current vacancies on the Enna jobs board, which lists roles from employers committed to neurodivergent hiring, and register for job alerts so you don’t miss a good fit. For more guidance on presenting your skills, see our help with your CV page.
