How to write a CV that gets shortlisted

A recruiter often spends only seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to read on. That is the reality your CV has to survive. Getting shortlisted is less about listing everything you have done and more about making the right things obvious, fast, to both a busy human and the software that may screen you first.

Tailor it to the role

The most common reason a CV fails is that it was sent unchanged to every job. Employers can tell, and so can the screening systems many use. Read the job description, identify what the role actually needs, and make sure your CV shows those things clearly and near the top. You are not lying or padding, you are foregrounding the parts of your genuine experience that matter for this job.

Lead with impact, not duties

Anyone in your old role had the same responsibilities. What sets you apart is what you achieved. Wherever you can, turn a duty into a result:

• Instead of “responsible for social media,” write what changed, such as growing an audience or lifting engagement by a clear amount.
• Instead of “managed a team,” say what the team delivered under you.
• Use numbers where you have them, because a specific figure stands out and carries weight.

Make it easy to scan

A recruiter reads in a quick sweep, so structure the page for that. Use clear headings, short bullet points, and consistent formatting. Put the most relevant experience where the eye lands first. Avoid dense paragraphs, unusual fonts, and clever layouts that can confuse both readers and screening software. Clean and clear beats creative for most roles.

Get past the screening software

Many employers use systems that scan CVs before a person sees them. To work with rather than against them:

• Use the keywords and phrasing from the job description where they honestly apply to you.
• Stick to a standard, simple layout that software can read.
• Avoid putting key information only inside images, tables, or headers, which some systems miss.

Keep it the right length

For most non-academic roles, one to two pages is the norm. Enough to show your relevant experience, not so much that the important parts get buried. Cut old, minor, or unrelated roles down to a line or remove them. Every item on the page should earn its place by helping your case for this job.

Check the details

Small errors do real damage, because they suggest carelessness. Proofread carefully, then have someone else read it, since a fresh pair of eyes catches what you have stopped seeing. Make sure your contact details are correct and your dates line up. A single typo will not always sink you, but on a close call it can.

Treat the CV as a targeted argument for one specific role rather than a full record of your career. Tailor it, lead with results, make it easy to scan, and keep it clean, and you give yourself the best possible chance of surviving those first few seconds and landing on the shortlist.