How to Create a High-Quality Resume in English: A Step-by-Step CV Writing Guide

Do you dream of joining an international team and landing the perfect job, but are not sure how to properly format a resume in English? We are ready to help! We have prepared a useful guide with key recommendations: how best to structure and present information in a CV to interest a recruiter and receive that longed-for “job offer”. In this article you will find practical tips, ready-made templates, and the basic rules for writing a resume in English.

Main differences between an English CV and a Ukrainian resume

Today the conceptual difference between a resume and a CV is becoming increasingly blurred. In Ukraine few people are aware of these distinctions, whereas in the West resumes are becoming shorter. Candidates are evaluated primarily not as individual personalities but as part of a working team. Recruitment is handled mainly by recruiters who search for resumes online using keywords and ignore secondary details.

Some employers require a “detailed resume”. By this they mean a CV and expect a detailed description of your professional path. Others, on the contrary, want a concise but substantive resume and immediately set aside documents that take up more than one page.

If you are applying for a position at a Ukrainian or international company, it is better to clarify in advance what the employer expects to see — a resume or a CV — regardless of what they call it.

Key points for creating an effective resume in English: structure and required sections

The content of your CV largely depends on the vacancy you are applying for. Before diving into details, here are a few general recommendations.

Adapt the CV to the specific vacancy.

A CV is a document in English that covers all your achievements in a particular field, the business environment. Creating it takes a lot of time, so you might be tempted to use the same template for all applications.

However, candidates should demonstrate different skills for each vacancy. For example, if you are a philologist and applying to contribute to a reference book, highlight previous work related to periodicals with a bulleted list, etc. If you want to become a copywriter, emphasize cases of your commercial-text work rather than philological experience.

Master the “CV language”

Writing a CV is especially difficult for those whose native language is not English, since the style used here is not typical of everyday writing. Follow these rules:

• Avoid pronouns.
• Start sentences with action verbs.
• Do not use unnecessary adjectives.

The goal is to briefly describe achievements using a minimum of words. Rely on facts and figures rather than descriptions. For example, instead of:

“The CV language” contains many standard English rules, so it is not easy to master. Remember: simplicity is key. A CV should make your career path easy to perceive. By excluding emotions or details, you emphasize that your achievements speak for themselves.

Choose a simple template

Today no one composes a resume from scratch; people take a ready-made template from the internet. There are many templates with bright designs, frames, and colors. Avoid them. The essence of a CV is to clearly demonstrate your competence.

Use a standard font (Arial or Times New Roman) and stick to a black-and-white palette. Formatting will help highlight sections, but stick to a basic style: separate blocks with lines or make headings larger.

Apply consistent formatting

One of the inconveniences of an English CV is the lack of universal formatting rules. However, if the document is formatted inconsistently, it will look untidy. It is difficult to establish your own rules, so use templates. Pay attention to:

• Do you put a period at the end of bulleted points and sections?
• Do you indicate only the employer's city, or the city and country?
• Do you write numbers as words (one, two) or as digits (1, 2)?
• Is the font the same in all subheadings?
• Do you abbreviate dates (“Jan”, “Feb”) or write them in full (“January”, “February”)?
• Are all list items aligned?

Most people do not notice their own mistakes. Write a draft of the CV, and check it again after a day — you will definitely find flaws.

Ask a native speaker to check your CV

Even if you know English well , always involve native speakers for proofreading. Even experienced authors make mistakes in long texts. And native speakers will help understand the nuances of “CV language” and find errors with articles or other small details.

How to properly describe work experience, achievements, and skills in English

To make your resume in English look professional, follow a few rules:

• Use action verbs: managed, implemented, optimized, achieved.
• Specify results: “Increased sales by 20% in six months” sounds much better than “Responsible for sales”.
• Emphasize skills: include only those relevant to the position.

Below is a table of examples of effective phrasing for resumes:

Common mistakes when creating a resume in English

Even though native speakers sometimes confuse words and make grammatical mistakes, for a recruiter, spelling errors in a resume are like a warning signal. Here are five of the most common mistakes—avoid them.

Confusion between effect and affect

Effect — noun: "result, impact." Example: "The new policy had a noticeable effect on employee morale" ("The new policy had a noticeable impact on employee morale").

Affect — verb: "to influence." Example: "Seasonal demand affects our inventory planning" ("Seasonal demand influences our inventory planning").

Simply: affect — action, effect — consequence.

Mixing up advice and advise

This pair of words is a classic trap for resume writers. Advice — noun: "recommendation." Advise — verb: "to advise."

Write: "I advised the team" ("I gave advice to the team") or "Provided key pieces of advice" ("Provided important advice").

Incorrect choice between farther and further

Even native speakers often confuse these words, as historically they were interchangeable.

Farther — for physical distance: "The new warehouse is farther from the city center than the old one" ("The new warehouse is located farther from the city center than the old one").

Further — for progress or abstract meanings: "We need further training to master the software" ("We need additional training to master the software").

Errors in spellinginitiative

"Initiative" is a must-have word in a resume. But, according to TheKnowledgeAcademy, as many as 32% of candidates spell it incorrectly—just "phonetically." The easy way: spell it out—no mistakes.

Incorrect use of i.e. and e.g.

These Latin abbreviations are a frequent problem.

I.e. (id est) — "that is," for clarification: "Optimized logistics (i.e. reduced delivery time by 20%)" ("Optimized logistics (that is, reduced delivery time by 20%)").

E.g. (exempli gratia) — "for example": "Managed PR campaigns (e.g. product launches, media tours)" ("Managed PR campaigns (for example, product launches, media tours)").

Examples of phrasing that look professional to a recruiter

Today, recruiters at large companies review dozens of resumes daily, spending only 15–20 seconds on each. In this minimal time, your document must catch attention, intrigue, and encourage full review. This is the essence of the "20-second rule"—key in this case.

How to do it:

• Key information—right at the start. From the first lines, explain who you are, your experience, and your strengths.
• Design—clean and simple. No excessive decorations, fancy fonts, or colored inserts—just clear structure for quick scanning.
• Focus on achievements and core information, not duties. Numbers, results, concise phrases—these grab attention in seconds.
• Use lists instead of continuous text. Recruiters scan, not read, so bulleted blocks work more effectively.
• Impression forms instantly. If you don’t catch attention in 20 seconds—the resume is closed, and the next one is opened.

Even strong experience can be devalued by typical errors in an English CV, which reduce chances of an interview and create an unprofessional impression. Avoid unnecessary personal data, clichés without examples, long paragraphs, errors, excessive information, mismatch with the vacancy, overdesign, and falsehoods.

A successful resume is concise, informative, emphasizes key points, and shows professional restraint, demonstrating competence and respect for the employer. Following the rules of how to create a CV in English will help you receive a positive response.

Example of a Resume in English

Finally, we offer you a text example of how to create a resume in English:

Contact information
Name: Daria Shevchenko
Email: daria.shevchenko.marketing@gmail.com
Phone: +38 068 987 65 43
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/daria-shevchenko-marketing
Location: Lviv, Ukraine

Professional summary
Results-oriented Digital Marketing Specialist with 4 years of experience in managing social media campaigns, boosting brand visibility, and increasing audience engagement. Seeking opportunities to apply my expertise to grow a forward-thinking company’s online presence and strengthen customer relationships.

Work experience

Social Media Specialist
Bright Ideas Agency, Lviv, Ukraine
March 2021 — Present

• Developed and executed social media strategies for 12 clients across lifestyle, e-commerce, and tech industries
• Boosted client engagement by 75% using creative campaigns and influencer collaborations
• Analyzed performance metrics using Google Analytics and Meta Business Suite to optimize content strategy
• Coordinated with designers and content writers to maintain brand consistency across platforms

Junior Marketing Coordinator
Creative Hub Studio, Lviv, Ukraine
September 2019 — February 2021

• Managed content scheduling on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Assisted in paid social campaigns, achieving a 35% increase in click-through rates
• Grew Instagram community from 500 to 4,500 followers in 5 months

Education
Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
Bachelor’s in Marketing
2015 — 2019

Skills

Hard skills:

• Content strategy & creation
• Social media advertising (Meta Ads, TikTok Ads)
• Copywriting & brand storytelling
• Analytics tools (Google Analytics, Meta Insights)

Soft skills:

• Communication
• Time management
• Creativity
• Team collaboration

Certifications / Courses
Social Media Marketing Strategy & Ads
HubSpot Academy
Completed: April 2023

Digital Marketing Fundamentals
Coursera
Completed: August 2022

Languages
English — B2
Ukrainian — Native

Additional Information

• Volunteer social media coordinator for local non-profit campaigns
• Hobbies: travel photography, writing lifestyle articles for personal blog