Your CV isn’t a memoir — it’s a spec sheet.
I’ve been on both sides of the hiring table in tech and I keep seeing the same issues crop up again and again.
So I decided to condense everything I’ve learned into one clear and simple guide. As a bonus, I put together a CV template to go with it.
The TL;DR
- Use a clean, readable format (no fancy colours, no 2-column designs).
- Lead with your impact.
- Show what you did, not what you were “responsible for”.
- Quantify everything: “improved p99 latency by 80%”, “increased conversion by 1.5%”.
- 1–2 pages max. PDF only. Use a real filename.
- Tailor your CV to the role (and stack) you’re applying to.
Use the Free CV Template
I’ve turned this advice into a downloadable Google Docs template you can copy and make your own. It’s based on my own CV so it’s tried, tested, and continuously improved.
Link: Download the CV Template
Full Breakdown
If you want the full article that goes into CV anatomy, red flags to avoid, and formatting tips, I’ve written that up here:
How to Write a Great Software Engineering CV
Final Thoughts
Your CV’s only job is to earn you a conversation.
Make it clean. Make it focused. Make it easy for someone to say: “We should interview this person.”
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If this helps, drop a comment or feel free to share your own CV tips below.
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