General CV Example
Looking for a flexible and fully-customisable CV template for your next job application? Your search ends here! Here at cvapp.ie, we’re focused on helping job seekers design their dream CV; and with high-quality career resources and expert-approved advice, we’ll help you take your CV to the next level.
Essential Elements of a CV (2024)
If your CV lacks a clear structure, you risk missing out on the job you're applying for. Uh oh! To captivate employers and establish credibility with your CV, it’s important to incorporate the following sections:
Header: The header contains your name and contact information, and is usually positioned at the top (or sometimes the side) of your CV. All of our CV templates include professionally designed headers and attractive design layouts, so you can say slán to bland formatting!
Professional Profile: In 3-4 sentences, the professional profile provides a brief summary of your professional experiences, accomplishments, and skills. The main objective of this section is to attract the attention of employers and encourage them to read the rest of your CV.
Employment History: This section allows potential employers to learn more about your previous work experience. Here, you can use bullet points to describe your responsibilities, accomplishments, and the skills you practised in each position.
Education: The main purpose of this section is to highlight any academic credentials, qualifications and degrees you possess – especially those that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. You can check out any of our CV templates for great examples of an education section (and all other essential CV sections!)
Skills: Your skills section should highlight any important and relevant professional skills you have. However, don’t just merely list any random skill. Instead, focus on including skills that closely match the job description. We recommend incorporating a blend of soft skills that highlight your interpersonal strengths and hard skills that showcase your technical abilities.
Selecting the right CV format:
After investing hours into crafting and formatting your CV, meticulously adjusting spacing and margins, and choosing the perfect colour scheme, you discover that your CV falls short of your expectations. This is something we see a lot at cvapp.ie, and we know how frustrating it can be! Fortunately, in this article, we’ll explore how to select a CV format that best conveys your professional strengths.
The three most common CV formats
The Chronological CV Format
This is the most common of all the CV formats. The chronological CV format emphasises your employment history section, making it the best option if you have at least three jobs to list. Here, you'll want to expand on your previous roles by describing your key responsibilities for each role. We recommend using specific examples, facts, figures and numbers to best illustrate your impact.
The Functional CV Format
We recommend using the functional CV format if you have limited professional experience since this format focuses on your professional strengths instead of your employment history. With this format, you can demonstrate how you've used your skills in past work settings. It's best for job-seekers that are new to the job market, or those contemplating a career change.
The Combination CV Format
The combination, or hybrid, CV format combines elements from the chronological and functional CV formats, offering more flexibility with your CV. We recommend this format for freelancers and independent professionals.
Having trouble deciding on a format? Check out our online CV builder: we’ll help you generate a job-winning CV in minutes.
Advantages of using our CV examples:
Our CV examples are strategically crafted for job-seekers who want to create job-winning CVs with ease. Here are some key reasons as to why our CV examples can help you land that dream job:
- Professional advice: Our team of career experts constantly monitors hiring trends to ensure our CV examples have the best career tips and professional advice. We’re here to help you succeed!
- HR-approved designs: Our design team partners with HR professionals to create layouts that attract employers' attention and help candidates stand out.
- Effortless, effective CVs: Within our online CV builder, it's now easier than ever to create a compelling CV in minutes. Our builder tools allow you to modify, edit and tailor your CV to any profession.
- AI-powered tools: Using advanced AI technology, we've developed tools to help create pre-written phrases that help create a CV that you can be proud of. Our technology will also provide you with AI-powered feedback, so you can elevate your CV to the next level.
- Wide range of templates: We've developed a wide range of CV templates to make creating an impressive and engaging CV even easier. Whether you're an accountant, an administrative, or an architect, we’ve got templates across dozens of professions and industries.
- ATS-friendly: Our CV examples are tailored to meet the requirements of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and scanners, ensuring that your CV successfully bypasses these digital gatekeepers.
Each of our CV examples is accompanied by an exclusive guide that provides valuable advice on how to create a powerful CV for your job role. Check them out on the cvapp.ie website!
CV Example Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What do employers want to see in a CV?
Employers consider a range of different factors when reviewing your CV. The CV examples on the cvapp.ie website is customised to align with these standards. Typically, employers expect well-structured design layouts and relevant work history and skills. For this reason, it's important to steer clear of faux-pas formatting, copy-and-paste content, and troublesome typos! With our professional design templates, AI-powered feedback, and carefully composed career content, we're here to help you create effortlessly outstanding CVs. Plus, with easy-to-use tools in our online builder, we make it easy to customise our CV examples to the job you’re applying for.
What if I can’t find a CV example for my job?
New CV examples are constantly being added to our CV builder. You can always reach out to us and share any specific jobs you’d like to see featured on our platform. In the meantime, feel free to explore our categories to find a CV example related to your industry.
Can I just use the same CV example for each CV I create?
While it can be tempting to simply use the same (or similar) content for every job application, most employers can spot a generic CV that hasn't been tailored to the role. Uh oh! To increase your chances of getting noticed by employers, it's best to customise your CV to the job role you’re applying for and to thoroughly review the job description.
Should I attach a cover letter to my CV?
In most cases, we suggest including a cover letter with your CV to enhance your likelihood of landing the job you're applying for. A cover letter can greatly help employers understand why you're the best candidate for the job. Since cover letters follow a free-form format, a cover letter allows you to engage with employers directly and elaborate on the information outlined in your CV.
What are the categories of CV examples?
Our CV examples are organised into general categories, including education, government, engineering, retail, legal, maintenance and repair, administrative, human resources, real estate, sales, production, accounting & finance, business & management, security & protective services, hospitality & catering, transport & logistics, transportation, medical, information technology, sport & fitness, social work, construction, beauty & wellness, and more!
You can also review our CVs in our four CV template categories: professional, modern, creative, and simple.
Are the CV examples free?
Accessing cvapp.ie's CV examples and guides is completely free of charge. While we have a free version of our online CV builder, we also provide tiered pricing options for more exclusive features. Click here for more information on cvapp.ie’s plans and pricing.
