General CV example
Looking for a solid CV example that can be modified for any position?
The sales CV sample below serves as the general starting point for your next CV, no matter how much experience you have or the field you work in.
Essential components of a CV in 2024
If your CV doesn’t contain the right sections, you’ll likely be passed over in favour of other applicants.
Here are the essential components to include on your CV in 2024:
Header: The CV header is found at the top or on the side of your CV. Its main purpose is to keep your name and contact information handy so the employer can easily set up an interview with you. The header also adds a touch of attractive formatting to your CV.
Professional summary: The CV summary or headline consists of 3-4 sentences that convey your top skills, experiences, and accomplishments. The goal of the summary is to catch the hiring manager’s attention and encourage them to keep reading your CV.
Employment history: This is the place to list your previous positions, along with bullet points that explain your duties, accomplishments, and the skills used in each job.
Education: Your education section lists degrees, awards, and diplomas in order to give the employer a sense of your background and qualifications for the role.
Skills: The skills section is the place to highlight your unique attributes or areas of expertise. Make sure to focus both on hard skills (technical knowledge) and soft skills (personality traits.)
Choosing the right CV example format
When it comes to choosing the right CV format, it’s important to think about the amount of experience you have to show, the type of job you are applying for, and the hiring manager’s expectations.
Here are three different CV sample formats to choose from:
Chronological CV format
The chronological — also known as reverse chronological — CV format is the “standard” structure that most hiring managers will expect to see. This format focuses on the employment history section, where you can list previous positions and create bullet points that explain your key qualifications for the role.
We recommend this format as the best choice for professionals and anyone with at least three previous jobs to show.
Functional CV format
The functional CV format is best suited to students and first-time job seekers because it places less emphasis on previous experience.
Instead, your CV begins with the skills section, where you can describe your key attributes and how you’ve applied those skills in other experiences.
Combination CV format
The combination, or hybrid, CV format is exactly what it sounds like — a combination of the previous two CV formats, which offers maximum flexibility when assembling your CV.
This format is best suited to freelancers and other independent professionals.
Not sure which format to choose? Within our CV builder, you can create and save different versions of your CV so that the right format is always at your fingertips.
Advantages of using our CV samples for job applications
Our CV samples are designed to help today’s job seekers land their next great positions.
Our team of expert career writers take care to craft each CV sample to the field and level of experience needed for the job.
Here are just some of the reasons why our CV examples stand out above the rest:
- Expert advice: Our writing team closely monitors today’s hiring trends to make sure our CV samples are packed full of the best possible tricks and tips for your next job application.
- HR-approved layouts: Our design team works in collaboration with HR professionals to create layouts that stand out to employers and give candidates an edge in crowded applicant pools.
- Quicker and easier: Our CV samples integrate seamlessly into our CV builder, where you can easily modify your experience, change the layout, and download a perfect CV in a few clicks.
- AI sample sentences and feedback: We’ve harnessed the power of AI to create hundreds of sample sentences that can give your CV a boost no matter what industry you work in. We also provide AI-powered feedback to help you be sure your CV is ready for submission.
- Wide variety of templates: We know that different jobs require different approaches, which is why we’ve created CV templates to match roles from accountant to waitress – and everything in between.
- ATS-friendly: We make sure our CV samples are compatible with today’s CV scanners and ATS software. Read more about it here.
Each one of our 300+ CV examples is accompanied by a guide that provides in-depth information on how to write the best possible CV for your job title.
Our guides are 100 per cent free to use, so make sure to take advantage of them and share them with other job seekers!
CV example FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What are employers’ expectations from a CV?
Employers have a few things they look for when evaluating an applicant’s CV. First, they look for a clean and organised structure. As they read the information, they make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors.
They also want to see that the applicant has a good understanding of the role and the company. Resume.io’s CV samples are designed with these criteria in mind. Our professional layouts, combined with expertly written CV samples, can help you create a perfect CV that impresses employers.
Common pitfalls to avoid in CVs
The most common pitfalls to avoid on your CV are poor formatting, spelling and grammar mistakes, a disorganised layout, and a generic CV. Luckily, Resume.io’s CV samples and templates are specifically designed to help you avoid all of these errors.
Once you’ve chosen from our hundreds of unique CV samples, open it inside our intuitive CV builder, where you can choose a clean layout and use our AI-powered sample sentences and spell check to create a successful CV in minutes.
Do I need a cover letter to match my CV?
We recommend submitting a cover letter with your CV whenever possible in order to increase your chances of landing the position.
That’s why we offer dozens of cover letter samples and templates. To make the best possible first impression, choose a matching CV and cover letter template from our professionally designed collections — modern, professional, simple, and creative.
Can I customise the CV example for my needs?
Yes, every one of our 300+ CV examples was designed to be modified for your own employment history and qualifications.
Just open it inside our easy-to-use CV builder tool, where you’ll be able to change the section headings, bullet points, colour, line spacing, and more.
What should I do if a specific CV example isn't available for my job?
We’re always adding new jobs and employer-specific CV samples, so there’s a good chance that your job title will be available soon.
You can also shoot us a note to let us know about a job title you’d like to see online. In the meantime, try browsing the categories to see if we currently offer a job title that’s related to yours.
Can you use the same CV example for every application?
While you can start with the same CV example as the base for every application, we highly recommend that you customise it for the job description of the role you are applying to.
This is the best way to ensure you stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of landing the position.
Visual expectations for a CV in 2024
When it comes to what hiring managers expect from the visuals of your CV in 2024, sometimes less is more. Recruiters are most concerned with being able to find the information they are looking for, so we recommend going for a clean, organised template that highlights your most impressive accomplishments.
That being said, if you work in a creative field, you may opt for a creative CV template to showcase your personality and style.
What are the categories of CV examples?
Our CV examples are divided into broad 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 other.
You can also browse our template categories, which are professional, modern, creative, and simple.
Are the CV examples free?
Resume.io’s CV examples and the corresponding CV guides are 100% free to view. Our CV builder comes with a free version along with tiered pricing plans.
