Essential CV Writing Tips for Non-Native English Speakers

A standout CV has the power to transform your career journey. It’s your first chance to make a lasting impression on potential employers, showcasing your skills and achievements right from the start!

Unlock the secrets to crafting an impressive US-style CV with this comprehensive guide! Inside, you’ll find invaluable expert tips and a sample template to jumpstart your writing. Plus, we offer a detailed list of potential sections to consider, along with formatting advice to ensure your CV stands out.

What is a CV?

A CV, or “Curriculum Vitae,” is derived from Latin, meaning “course of life.” This essential document highlights your key professional accomplishments and experiences, providing a comprehensive overview of your career journey.

When applying for a job, grant, or any esteemed opportunity, you may be required to include a CV with your application.

CV vs. resume: what’s the difference? 

When applying for a job in Europe, including the UK and Australia, it’s important to know that a CV and a resume serve the same purpose. Both documents are concise summaries—typically one to two pages—that showcase your work experience and qualifications. They highlight your relevant skills and demonstrate your suitability for the position you’re seeking.

If you’re seeking opportunities in the United States, it’s important to understand that a CV is quite different from a resume. In the US, a CV is an extensive document that comprehensively outlines your academic and professional journey, including certificates, awards, memberships, conference presentations, and publications—details often omitted from a more concise resume. For mid-career professionals, CVs can span four pages or more, showcasing your expertise and authority in your field.

In this article, you’ll discover how to craft a compelling US-style CV, which is essential when applying for:

• A position at a university 
• An academic grant or scholarship
• A research position
• A position in the field of medicine

If you’re seeking a job outside the specified fields, a more tailored resume is likely what the hiring manager will favor. For tips on making your resume language pop, take a look at our article on how to make your resume language stand out. If you’re uncertain about the preferred format, don’t hesitate to reach out to the employer for clarification.

See also: our business English courses. 

How to write a CV in English

Surprisingly, there are no official guidelines dictating what should be included in a CV, despite their widespread use. This lack of rules can make the task of crafting your CV a bit more challenging, as you’ll need to rely on your own judgment to determine which sections are most pertinent to your experience and target job.

A CV is your opportunity to showcase your qualifications and establish your expertise in your chosen field. Below, we’ve outlined essential headings to consider including. Remember, you likely won’t need to use them all. For tailored advice, reviewing a few example CVs from peers in your industry can be incredibly helpful. Consider reaching out to a colleague for their CV, or take a look at our sample academic CV provided below for inspiration.

5 Tips on writing a CV in English for non-native speakers

The content of your CV largely hinges on the specific opportunity you’re pursuing. Before diving into the details, let’s explore some essential tips to help you craft a compelling resume.

1. Customize your CV for each opportunity

A CV is a comprehensive document that showcases your accomplishments and expertise in a specific field. While it can be time-consuming to craft, it’s important to avoid the temptation of reusing the same version for every opportunity. Tailoring your CV to each position can significantly enhance your chances of standing out to potential employers.

Every opportunity requires candidates to showcase unique skills. Tailoring the bullet points under your job titles or educational background is essential to demonstrate why you’re the ideal fit for each specific role. For example, if you’re an artist seeking a public commission, highlight previous projects that involved community engagement. Conversely, if you’re an academic applying for a teaching position, focus more on your teaching experiences rather than your research work. This targeted approach can significantly enhance your application.

2. Learn to use “CV speak” 

Crafting a CV can be especially challenging for non-native English speakers, as it requires a unique writing style that differs from everyday communication. To navigate this process successfully, you should:

• Avoid all use of pronouns.
• Start sentences with action verbs. 
• Avoid unnecessary adjectives. 

The goal is to distill your accomplishments into the fewest words needed for clear communication. Whenever possible, use concrete facts and figures to highlight your successes instead of lengthy descriptions. For example, if you typically present an achievement in a detailed narrative, consider simplifying it to key metrics that showcase your impact.

• Led a team of 50 archaeologists in a groundbreaking excavation near Rochester, uncovering the remains of an undocumented medieval city.

You might describe it like this on a CV:

• Directed a team of 50 archaeologists in a dig near Rochester Cathedral, uncovering previously unidentified remains of a medieval city.

“CV speak” often breaks the conventional rules of English writing, making it a challenging skill to master. Its primary goal is clarity and simplicity, allowing readers to quickly scan your career journey. By removing emotional language and excessive detail from your professional history, you highlight your accomplishments and let them stand on their own merit.

Feeling overwhelmed? Consider booking a lesson with a LingualNeeds English tutor or enrolling in corporate English training. Our experienced tutors are eager to help you refine your CV and articulate your career journey in a polished, professional manner.

3. Pick a simple layout

While there are numerous CV templates out there featuring eye-catching designs, intricate borders, and vibrant colors, it’s wise to steer clear of these unless you’re pursuing a role in a creative industry. For most positions, a clean and professional layout is more effective in showcasing your qualifications.

Keep in mind the main purpose of this document: to showcase your authority in the most straightforward manner possible. Opt for a clean and simple design. This approach not only exudes confidence but also emphasizes that your professional accomplishments speak for themselves, without the need for extravagant presentation.

Choose a simple, legible font like Arial or Times New Roman for your text, and stick to a classic black and white color scheme. To enhance clarity, incorporate basic formatting variations to distinguish between sections. You can achieve this by using lines to separate passages or by making headings slightly larger for better visibility. Remember, keeping it straightforward often yields the best results!

4. Check it several times for consistent formatting

Crafting a CV can be tricky, especially when it comes to formatting. While there’s no one-size-fits-all guideline, consistency is key to a polished appearance. For instance, if you choose to bold one subheading, make sure all other subheadings follow suit. Although there are no strict rules mandating this, uniformity helps your CV stand out in a professional way.

Creating and maintaining your own formatting guidelines for your CV can be challenging. That’s why using a template, such as the one provided in this article, can be extremely helpful. Consistency in your CV’s format involves paying attention to several key details. Here are some important aspects to keep in mind:

• Do you end your bullet points in full stops? 
• Do you write just the city of past employers, or the city and the country? 
• Do you write out numbers as words (e.g. one, two) or write them as figures (e.g. 1, 2)?  
• Are all of your subheadings in the same size font? 
• Are your dates written as “Jan,” “Feb,” “Mar,” or do you write them out in full “January,” “February,” “March?” 
• Are all of your bullet points aligned on the page? 

Spotting consistency errors in your own writing can be challenging. To improve your chances of catching these mistakes, draft your CV and then revisit it after a day or more. With fresh eyes, you’re likely to notice errors you previously overlooked. For an added layer of insight, consider asking a friend or colleague to review it as well!

5. Have a native speaker proofread

No matter how confident you are in your English skills, it’s always wise to have a native speaker review your CV. Even the most seasoned second-language writers can make mistakes in lengthy documents! A fresh set of eyes can help ensure your application is polished and professional.

An English native speaker can guide you through the quirky rules of “CV speak,” ensuring your resume stands out. They’ll also catch any missing determiners—those tricky little words that often trip people up.

Unsure who to turn to for proofreading your CV? Schedule a session with a LingualNeeds English tutor! They’re eager to help you polish your document. In this instance, meticulous attention to detail can make all the difference in landing your dream job, so it’s essential to ensure your CV is flawless!

Subheadings that every CV should include

Name

Use your full name as the title of the document. 

Address

In the following section, provide essential contact information for the organization to reach you. At the very least, include your home address, email address, and phone number. Many candidates also enhance their profiles by adding their Skype ID, LinkedIn page, or personal website, making it easier for employers to connect.

 

Professional experience

In this section, provide a clear overview of your career journey, beginning with your most recent roles. For each position, include essential details: your job title, employer, location, and the dates of employment. Organizing this information in distinct fields will enhance readability and allow for easy reference. For instance:

• Assistant Lecturer, History dept.   Bishop’s College, London   Sep 2017 – Jun 2018

To enhance your resume, consider using bullet points to highlight your key responsibilities for each job title. Tailor these points to align with the position you’re seeking. For example, when applying for a teaching role, prioritize your teaching experience and accomplishments, showcasing them prominently over any research skills. This targeted approach will make your application stand out.

To create impactful bullet points, begin each one with a past tense verb, or a present tense verb if you’re highlighting your current job role. While it may feel unusual, try to avoid using the pronoun “I” to keep your writing concise and professional.

Here are some examples:

• Conducted primary research using Canterbury Cathedral Archives.
• Lectured to classes of over 30 students on a bi-weekly basis.
• Mentored 5 third-year nursing students. 
• Compiled data from five years of field experiments. 
• Presented original research at a conference on the changing perception of women in business.

Education

Important Reminder: When crafting a CV for an academic position, prioritize your education section by placing it before your professional experience. This highlights your academic credentials, which are crucial in the academic field.

Outline your educational background, beginning with your most recent qualifications. If you hold a master’s degree or higher, skip any details below your high school diploma. Consider adding one or two bullet points highlighting significant accomplishments from each educational experience. For those with a master’s or doctoral degree, include your thesis title and the name of your supervisor. For example:

PhD History of Art Goldsmiths College of the Arts Sep 2012- Jun 2016

• Dissertation title: “The Sands of Time: 19th-century Symbolist Painters and Depictions of the British Coast throughout the Industrial Revolution
• Supervisor: Marie Arscott, History of Art Chair, Goldsmiths 

Optional subheadings for CVs

When crafting a CV for an artist’s grant application, it’s essential to highlight categories that showcase your artistic accomplishments, which may differ significantly from those needed for a postdoctoral teaching role. Focus on the achievements that best represent your unique experiences and strengths.

Research/fieldwork experience

This section is essential for academics and candidates seeking research positions. If you’ve gathered data relevant to your field, create a distinct heading for this experience, similar to how you would for employment. Always start with your most recent experience. Just like with job listings, include bullet points that highlight your key responsibilities and accomplishments. For instance:

Junior Researcher Department of Archeology, The Sorbonne Jan 2019 – Oct 2019

• Excavated site in central Paris alongside senior researchers from the department
• Classified over 170 medieval objects and fragments
• Interpreted data from geophysical survey 

Volunteer experience

In various career fields, particularly in therapy, psychology, and the humanitarian sector, having volunteer experience can be crucial. If this applies to your profession, be sure to highlight your volunteer work prominently on your CV by creating a dedicated section for it.

In various career fields, you can effectively showcase your volunteer work by categorizing it under different headings to enhance clarity. For instance, if you’re pursuing a career in academia, numerous research positions may be unpaid and can be labeled as “volunteer experience.” However, to streamline your resume, you might opt to list these roles under “research experience” for a more organized presentation.

Conference presentations 

Highlighting any industry or academic conferences where you’ve presented is crucial for showcasing your expertise. When listing these presentations, format them as you would in a research paper. Select a style guide commonly used in your discipline and familiarize yourself with its guidelines for citing lectures and presentations. For example, if you’re using the Chicago style, adhere to the following format:

• Last Name, First Name. “Presentation title.” Presentation Type, Event, City, Country, Date Conducted.

You can skip the fields for “name” and “lecture type” because it’s clear from the context that you’re the speaker and that the lecture is a presentation.

Whichever style guide you opt for, it’s crucial to maintain consistency throughout your document. For instance, if you’re using Chicago style for your conference presentations, avoid switching to APA when detailing your publications. Here’s how your conference presentations should be formatted:

• “Eating Together and Apart: The Cultural History Ghanaian Cuisine” West Africa Humanities Symposium, SOAS, London, UK, June 2018. 

Publications

When it comes to listing your publications, the approach is identical to that of your conference presentations: choose a style guide and stick to it consistently. This ensures clarity and professionalism in your work.

When collaborating with other authors on an article or book, it’s important to distinguish your name clearly. Since many referencing styles utilize italics for various elements, using bold formatting for your name is often the most effective choice. For instance:

• Smith, K. & Markus, F. (2015). “Love is the Answer: Exploring Methamphetamine-Assisted Therapy for Healing Intergenerational Trauma.” *The Scottish Journal of Pharmacology*, 134. Oxford University Press, UK.

Awards

Highlighting any awards you’ve received is essential to showcase your achievements. If you don’t have an extensive list of awards, consider merging this section with “Grants and Scholarships.” Be sure to include the award title, the organization or university that granted it, its location, and the date it was awarded. For instance:

• The Rylands Art Writing Award, The Courtauld Institute, London, UK, Jan 2017  

Grants and fellowships 

If you’ve received grants or fellowships for your work, be sure to create a concise list of these achievements. Don’t overlook smaller grants, such as travel funds and stipends, as they also highlight your dedication and resourcefulness.

Please provide the name of the grant you received, the organization that awarded it, the organization’s location, and the year you were honored with this grant. Be sure to capitalize both the grant name and the awarding body, as they are proper nouns.

• Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant, The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, New York. 2017.
• Undergraduate Travel Grant, University of Iowa, Iowa, 2020. 

Memberships / affiliations 

If your industry places significant value on professional organizations, trade associations, or unions, consider adding a section to highlight your memberships. This is especially relevant in fields such as medicine and academia, where such affiliations can enhance your credibility and showcase your commitment to professional standards.

To share your affiliations, just list the groups you belong to and include their initials in brackets at the end. There’s no need to specify a date as long as your membership is active. For instance:

• National Register of Nurses (NRR)
• European Society of Art Historians (ESAH) 
• American Association of Anthropological Researchers (AAAR) 

Professional qualifications and certificates 

This section highlights any relevant training beyond your formal education that enhances your qualifications for the position. This could include items such as driver’s licenses, language certifications, and professional development courses you’ve undertaken at work. Don’t hesitate to include any “soft skills” training, such as leadership, communication, or creative thinking courses you’ve completed, as these skills are highly valued in the workplace.

When listing your qualifications, be sure to include both the name of the qualification and the awarding body. Dates aren’t necessary unless the qualification has an expiration. For clarity, consider using a different format for the awarding body to distinguish it from the qualification name.

• Spanish B1, Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE)
• Running Social Media Campaigns for the Charity Sector, General Assembly 
• People Management 101, School of Life Amsterdam 

Don’t capitalize “driver’s licence.”

• Full, clean driver’s licence

References

References are individuals who can vouch for your expertise and skills. While many applications require you to submit references separately, it’s wise to include them at the end of your CV if the instructions don’t specify otherwise. Select 2 to 4 references, ideally those in senior positions who can speak to your capabilities. Including fewer than two may suggest a lack of professional trust, while more than four can be excessive.

If you’re an academic, ensure that one of your references is a recent supervisor; for professionals, a recent manager should be included. Don’t forget to reach out to your references beforehand to confirm that they’re comfortable with you listing their contact information on your CV. Most individuals will be more than happy to assist you!

When listing your references, be sure to include their name, job title, email address, and your relationship to them. If they’re comfortable sharing, you can also add their phone number and contact address. Here’s a sample format to guide you:

• Professor Albert Carter – Former PhD Supervisor

          Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics, University College London 

          [email protected] 

          01783 849244 (2)

Research interests 

When applying for an academic or research position, consider adding a section that outlines your research interests. While some candidates choose to highlight this at the top of their CV, right after the introduction, others find it more effective to position it at the end, following their publications and conference presentations. Ultimately, the choice depends on how you want to showcase your qualifications and create a cohesive flow in your CV.

Whether you’ve delved into these subjects before or are eager to explore them in the future, it’s essential to demonstrate your enthusiasm in an interview. You should be knowledgeable enough to engage an expert on these topics. If you’re uncertain about how to narrow down your research interests, consider checking out the profiles of academics on university websites. And don’t forget to capitalize any proper nouns!

Here’s an example: 

• Exploring Queer Modernism in European art, Bloomsbury Group applied art, oil painting in Industrial Revolution Britain, Victorian popular print and trade unionism, and Anglo-Mexican Surrealism.

Can’t think of any research interests? It’s fine to leave this section blank.

Hobbies and interests 

Many individuals choose to add a brief section about their hobbies and interests at the end of their CV, while others believe this detracts from the document’s professional tone. Notably, American universities tend to prioritize “extracurricular activities” more than their European counterparts, reflecting a broader appreciation for well-rounded candidates.

Choosing to showcase your interests outside of work is entirely up to you. If you do, keep it brief and impactful. Just as with your job descriptions, begin each statement with a strong verb and avoid using the personal pronoun “I.” For instance, you might present it like this:

• Swimming in the sea, longboarding, volunteering with womens’ charities, mountaineering.  

Personal statement 

Many individuals choose to start or end their CV with a personal statement, which is a brief overview of how they wish to portray themselves. Crafting this statement can be challenging, as it’s easy to come across as overly self-promotional. For those who speak English as a second language, it may be wise to skip this section to avoid miscommunication. However, if you believe your CV falls short in reflecting your true self, a personal statement can effectively highlight your strongest qualities.

When crafting your CV, it’s best to steer clear of pronouns. Instead, approach it as if you’re jotting down notes about an exceptionally accomplished colleague. For instance:

• A detail-oriented Art History researcher with extensive university teaching experience, including mentoring, seminar facilitation, and lecturing large classes. Published in multiple academic journals and a frequent presenter at prestigious conferences.

Example academic CV 

Opportunities await!

Congratulations on crafting the perfect CV! After meticulously writing, revising, and even seeking a second opinion, you’ve ensured your career history shines in the right format. Now, all that’s left is to submit your application and cross your fingers for the recognition you truly deserve!

Preparing for an important interview? LingualNeeds is here to help! Explore our free tips on how to ace your English interview. For personalized support, consider booking a session with one of our friendly English tutors. They can role-play interview scenarios with you and guide you in crafting fluent, thoughtful responses to challenging questions. With your dedication and their expertise, you’re just steps away from achieving your career aspirations!