How to Write the Work Experience Section of Your CV
For most candidates, the work experience section is where the interview is won or lost. It's also where people make the most mistakes — listing duties instead of results, or burying their best work in a wall of text. Here's how to write it so a recruiter sees your value in seconds.
Pick the right order for your situation
Reverse-chronological — newest job first — is the default and what recruiters and ATS expect. If you have employment gaps or you're switching fields, a skills-led (functional) layout can shift focus to what you can do. A combined format works when you have a strong, continuous history.
Whichever you choose, each entry needs the same header: job title, company, location, and start–end dates. Be consistent with date formatting throughout.
Write achievements, not a job description
Under each role, add three to five bullets — and make them results, not responsibilities. Anyone can be "responsible for managing social media." Far fewer can say "Grew Instagram following from 4k to 22k in eight months, driving 15% of new signups."
Use the simple formula: strong verb + what you did + the measurable result. Lead with the verb, end with the number.
Quantify everything you honestly can
Numbers turn vague claims into proof. Percentages, amounts, team sizes, timeframes, and volumes all work: "reduced costs by 18%," "led a team of 9," "shipped 3 releases per quarter." If you don't have exact figures, a reasonable, honest estimate is still stronger than no number.
Tailor and trim for the role
Mirror the keywords from the job description where they genuinely apply — the ATS and the recruiter both reward the match. Give your most relevant roles the most space, and compress or drop old, unrelated jobs. Recent and relevant beats complete.
Polish your bullets with write.cv
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