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 CV Writing Format Guide for Indian Job Seekers

What’s Wrong With Your CV?

Have you ever sent out dozens of CVs and heard nothing back? You’re not alone. Every day, thousands of talented Indian professionals miss out on interviews—not because they lack skills, but because their CV doesn’t speak well enough for them. 

A flat-style illustration of a professional male figure surrounded by various documents, resumes, files, and folders, representing job applications, recruitment, or career development.
A hand-drawn illustration of a résumé scroll surrounded by icons representing education (graduation cap), achievements (star ribbon), work experience (briefcase), and time management (clock), with arrows pointing towards the résumé.

What is the Right CV Writing Format?

  1. Header: Name, phone number, professional email, LinkedIn (optional)
  2. Professional Summary: A 2–3 sentence pitch about your experience and what you’re looking for
  3. Key Skills: Bullet points with your core competencies
  4. Work Experience: Most recent job first, with achievements
  5. Education: Degree, institute name, year of passing
  6. Certifications / Projects: Relevant courses or work
  7. Languages / Tools: Especially helpful in tech or BPO roles
  8. Personal Info (Optional): DOB, location, hobbies (only if relevant)

Real Examples of CVs That Got Interview Calls

Fresh Graduate from Pune – First Job Offer in 2 Weeks

An engineering student from MIT Pune came to me frustrated after applying to 40+ jobs. His CV was overly long and full of college projects irrelevant to the roles. We revamped it using a clean cv writing format sample, focusing on internships and soft skills. He got 3 interview calls within 10 days of applying.

 Mid-Career Finance Professional in Delhi

She had 8 years of experience but no calls from MNCs. We used a cv preparation checklist and tools like Zety to reformat her CV and reword her achievements using data and action verbs. In 3 weeks, she landed interviews with two Big 4 firms.

A cartoon-style illustration of a smiling young professional holding a well-designed resume, showcasing a colorful and structured layout.
Illustration of multiple hands holding up colorful resumes, symbolizing job applications and competition in the hiring process.

Quick Tips for a Better CV

  1. Tailor your CV for each job—use keywords from the job description

  2. Use action verbs: Managed, Led, Improved, Reduced

  3. Quantify achievements: “Reduced costs by 15%”, “Managed a team of 10”

  4. Check formatting examples on trusted platforms like Canva, ResumeGenius, or Novoresume

  5. Use a cv making website for templates—but customise it to your voice


Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best CV format for freshers?

Use a skills-based format with focus on internships, academic projects, and soft skills.

Should I use colour in my CV?

Minimal use of colour is fine, especially for design or marketing roles. Stick to professional tones.

Is it okay to use a cv making website?

Yes, websites like Zety, Canva, and Novoresume offer great templates. Just don’t forget to customise.

ATS vs Non-ATS CV

An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) CV is designed to be read by software used by recruiters to filter candidates. It uses clean formatting, standard headings, and job-specific keywords so the system can scan it easily. In contrast, a non-ATS CV might look stylish with design elements, tables, or fancy fonts—but these often confuse the software and lead to rejection before a human ever sees it. For Indian job seekers applying through portals like FitmyJob or LinkedIn, using an ATS-friendly format improves your chances of getting shortlisted.