16 June 2026
Over the past few years, I've changed professions more than four times — not companies, professions. Today, I lead a growing design team, which means one thing: I review a lot of CVs. After going through dozens of them, I started noticing a pattern. A very common one. One that often leads to rejection before the conversation even begins.
The mistake most people make
Most people don't actually write CVs — they write job descriptions. You open a resume and see lines like conducted research, collaborated with stakeholders, worked with developers. On paper, it looks fine. In reality, it says very little. Because that's what you're already expected to do. If you're applying for a role, I assume you know the fundamentals. Listing them doesn't make you stand out — it mostly fills space.
So what actually matters?
Impact. Not what you were assigned to do, but what changed because you did it.
Consider two CVs for the same role. One says: "I can play guitar. I know music theory. I can change strings." Technically correct — but not particularly useful. Another says: "Played in a band for five years. Released original music. Helped shape the sound, contributed to songwriting, and participated in mixing and mastering." Same role. Completely different perception. The second communicates involvement, ownership, and experience — it gives the reader something concrete to hold onto. That's what strong CVs tend to do.
Responsibilities vs results
Most CVs are built around responsibilities. Stronger ones are built around outcomes. And results don't have to be dramatic — they just need to be specific. "Worked on improving user experience" sounds generic. "Redesigned onboarding and increased conversion from 30% to 45%" immediately tells a clearer story. As long as it's accurate, the message lands: you think in terms of outcomes, not activity.
Context matters more than people realize
Another thing candidates often underestimate is context. Listing a company name without explanation only works if the company is globally recognizable — otherwise, it's simply a name. Adding one short line changes everything. Instead of only naming the company, explain what it does. It gives meaning to your work and helps the reader understand the environment you operated in. Without context, even strong experience can feel surprisingly vague.
You probably have five seconds
Your CV is usually not being studied — it's being scanned. In many cases, it receives only a few seconds of attention before someone decides whether to continue or move on. Sometimes software filters it before a human even sees it. That means your job is not to impress through volume. Your job is to communicate value, clearly and quickly. If someone can't understand why you matter within a short glance, they're unlikely to spend extra time figuring it out.
A structure that tends to work
There's no perfect template, but there is a structure that consistently performs well. Start with your name, contact details, and relevant links — make them easy to find. Add a short summary, two or three lines explaining who you are, what you do, and what kind of role you're targeting. A skills section can help too, especially if your CV may pass through automated systems.
Then comes the most important part: experience. For each role, briefly explain the company, then highlight your key contributions — not responsibilities, but highlights. What improved, changed, shipped, grew, or became possible because you were there. Everything else — education, certificates, additional information — is usually secondary.
Less is more
Length is another thing people often overestimate. Unless you're applying for a senior executive position, your CV rarely needs to be long — in many cases, one page is enough. Constraints force clarity, clarity removes noise, and a document that's easy to scan already has a significant advantage.
Final thought
A strong CV doesn't try to prove everything. It simply makes it easy for someone to understand your value and say: "Yes — this person is worth a conversation." That's enough.
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21 May 2026