𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗢 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔 𝗖𝗩 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗜𝗡 2026

𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

Many job seekers struggle to get interviews not because they are not qualified, but because their CV does not properly communicate their value to recruiters. In 2026, employers are more selective and often use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter CVs before a human even sees them.

However, in this guide, you’ll learn how to write a CV that is clear, professional, and designed to get you interviews faster.

1. 𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗔 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘 𝗖𝗩 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗧

Your CV should be easy to read and structured properly. Recruiters spend only a few seconds scanning each CV.

A good CV format includes:

√ Full name and contact information

√ Professional summary

√ Skills section

√ Work experience (or internships/volunteering)

√ Education

√ Certifications (if any), etc

Avoid using:

√ Too many colors

√ Graphics or images

√ Complicated designs that confuse ATS systems, etc

N.b: Keep CV simple and professional.

2. 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬

Your professional summary is the first thing recruiters read.

Example:

“A passionate and detail-oriented intern with strong communication and problem-solving skills, seeking an entry-level role in administration, HR, or customer service. Passionate about learning and contributing to team success.”

Make it:

√ Short (3–4 lines)

√ Clear

√ Focused on your strengths alone, etc

3. 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥

Instead of listing random skills, focus on relevant and practical ones.

Examples:

√ Communication skills

√ Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

√ Teamwork and Collaboration

√ Problem-solving

√ Time management

√ Basic AI knowledge, etc

If you have any other technical or digital skills, include them as well.

4. 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗬 (Even If You Have None)

If you don’t have formal job experience, include:

√ Internships

√ Volunteering

√ School projects

√ Freelance work

√ NYSC experience (if applicable), etc

Example:

"Assisted in organizing school events and managing student records during internship, improving administrative efficiency".

N.b:Always focus on what you achieved or contributed.

5. 𝗔𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗢𝗡 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦

Many CVs are rejected because of simple errors such as:

√ Spelling and grammar mistakes

√ Overly long CVs (more than 2 pages)

√ Irrelevant information (like hobbies that don’t add value)

√ Using unprofessional email addresses, etc

N.b: Always review your CV before sending it.

6. 𝗠𝗔𝗞𝗘 𝗜𝗧 𝗔𝗧𝗦(𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠) 𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗟𝗬

Many companies use software to screen CVs.

To pass ATS, you need to:

√ Use standard headings (e.g. "𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆")

√ Avoid images and tables

√ Use keywords from the job description

√ Save as PDF unless stated otherwise, etc

𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡

A strong CV is not about design, it is about clarity, structure, and relevance. If you follow the steps in this guide, you will significantly improve your chances of getting interview calls in 2026.

Keep improving your CV as you gain new skills and experience.