A strong CV will give you the chance to impress prospective employers in an interview. Ireland has a competitive job market, and a weak CV will quickly remove you from the running. Here, we'll look at what your CV should have, how you can write one, and how to make sure it's ready for submission.
Key Takeaways
- Employers in Ireland prioritise clarity, relevance, and structure over creativity or length when reviewing CVs
- A strong CV is usually one to two pages long and tailored to the requirements of the job description
- The professional profile should clearly explain suitability for the role and encourage the recruiter to keep reading
- Education and work experience should be presented differently depending on career stage
- Clear formatting and relevant keywords improve readability and performance in applicant tracking systems
- A final review helps catch errors and ensures the CV is accurate, focused, and ready to submit
What Employers in Ireland Expect From a CV
Employers are looking at your CV to see if you're worth shortlisting for an interview. This means you should be clear and include relevant information. Structure is more critical than creativity or length.
- Be no longer than one to two pages
- Clearly match the requirements listed in the job description
- Include a focused professional profile rather than a generic summary
- Highlight relevant experience and achievements, not just duties
- Use clear headings and simple formatting
- Be easy to scan both manually and by applicant tracking systems
CV vs Resume and Choosing the Right CV Layout
While CV and resume are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ. Choosing the correct layout for the job is essential, especially when applying to international employers. Prioritise clarity and relevance!
In Ireland, the term CV is used almost universally, while resume is more common in the United States. Irish CVs are typically one to two pages long, focus on education, experience, and skills, and rarely include a photograph unless explicitly requested. Most employers expect a clear, text-based layout that works well with applicant tracking systems, with creative layouts reserved mainly for design-led roles.
Writing a Professional Profile That Gets Read
The short paragraph at the top of your document should explain who you are, what you offer, and how you're right for the role, even if this is your first job. It helps contextualise your CV and encourages the recruiter to keep reading. Avoid broad, generic statements like 'hard-working' and 'motivated,' and focus on role-specific ideas.
seconds on an initial scan of a CV, just enough time to decide whether it's worth a deeper review.
Education and Work Experience: What to Include and How to Present It
Education and work experience are the core of most people's CVs. How you present this information will depend on where you are in your career and the role you're applying for, much as your resignation will matter when you leave. Inexperienced applicants will likely focus on education, whilst experienced candidates will let their work experience do the talking.
The structure of a CV should reflect career stage: students and graduates usually prioritise education, coursework, internships, and part-time work, while experienced candidates place greater emphasis on professional roles and achievements. Adjusting the balance between education and experience ensures the most relevant information appears first for the role being applied for.
CV Examples for Students and Graduates
Every CV should be adapted to the role you're applying to. You can always use a broad template structure, so you don't have to start from scratch for every application and cover letter. Rather than copying a CV you find online, try building your own from these structure templates we've provided for you.
Student or Graduate CV
Best for:
School leavers, university students, recent graduates, career changers with limited experience
- Education is placed near the top, including degree title, institution, and expected or achieved results
- Relevant coursework, academic projects, internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer work are used to demonstrate transferable skills
- Skills sections focus on practical abilities, software knowledge, and communication rather than senior-level achievements
- CV length is usually one page, prioritising clarity and relevance over detail
Professional or Experienced CV
Best for:
Candidates with several years of relevant work experience
- Work experience appears first, with roles listed in reverse chronological order
- Bullet points focus on responsibilities, achievements, and measurable outcomes where possible
- Education is included more concisely, with less emphasis on grades unless directly relevant
- CV length may extend to two pages, provided all information adds clear value
Skills, Keywords, ATS Screening and CV Formatting Rules
Whether or not your CV is shortlisted will depend on the format of your CV. With many employers using digital tools to screen applicants, clarity is essential. Poor formatting or missing keywords might result in you not being called in for an interview (making sure you thank them afterwards).
Many employers use applicant tracking systems to filter applications by scanning CVs for relevant keywords, job titles, and skills drawn from the job description. Using clear headings, standard fonts, and straightforward formatting helps ensure the CV is readable by these systems. At the same time, overly complex layouts, graphics, or text boxes can prevent important information from being detected.
CV Optimisation Checklist
- Review the job description and identify repeated skills, tools, and job titles
- Use these keywords naturally in the skills and experience sections
- Separate technical skills and soft skills where possible
- Use standard section headings such as “Experience”, “Education”, and “Skills”
- Choose a simple font and consistent spacing throughout
- Save and submit the CV in the format requested, usually PDF or Word
of recruiters use an Applicant Tracking System to screen applications before a human ever sees them, making keyword-rich, clearly formatted CVs crucial.
Final Checks and Common CV Mistakes to Avoid
Before you submit your CV and cover letter, always check! Make sure it's clear, accurate, and relevant to the role. Minor errors can be costly, but significant mistakes and omissions are even more costly. Run through this checklist for your CV.
Final CV Review Checklist
- Check spelling, grammar, and formatting consistency throughout the document
- Remove outdated or irrelevant roles that do not support the application
- Ensure job titles, dates, and qualifications are accurate and clearly presented
- Avoid generic phrases that do not add meaningful information
- Confirm the CV length is appropriate and easy to scan
- Save the final version using a clear file name before submitting
If you need help writing your CV, preparing for a phone interview, or writing a cover letter, why not look for a private tutor? On Superprof, you can find tutors for almost every skill or subject you can imagine. With most offering a free first lesson, you can try a few before choosing the best one. By interviewing potential tutors, you may even get a better idea of how you should write your CV and prepare for interviews.
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