How to Write the Experience Section on Your CV

The experience section is where most hiring decisions are made. It is the section recruiters spend the most time on and the one most candidates write the worst. Here is how to make yours stand out.

The Right Format for Each Role

• Company name (bold or prominent)
• Your job title
• Dates: Month Year – Month Year (or 'Present')
• Location (optional but useful for in-person or hybrid roles)
• 3–6 bullet points

How to Write a Strong Bullet Point

Every bullet should follow a simple pattern: Action verb + what you did + what happened as a result. The result does not have to be a number — but it should be something meaningful.

Strong Action Verbs by Function

• Leadership: Led, directed, managed, oversaw, coordinated
• Growth: Grew, expanded, increased, accelerated, scaled
• Improvement: Streamlined, reduced, optimised, improved, automated
• Creation: Built, designed, developed, launched, created
• Analysis: Analysed, evaluated, investigated, identified, reported
• Collaboration: Partnered, collaborated, aligned, facilitated, presented

How Many Bullets per Role?

Three to five bullets for older or shorter roles. Five to six for your most recent or most relevant role. Do not include more than six — quality over quantity. If a bullet is weak, cut it rather than pad it.

How Far Back Should You Go?

Include the last 10–15 years in full. For roles beyond that, either cut them entirely or add a brief 'Earlier Career' section with just the company name, title, and year — no bullets needed.

Handling Multiple Roles at the Same Company

If you were promoted, list the company once and stack the roles below it with separate dates and bullets. This makes the progression clear without duplicating the company name.