How to Write a CV?

A well-structured CV is the foundation for making a good first impression. Most Swedish employers expect a CV that is clear, professional, and easy to read. Here are the most important parts:

Contact information is absolutely essential. Your name, phone number, email address, and city/region should be clearly visible at the top of your CV. You can also add a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website if it's relevant to the position.

A personal profile or summary is a short text, 2-3 sentences, that describes your most important qualifications and what you're looking for. A good profile can determine whether the employer continues reading. Focus on what you can contribute, not just what you want.

Work experience is often the most important section. List your previous jobs chronologically, with your most recent job first. For each position include: company name, your title, employment period, and 3-4 bullet points about your main responsibilities and achievements. Use action verbs like led, developed, implemented, and increased.

Education includes your highest completed qualifications. List the school/university, degree, graduation year, and any relevant grades or honors. You don't need to list all courses, but relevant specializations can be valuable.

Skills should be listed as a short list of your main competencies. Include both technical skills (programming languages, tools, software) and soft skills (leadership, communication, project management). Prioritize the most relevant for the position you're applying for.

The classic CV structure is popular in Sweden for a reason – it works. Here's the order that works best:

1. Heading with name (H1 size)

2. Contact information (phone, email, city, LinkedIn)

3. Personal profile/summary (150-200 words)

4. Work experience (chronological, most recent first)

5. Education

6. Certifications and courses (if relevant)

7. Languages and levels

8. Skills/competencies

9. Other (volunteer work, projects, publications)

This structure is intuitive and helps employers quickly find the information they're looking for. Swedish employers often expect this exact order, so don't stand out in a bad way.

Timing is important for clarity. You save the reader's time by presenting information logically. Use the same date format everywhere (e.g., Jan 2020 - Dec 2023) and make sure all words are spelled correctly and grammar is perfect.

Formatting expectations are also high. Use consistent fonts, appropriate size (11-12pt), adequate margins, and white space. A CV that's messy and hard to read gets skipped quickly, no matter how good your experience is.

In Sweden, the golden standard for CV length is 1-2 pages. For most employees, one page is perfectly sufficient, while two pages are acceptable if you have extensive experience or special qualifications.

Under 5 years of work experience? One page is plenty and often preferred. Focus on quality over quantity – include only the most relevant.

Between 5-15 years of experience? Two pages are appropriate. You can then provide more details about your achievements and development over time.

Over 15 years of experience? Two pages is still the norm. You must be selective and focus on the most recent and relevant work. Skip old positions that aren't relevant to the role you're applying for.

Why is this length standard? Swedish employers and recruiters typically read a CV in 1-2 minutes. You need to grab their attention quickly. Too much text means important details get lost in the details, too little and you're not showing enough experience.

A more detailed CV may be needed for certain academic positions or very senior roles, but even then 2-3 pages is the maximum recommended.

There are many pitfalls that can kill your CV before it's even properly read. Here are the most common mistakes:

Photo: In Sweden, a photo on a CV is no longer standard and can actually work against you. If the company has anti-discrimination policies, they may not want to see a photo at all. The only exception is if you're an influencer, model, or actor.

Long text without structure: Your CV should be easy to scan quickly. Use bullet points, not long paragraphs. The employer often only reads 30 seconds – make it easy for them.

Unclear job description: "Various tasks" says nothing. Be specific: "Led a team of 5 people", "Implemented new processes that saved 20% in time", "Increased sales by 15%".

Formatting that's not consistent: One page with one font, the next page with another. Use the same format everywhere. The same applies to date formats, bullet usage, and spacing.

A CV that's not customized: Copy-pasting the same CV to every application is a mistake. You should tailor your CV to each role. Highlight the most relevant experience and skills at the top.

Spelling and grammar mistakes: This is often an automatic "no". You must proofread thoroughly. Often this is the first thing recruiters notice.

Outdated information: The job you had 10 years ago doesn't need to be there. Focus on the most recent and relevant. A too-long CV can also hide the best you have to offer.

Professionalism: LinkedIn addresses with private email addresses, informal writing, or sensitive issues presented the wrong way can be problematic. Keep everything professional.

ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is an automated system that companies use to sort CVs. If your CV isn't ATS-friendly, it may never reach a human.

Headings are very important – use simple, clear headings like "Work Experience", "Education", not "What I Did" or "My Journey".

Avoid special formatting that can confuse the system: no text boxes, no unusual alignment, no images or charts. Keep it simple. Use standard fonts.

Keywords are critical. Read the job advertisements carefully and use the same words and phrases in your CV. If they're looking for "Java" and you wrote "JavaScript", the system might miss you.

File format matters – PDF is often safest in Sweden, but Word can also work. Always check the job posting's instructions.

Numbering and date format should be consistent. "Jan 2023" or "01/2023" works better than "January 2023".

Avoid fancy designs. A beautiful CV may look wonderful to a human but is often unreadable to an ATS. It's better to be boring but readable than cool but unreadable.

We've asked multiple recruiters what they see as most important in a CV. Here are their best tips:

"Personal profiles are important. In the first sentence, I should understand what type of person you are and what you can contribute." - Maria K., HR Manager at tech company.

"Use numbers and concrete results. Instead of 'Responsible for customer service', write 'Handled 500+ customer contacts per month with 95% satisfaction'." - Anders P., Recruiter in e-commerce.

"Show progression. We want to see that you've developed over time, taken on more responsibility or broader competencies. It shows ambition." - Lisa T., HR specialist at large company.

"Save time by reading the job postings carefully. Match your skills to what they're looking for, not just through keywords but through structure and focus." - Erik M., Recruitment Manager.

"A CV that's easy to read is worth gold. Many make it too complicated. Clear structure, good white space, and simple fonts make a huge difference." - Sofie N., HR consultant.

"Your LinkedIn should match your CV. We often check both, and inconsistencies raise questions." - David W., Recruiter in finance.

The common denominator? Clarity, specificity, and being easy to read. No one wants to dig through a messy CV to find relevant information.