CV samples: how to write a CV, with examples for 30+ jobs

What every good CV sample has in common

• A specific title that matches the job: “Registered Nurse (RN, RM)”, not “Curriculum Vitae”.
• A summary with numbers: years of experience, scale of work and one or two results.
• Achievement bullets that start with action verbs and include results.
• Relevant skills only, matching the wording employers use in adverts.
• Credentials up front for regulated careers (licences, registrations, professional bodies).
• A clean, readable layout with consistent dates and headings.

How to write each section (with examples)

CV examples by career

Each example below has a full sample CV, the skills employers look for, summary examples and tips for that career:

• Health: nurse, doctor, clinical officer, pharmacist, medical laboratory technologist.
• Education: secondary teacher, primary teacher (TSC), student attachment CV.
• Business and finance: accountant, bank officer, HR officer, procurement officer, marketing officer, sales representative, data analyst.
• Office and services: secretary, receptionist, customer service, cashier, waiter, chef, security guard.
• Technical and trades: software developer, ICT support, civil engineer, electrician, motor vehicle mechanic, driver, graphic designer.
• Development and media: NGO project officer, agricultural officer, social worker, journalist, advocate.
• Early career: fresh graduate with no experience.

How to use a CV sample the right way

1. 1

   Choose a sample from your field

   Pick the example closest to the job you want so the structure and skills fit.

2. 2

   Copy the structure, not the words

   Use the sample's layout and style, but write your own achievements. Recruiters notice copied text.

3. 3

   Add your numbers

   Replace the sample's results with yours: patients, customers, students, budgets, targets, time saved.

4. 4

   Match the advert

   Adjust the title, summary and skills to the job you are applying for.

5. 5

   Check your score

   Use the live ATS score to catch missing sections, weak bullets and missing keywords.

What makes a CV sample bad?

• Generic objectives that could apply to anyone.
• Long paragraphs of duties copied from a job description.
• Personal details such as age, religion, ID number or marital status.
• Skill bars and percentages that mean nothing.
• Three or four pages for a junior role.

Walkthrough: the nurse CV sample

The sample above shows how a regulated profession should present itself. The title line includes both qualifications (RN, RM), so the recruiter knows the candidate can work in nursing and midwifery roles. The summary combines years of experience, specialisms and a hard quality result (zero medication errors in three audits). Experience lists the unit, patient volume and a training contribution, and the NYSC role is treated as real experience with its own achievements.

Certifications include the NMCN licence and BLS with years, and the languages section lists English, Igbo and Yoruba, which is valuable in a Lagos hospital serving diverse patients. A single referee, the Chief Nursing Officer, is a strong choice because she can speak directly to clinical performance.

What different careers emphasise in a CV

• Health: licences and registration first, units and procedures, patient volumes, quality and safety results.
• Teaching: licence or TSC/NTC registration, subjects and levels, learner results, co-curricular roles.
• Finance: professional qualification (CPA, ACCA, ICAN, ICAG), systems, tax and reporting, accuracy and deadlines.
• Sales and marketing: targets versus achievement, revenue, growth, campaigns and channels.
• Trades and drivers: licences and trade tests, equipment and vehicles, safety record.
• Tech: stack and tools, projects, performance and reliability results, portfolio links.
• NGO and development: donors, budgets, beneficiaries reached, M&E and reporting.

How recruiters read a CV sample in 30 seconds

Most recruiters follow the same quick path on a first read: name and title at the top, the first two lines of the summary, the current job title and employer, dates (looking for gaps or job-hopping), the first bullet of the latest job, then education and any licence the role requires. A good CV sample puts the most convincing information exactly along that path. When you adapt a sample, make sure your strongest result appears in the summary or the first bullet of your current job, because that is where the eye lands.

Start from a sample in one click

In our builder, choose “Start from a career sample”, pick your career, and a complete CV is created with your name and contacts. Replace the details with your own experience, switch designs if you like, and download when you are ready. It is the quickest way to a professional CV, even if you have never written one before.

Frequently asked questions