How to write a profile on a CV should be fairly straightforward, but only if you understand what the person looking at your CV is thinking.

Consider who is looking at your CV when you apply for a job. It’s someone very busy who is working to a brief.

Their brief is to find someone to fill a role and the type of role defines what they’re most focused on. If it’s for a sales role – that’s what they’re looking for. If it’s customer service – that’s what they’re looking for.

So, the first thing your profile should do is to put your experience before anything else.

Start with a statement about what you are. For example, “An experienced sales professional”, or “A qualified mechanical engineer”. This tells the person reading your CV that they’re looking at someone who may have the experience and skills they’re looking for and is an enticement for them to keep reading.

Your CV profile should be no longer than 4 lines and preferably just 3. After the opening statement you can hit on a key phrase that the job role highlights to bolster your credentials for the role you’ve applied for.

For instance, if the position is in retail sales you would have something like “An experienced customer adviser with extensive experience of working in a busy retail environment”.

Once you’ve written the opening for your profile you should close it with a statement that tells the reader of your CV why you’re interested in this particular role. I’ll cover that in my next post on how to write a profile on a CV!