How to Write a CV: A Global Guide for STEM Professionals

Your CV isn't just a list of jobs and qualifications; it’s your professional story, carefully crafted to show a hiring manager exactly why you're the right person for the role. Let's break down how to build a document that not only tells that story but also makes it impossible for them to ignore, no matter where in the world you're applying.

Building Your STEM CV From the Ground Up

Starting with a blank page can feel a bit daunting, I know. But think of it as the perfect chance to build a powerful CV from the ground up, one that truly reflects your journey and your goals. This document is the blueprint of your career, designed to grab attention and open doors.

In a competitive global job market, you have to make every second count. Recruiters spend an average of just seven seconds scanning a CV, which means a clear, logical structure is absolutely critical.

This is exactly why the reverse-chronological format is the international industry standard, especially in major tech and science hubs from London to Silicon Valley. It smartly places your most recent, relevant experience right at the top, the very first thing a hiring manager sees.

Choosing the Right Layout

A clean, easy-to-read layout is non-negotiable. I like to think of a CV's format as its user interface; if it’s cluttered or confusing, the reader is going to click away. The goal is a simple, professional design that makes your content shine.

• Font Choice: Stick with the classics. Professional, globally recognized fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Georgia are always a safe bet. Keep the size readable, usually between 10-12 points.
• White Space: Don't be afraid of it! Generous margins and line spacing prevent that dreaded "wall of text" and make your CV feel organised and approachable.
• Headings: Use clear, bold headings for each section (e.g., Professional Summary, Work Experience, Technical Skills). This acts as a signpost, guiding the reader’s eye through your story.

Your CV's design should be a silent partner, enhancing your content without distracting from it. The best layouts are the ones you don't notice because they make the information so effortless to absorb.

Key Sections of a Winning STEM CV

Every single section of your CV needs to earn its place. Organising them strategically helps you build a coherent and compelling narrative that flows from one point to the next.

Here’s a quick summary of the essential components your CV must include, their purpose, and where they should be placed for maximum impact.

Key Sections of a Winning STEM CV

This structure provides a proven framework for success.

For that all-important professional summary at the top, borrowing principles from how to write executive summaries that win deals can help you frame a powerful, concise introduction that hooks the reader instantly.

It's also worth thinking about the bigger picture. A well-crafted CV is a cornerstone of your professional growth. In fact, it's a living document that should evolve with you. Check out our guide on creating a https://womeninstemnetwork.com/career-development-plan/ to see how your CV fits into your long-term ambitions.

Bringing Your Experience to Life, Section by Section

Alright, you've got your structure sorted. Now for the fun part: filling it with compelling content that tells your story. This is where you move beyond a simple list of jobs and start showcasing what makes you, you. Every section is a fresh chance to demonstrate your value and connect your skills to what employers are desperate to find.

Let's walk through the core parts of your CV and focus on practical ways to make every single word count. The aim is to create something that not only gets past the initial automated scan but genuinely grabs the hiring manager's attention.

Crafting a Powerful Professional Summary

Think of your professional summary as your "elevator pitch." It’s the very first thing a recruiter reads, so it needs to be sharp, punchy, and memorable. In just 2-4 sentences, you need to capture who you are, what you do, and the value you deliver.

This isn't just a rehash of your job history; it's a strategic statement of your professional brand.

For women in STEM, this is the perfect spot to immediately highlight your specialism, whether that's machine learning, biopharmaceutical research, or sustainable civil engineering. Focus on your top strengths, years of experience, and one killer achievement that sets the stage.

Here's an example for a junior data analyst:

• "Detail-oriented Data Analyst with two years of experience using Python and SQL to transform complex datasets into actionable business insights. Passionate about supporting data-driven decisions, I developed a new reporting process that increased team efficiency by 15%."

See how that immediately establishes her core skills, her passion, and a measurable win? It’s far more effective than a generic opening.

Detailing Your Work Experience with Impact

This section is the heart of your CV. The most common mistake I see is people simply listing their day-to-day duties. To really stand out, you need to frame your responsibilities as accomplishments. It's not just about what you did, but why it mattered.

A brilliant way to do this is with the STAR method. It’s a simple but incredibly effective technique for structuring your achievements in a way that’s clear, concise, and compelling.

Here's the breakdown:

• Situation: Briefly set the scene. What was the challenge or context?
• Task: What was your specific goal or responsibility?
• Action: What concrete steps did you take? Use strong, dynamic verbs here.
• Result: What was the outcome? This is where you bring in the numbers.

Instead of writing, "Responsible for managing project timelines," try this: "Successfully managed a critical product launch by developing a new tracking system (Action), resulting in a 10% reduction in delays and delivering the project two weeks ahead of schedule (Result)."

This approach gives recruiters solid proof of what you can do. If you're struggling to frame your achievements or need a confidence boost, exploring your mentoring options can provide incredible support and help you articulate your value.

Showcasing Your Technical Skills and Education

Finally, your skills and education sections are where you provide the hard evidence of your qualifications. The key here is to make them easy to scan and highly relevant to the job you're targeting.

Technical Skills

Create a dedicated, clean section for your technical abilities. Don't just throw everything into one long list. Grouping them by category makes it so much easier for a busy recruiter to see what they're looking for.

• Programming Languages: Python, Java, C++, R
• Software & Tools: MATLAB, AutoCAD, SOLIDWORKS, Git
• Lab Techniques: PCR, Western Blotting, Cell Culture
• Data Analysis: SQL, Tableau, Power BI

Education and Certifications

If you're a recent graduate, your education section can sit right after your professional summary. Make sure to include your degree, university, and graduation date. If you earned a high grade (like a First-Class Honours in the UK or a high GPA in the US), absolutely put that in.

Don't forget to list any relevant certifications, too. They’re a great way to show you're committed to keeping your skills sharp and up-to-date in your field.

Turning Responsibilities into Quantifiable Achievements

In STEM, we live and breathe data. It’s what drives our decisions, validates our theories, and measures progress. So why shouldn’t the same principle apply to your CV? It’s time to stop just listing what you were supposed to do and start showing what you actually did, with tangible, quantifiable achievements.

This is a subtle but incredibly powerful shift. Instead of saying you were responsible for a task, you’ll be proving the impact you made. It’s the difference between blending in and standing out, and it makes your contributions real and memorable to a hiring manager sifting through a mountain of applications.

Why Metrics Matter More Than You Think

Recruiters and hiring managers are wired to look for numbers. Metrics provide concrete, undeniable proof of your capabilities and cut straight through the fluff. A statement like "Managed social media channels" is vague and forgettable. But "Grew organic social media engagement by 45% in six months" tells a compelling story of your success.

I often hear from women in technical roles who feel their work isn't directly tied to sales or revenue, making it a real headache to find those metrics. But here’s the thing: impact isn't just about money. It’s about efficiency, quality, time saved, and processes improved. You just need to know where to look.

Think of it this way: every task you perform has an outcome. Your job is to find the data that measures that outcome. It's about translating your daily actions into the language of results.

Uncovering these numbers might take a bit of detective work. Dig through old projects, performance reviews, and team reports. Did you reduce the time it took to complete a process? Did you slash the error rate? These are the golden nuggets that will make your CV shine.

Finding the Numbers in Your STEM Role

Every single field in STEM is swimming with potential metrics, even if they aren't immediately obvious. The trick is to reframe your responsibilities through the lens of impact.

Let’s look at a few real-world examples to see how you can transform a simple responsibility into a powerful, data-driven achievement.

For the Data Scientist:

• Before: "Improved data processing scripts."
• After: "Increased data processing efficiency by 30% by refactoring legacy Python scripts, reducing server runtime by over 10 hours per week."

For the Civil Engineer:

• Before: "Responsible for site safety inspections."
• After: "Implemented a new digital safety audit system that decreased reportable on-site incidents by 25% year-on-year."

For the Biotech Researcher:

• Before: "Maintained cell cultures for experiments."
• After: "Optimised cell culture protocols, achieving a 15% higher yield and reducing consumable waste by $2,500 per quarter."

See the difference? These examples show a clear cause-and-effect, linking your actions directly to a positive outcome for the business.

When you're trying to show your value, nothing beats a concrete example. For a little more inspiration, take a look at these powerful resume accomplishments.

Practical Tips for Quantifying Your Impact

Feeling inspired but still a bit stuck on where to start? Don’t worry. Use these prompts to start digging for your own metrics. Just ask yourself:

• How much? Did you manage a budget? Did you increase production volume?
• How many? How many people did you train or manage? How many projects did you lead from start to finish?
• How often? Did you reduce the frequency of system failures or customer complaints?
• By what percentage? Did you boost efficiency, improve accuracy, or increase user satisfaction rates?

Making this simple shift from describing duties to quantifying achievements will fundamentally change the power of your CV. It gives employers the proof they’re looking for and provides you with fantastic talking points for your interviews. To get more ideas on how to frame your successes, it's also worth exploring various awards for women in STEM to see how top achievers position their work.

Addressing Career Gaps with Confidence

Let’s be honest: career breaks happen. They’re a normal and often necessary part of life. Whether you took time out for family, health, a personal project, or to learn something new, the key is to present it on your CV with confidence. It's time to bust the myth that a gap is an automatic red flag.

The goal isn't to hide it, it's to own it. When you explain your break proactively, you show honesty, self-awareness, and resilience. These are qualities any great STEM team would value. This is your chance to show how you continued to grow, even when you weren't in a traditional role.

Frame the Narrative in Your Favour

How you talk about your career break makes all the difference. Stop thinking of it as "time off" and start seeing it as a period of alternative productivity. The language you choose can completely shift a recruiter's perspective, moving the focus from absence to intentional action.

Your CV should tell a story of continuous learning and engagement. This is especially true for women in STEM returning after a break. With a rising number of professionals having gaps of 12+ months on their CVs, it’s vital to frame these periods as opportunities for growth, like getting certified in AI or data analysis. This approach really helps your CV get noticed. You can discover more insights about employment gap trends on londonlovesbusiness.com.

Think of your career break not as a pause, but as a pivot. You were actively directing your energy toward something important, whether that was raising a family, recovering your health, or mastering a new skill. It’s all part of your unique professional story.

Practical Ways to Showcase Your Break

So, how do you actually put this on your CV without raising eyebrows? The best method really depends on how long your break was and what you were up to during that time.

Here are a few techniques that work well:

• Use a Functional Summary: If the break was significant, you can address it head-on with a brief, positive line in your professional summary. Something like, "Returning to the biotech field after a planned career break to focus on family, during which I completed a certification in Bioinformatics."

• Keep Your Timeline Simple: You don't need to list dates down to the month and day. Just using years for your employment history (e.g., 2019 - 2021) is a common and perfectly acceptable way to minimise the appearance of shorter gaps.

Create a 'Projects' or 'Professional Development' Section

If you were busy keeping your skills sharp, a dedicated section is a brilliant move. It turns a potential negative into a clear positive, highlighting your initiative and passion for your field.

For example, you could create a section titled 'Independent Projects' or 'Consulting Work':

Independent Data Analysis Project (2022 - 2023)

• Conducted a sentiment analysis project on public health data using Python and the NLTK library.
• Developed interactive visualisations with Tableau to present findings on community health trends.
• Authored a detailed report summarising the project methodology and key insights.

This shows you were actively using your skills. If you were focused on learning, a 'Professional Development' section is perfect.

Professional Development (2022 - 2023)

• Completed Google's Data Analytics Professional Certificate (Coursera).
• Mastered advanced Excel functions, including Power Query and DAX.
• Attended weekly industry webinars on machine learning applications in finance.

By taking control of the narrative, you transform a gap into a story of resilience and commitment. For more tailored advice, our guide on rejoining STEM after a break offers deeper strategies and support. It's all about presenting the complete, authentic picture of your career with confidence.

Getting Your CV Past the Robots (and into Human Hands)

Before a hiring manager ever sees your brilliant CV, it has to get past the digital gatekeeper first. Meet the Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. You can think of it as a bouncer for job applications, programmed to scan, sort, and filter CVs based on a very specific guest list.

These systems are a necessity for larger companies drowning in applications. They automatically scan your document for the keywords, skills, and qualifications that match what they're looking for. If the software doesn't find the right stuff, your CV can get politely (and silently) shown the door. It's often rejected before a human even knows it exists.

But don't worry, this isn't about trying to trick a machine. It's about learning its language. A few simple tweaks can be a total game-changer, ensuring your hard work gets the attention it truly deserves.

Cracking the Code: Finding Keywords in the Job Description

So, how do you get on the VIP list? The secret is already in your hands: the job description. This document is your treasure map, filled with the exact keywords and phrases the ATS has been told to find. Your first mission is to become a keyword detective.

Read through the job description and start highlighting the skills, technologies, and qualifications the employer mentions. Pay close attention to the ones they repeat. You’ll be looking for both:

• Hard Skills: Things like "Python," "AutoCAD," "data modelling," or "lab management."
• Transferable Skills: Phrases like "project management," "team leadership," or "stakeholder communication."

Once you've got your list, the next step is to weave these phrases naturally throughout your CV. Think about where they'll make the most impact, such as in your Professional Summary, descriptions of your Work Experience, and a dedicated Skills section.

Expert Tip: By strategically aligning your CV with the job description, you're not just optimising for a machine. You're also showing the human reader that you've paid close attention and are a fantastic fit for the role.

Keep It Clean: Formatting for Flawless Readability

That beautifully designed, creative CV might look incredible, but it can completely baffle an ATS. These systems crave simplicity and structure. Anything too fancy, like tables, columns, or graphics, can cause the software to misread or even ignore crucial information.

With a huge majority of large companies using ATS software, making your CV machine-friendly is non-negotiable. While AI writing tools can help, remember that recruiters are getting pretty savvy at spotting AI-generated content. The best approach is to blend these aids with your own authentic voice. A clean, reverse-chronological format is still the gold standard for both the bots and the humans who read your CV next.

To make this super simple, here’s a quick-reference guide to what the systems love and what they hate.

ATS Do's and Don'ts

Following these formatting rules is a simple way to make sure your content gets parsed correctly. And as you tailor your CV, remember that professional development goes beyond technical skills. You can explore our thoughts on why understanding yourself is the foundation of modern leadership to see how that self-awareness connects to every step of your career journey.

The Final Pre-Submission Polish

You’ve poured your expertise and experience into this document, and it’s looking brilliant. But before you click ‘send’, let’s talk about the final check-over. It’s this last, careful polish that often separates a good CV from a great one.

Think of it as the final QA sweep before a product goes live. A tiny bug can derail the whole user experience, and a small typo can cast doubt on your otherwise impeccable work. The first order of business is a meticulous proofread. Seriously, read it out loud. It feels a bit strange, but it’s the single best way to catch clumsy sentences and sneaky typos your brain automatically corrects on screen.

Getting It Over the Finish Line

Beyond catching errors, this last step is about making your CV work as hard as possible for you. If you do one last thing, make it this: customise it for the job you’re applying for. Sending out a generic CV is like using the same key for every lock – it just won’t work. Pull up that job description one more time and make sure the skills and achievements you’ve highlighted are a direct answer to their needs.

Now, let’s get everything consistent. A quick scan for these details makes a world of difference:

• Formatting: Are all your headings the same? Is the font and spacing consistent from top to bottom? Little things like this show a high level of care.
• Dates: Do your employment dates make sense? It’s surprisingly easy to type 2023 instead of 2024, so give them a quick once-over.
• Tone: Does the CV sound like you? Make sure the professional, confident tone in your summary carries through right to the end.

Your CV is your professional handshake. A polished, error-free document shows attention to detail, a highly valued trait in every STEM field. It signals that you are careful, diligent, and serious about the opportunity.

Finally, please get a second pair of eyes on it. Ask a friend, a former colleague, or a mentor to have a quick read. After staring at it for hours, you become blind to your own mistakes, and a fresh perspective is priceless. And for the love of all that is good, triple-check your contact details. You've done all this incredible work; make sure they can actually get in touch to offer you the interview.

Got Questions? Let's Get Them Answered

Even with a solid guide, it’s completely normal to have those last-minute, niggling questions as you're putting the finishing touches on your CV. Let's tackle some of the most common ones that come up, especially when you're navigating STEM applications across different parts of the world.

How Long Should My CV Be?

In the UK, Europe, and Australia, a two-page CV is the gold standard. It gives you just enough room to showcase your skills and experience without burying a recruiter in information.

But what if you're a recent graduate or have been in the field for less than ten years? A punchy, one-page CV can be incredibly powerful. The key is to be ruthless with what you include. Every word has to justify its place. For senior academic or research roles with a long list of publications, you might stretch to three pages, but that’s a rare exception. Always prioritise impact over length.

To Photo or Not to Photo?

This is a big one, and the answer is all about location, location, location.

If you're applying for jobs in the UK, USA, Canada, or Australia, do not include a photo. Seriously. It's a professional no-go zone, and a standard practice to help prevent unconscious bias. Adding a photo could even get your application binned before it's read.

However, things are different in many parts of mainland Europe, like Germany and France, as well as in Asia and the Middle East. There, a professional headshot is often expected. The best advice? Always do a quick search on local business etiquette before you apply for an international role.

When in doubt, leave it out. Your skills and achievements are what matter, and this is the safest, most professional bet for any application, anywhere in the world.

What's the Difference Between a CV and a Résumé?

It's easy to get tangled up in the CV versus résumé debate, but it's mostly just a case of regional vocabulary.

• In the UK, Europe, Australia, and most of Asia and Africa, the document we've been talking about—that one-to-two-page summary of your career, is called a CV. Simple.
• In the USA and Canada, that same document is called a résumé. In North America, a 'CV' refers to a much longer, exhaustive document used for academic, medical, or research positions, listing every publication, conference, and grant you've ever had.

So, for the corporate STEM roles you're likely applying for, don't sweat the terminology. The concise, tailored document you’re creating is the right tool for the job, whatever they call it locally.

How Often Do I Really Need to Tailor My CV?

I'll keep this short: Every. Single. Time.

This isn't a box-ticking exercise; it's the most important thing you can do to get noticed. Before you even think about hitting 'apply', pull up the job description and dissect it. What keywords, skills, and responsibilities jump out?

Now, go back to your CV. Tweak your professional summary to echo what they’re looking for. Reorder the bullet points under your experience to put your most relevant wins at the top. Make sure the skills you list match the language in their ad. This small effort shows you’ve paid attention and makes a huge difference in getting past both the automated screening systems and the human beings reading your application.